Moves Management Template

Find prospects with the capacity and connection to give meaningfully.

• Pull a list of top annual donors, board referrals, and wealth-screened prospects.
• Capture name, source, capacity rating, and initial linkage to your mission.
• Decide who is worth qualifying — be ruthless; a focused list of 100 beats a sprawling list of 1,000.

Confirm interest, capacity, and willingness to engage.

• Make a discovery contact — a call, coffee, or short visit.
• Listen for affinity (do they care?) and capacity (can they give at this level?).
• Drop prospects who aren't a fit; promote the rest into active cultivation.

Build a real relationship around shared values and program interest.

• Plan 4–7 meaningful moves over 6–18 months — visits, tours, expert calls, peer introductions.
• Document every interaction the same week it happens.
• Track the next move date so no donor falls through the cracks.

Make a specific ask tied to a specific opportunity.

• Confirm the right asker, the right amount, the right project, and the right setting.
• Ask in person when possible; be quiet after the ask and let the donor respond.
• Record the outcome — yes, no, counter-offer, or 'think about it' — and the next step.

Honor the gift and lay the groundwork for the next one.

• Thank the donor within 48 hours, then again in a different voice within 30 days.
• Report impact at least twice a year — stories first, numbers second.
• Plan the next cultivation cycle before the current pledge closes.