Middle Child Vibes in Your Database?
Who are the most overlooked donors in your database? Unless the answer is "all of them,” I can almost guarantee it’s your mid-level givers.
Most nonprofit CEOs I talk to are hanging on. There's never enough time, never enough staff, and never enough budget. It makes sense that mid-level donors are the most overlooked because they aren’t the big-spenders and they aren’t the easy-to-automate low-tier donors, either.
But here’s the quiet truth (and the hill I’ll die on): Your mid-level donors are your biggest missed opportunity.
These are the donors giving between, say, $500 and $5,000 annually. Too small for a major gift officer. Too big for a mass appeal letter. Often flying just under the radar.
You don’t need a whole new department or a full-time hire to serve this group well. You just need a strategy, nay, a system! And a few consistent, low-lift moves that will make an impact coming from you, the CEO. You’re a big deal, and you’ve got influence, so capitalize on it!
From the Field:
I recently worked with an organization that had no major gifts officer, no stewardship staff, and one very overwhelmed executive director. Together, we pulled a list of their $250–$1,500 donors and built a simple system:
· A warm, “just checking in” email (we wrote one template for her to customize every week)
· One handwritten thank-you note per week
· One donor call every Tuesday afternoon
That was it. No fancy moves management software. No added staff.
Within four months, three donors upgraded their gifts, and one made a surprise $10,000 gift we weren’t expecting. Why? Because they suddenly felt seen.
Quick Tip:
You don’t need to launch a full mid-level giving program. Start with this:
Define the range (e.g., $500–$4,999)
Tag these donors in your CRM or create a Google Sheet for leads
Choose 2–3 touchpoints per week that you can stick with consistently (a thank-you call, a check-in email, a handwritten note). Good donors appreciate simple things. You don’t need Pinterest-perfect note cards or a full-blown newsletter. Keep it thoughtful, personal, and simple :)
It’s not about creating more work. It’s about putting a little more heart behind what you’re already doing.
Quote to Lead By:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” - James Clear
Mid-level donors are often right in front of you; they just need to know you see them. A simple system with a few intentional touchpoints can go a long way.
One Last Thought:
If you want help mapping out your mid-level donor segment or writing your personal outreach templates, hit reply. I help CEOs build donor systems that are simple, human, and scalable, without growing overhead.
You’ve got this,
Jenni
