How Do I Align With My ED or CEO on Major Gifts Strategy?
Scaling Major Gifts. Strategies, action steps, and ideas for scaling major gifts by Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker.
Managing up is one of the most underrated skills in major gifts. The fastest way to align with your ED or CEO is to translate your front-line donor experience into the language they use with the board: shared goals, realistic timelines, and a steady rhythm of briefings that mix data with story. If you lead major gifts, this is how you earn room to do the work the way it needs to be done.
This is for major gift officers, development directors, and CEOs of small and mid-sized nonprofits who want to stop feeling squeezed between donor reality and leadership expectations. After reading, you'll have a simple framework for setting shared goals, a meeting agenda you can use this month, and a briefing format that earns trust without overpromising.
This is something almost every major gift officer I coach mentions within the first two conversations. It usually sounds like this. "My ED is amazing, but they don't really understand what major gifts work looks like day to day." Or, "Our CEO keeps asking why I haven't closed the gift yet, and I'm not sure how to explain that the donor isn't ready."
That tension is normal. You're in the field reading donor signals. Your leader is in the boardroom carrying revenue pressure, mission urgency, and a dozen other priorities. Both views are real. The work is to bridge them on purpose, not by accident.
In 2026, with AI tools speeding up research and outreach, leaders are more aware than ever that major gifts should be growing. That puts pressure on you. It also gives you a chance to lead the conversation if you're willing to manage up well.
What to focus on next week
Get inside your leader's head first. Before you ask for anything, write down what your ED or CEO is being measured on this quarter. Revenue targets, board expectations, program outcomes, donor visibility. When your asks line up with their pressures, the answer is yes more often.
Set shared goals, not just your goals. Bring three numbers to your next one-on-one. The revenue target you believe is realistic for your portfolio this fiscal year, the activity metrics you'll hit to get there, and the support you need from leadership. Agreeing on all three up front prevents the painful mid-year reset.
Build a briefing rhythm. Pick a cadence and stick with it. A short weekly written update, a 30-minute monthly portfolio review, and a quarterly strategy session works for most teams. Predictability lowers anxiety on both sides.
Pair data with one story every time. Numbers answer the head. Stories answer the heart. Your leader needs both to feel confident telling the board the program is on track.
Use AI to prep, not to replace your judgment. I'll often instruct my clients to ask Claude or ChatGPT to turn their messy portfolio notes into a clean one-page briefing before a meeting with leadership. It can save you an hour and help you show up sharper.
A Quick Story
A development director I work with was dreading her quarterly check-in. Her CEO had been frustrated that two top prospects hadn't closed yet. Instead of leading with apologies, she tried something new. The development director walked in with a one-page brief that opened with the CEO's revenue goal, named the three donors most likely to move in the next 90 days, and laid out two decisions she needed from him. Then she shared one story about a donor whose recent visit had shifted from a five-figure to a six-figure conversation. He leaned in. By the end of the hour, they had a shared plan and a clear yes on the resources she'd asked for.
Try this next week
Schedule one structured 30-minute alignment meeting with your ED or CEO before the end of the month. Send a one-page agenda in advance with three sections. Where we are. What I need from you. One donor story.
Then write down what you agreed on and send a recap email within 24 hours. That short recap is often what turns a good meeting into a working agreement.
Want to take a deeper dive?
This week's episode, “Leading from the Major Gifts Seat,” of The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast goes deeper on managing up as a leadership practice, including the empathy shift that changes everything and the briefing template I use with my own clients.
Listen to the full episode below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Who is this approach best suited for?
This approach is designed for major gift officers, development directors, and nonprofit CEOs who want to build a real working partnership around major gifts strategy. It works especially well if you already have a defined portfolio and at least quarterly access to your ED or CEO.
Q2. How much time should I expect this to take each week?
Plan for about two hours a week of intentional managing-up work. That includes 30 minutes of prep, a 30 to 60-minute structured conversation when one is on the calendar, and a short written recap. The bigger lift is consistency, not volume.
Q3. What if my organization is small and I wear multiple hats?
The principles still apply, and the tactics scale down well. Start with a 20-minute monthly check-in and one short written briefing every two weeks. Even that much rhythm is more than most small shops have, and it pays off quickly.
Q4. How do I know if it's working?
Look for early signals like fewer surprise reset conversations, more decisions made in the room instead of by email, and leadership pulling you into donor moments earlier. Over time, you should see this reflected in larger average gifts, smoother board reporting, and more multi-year commitments.
Q5. Where does AI fit into this, if at all?
AI is great for the prep work around managing up. Use it for drafting one-page briefings from your notes, turning a portfolio spreadsheet into a written summary, or rehearsing a tough conversation before you have it. Keep the relational judgment, the donor reading, and the strategic calls firmly in your hands.
I’d love to hear from you
What's one truth about your portfolio that your leader needs to hear but you haven't said out loud yet? Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me. I read every message.
Managing up isn't politics. It's leadership from the major gifts seat. You can do this with grace, with backbone, and with a real partnership on the other side of the table.
Keep scaling,
Tammy Zonker
Author of Calling All Heroes
Founder + President of Fundraising Transformed
President of Modern Institute for Charitable Giving
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