Mega gifts come almost exclusively from one type of donor: ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals. Nearly half of their wealth is strategically hidden, sitting in private equity, real estate LLCs, venture stakes, and hedge funds, structured to stay invisible by design.
At this level, the rules of engagement change. Screening is still the essential foundation when searching for the donor capable of your next transformational gift, but you have to dig even deeper than usual.
The $15M+ Donor Playbook guides you through this detective work. It’s a two-part field guide to finding, timing, and asking for the transformational gift.
- The Researcher’s Guide: Uncover where hidden wealth actually lives, track its liquidity so you know when a gift is even possible, and build it all into a UHNW research profile.
- The Fundraiser’s Guide: Turn that profile into a yes. Map the relationships that get you in the room, sequence the asks, and move the moment the window opens.
With this playbook, your team will:
- See the whole picture, including roughly 50% of UHNW wealth that is strategically hidden
- Build the liquidity calendar that tells you when a gift is actually possible
- Map the networks that turn a name on a list into a reachable prospect
- Craft the ask that lands when liquidity and affinity finally intersect
Written by Cherian Koshy, ACFRE, CFRE, CAP®, USA Today bestselling author of Neurogiving, The Science of Donor Decision-Making.