Donor Qualification: Identifying Real Major Donor Potential
A practical course for applying a disciplined evidence standard to potential major donors — separating wealth from willingness.
What you will learn
Eight lessons that build a full qualification standard — capacity, affinity, access, readiness and philanthropic behaviour — and the judgement to apply it under pressure.
Donor Qualification: Identifying Real Major Donor Potential
Eight lessons that build a full qualification standard — capacity, affinity, access, readiness and philanthropic behaviour — and the judgement to apply it under pressure.
1 Define What “Qualified” Means
Establishes the full test: capacity, affinity, access, readiness, philanthropic behaviour, mission connection and evidence quality.
2 Separate Capacity From Generosity
Reads wealth indicators without treating wealth as intent, using Australian giving-gap evidence.
3 Read Affinity and Mission Connection
Identifies whether the donor has a real connection to the cause, people served, geography or values.
4 Assess Access and Relationship Path
Decides whether the organisation has a credible route to the donor through staff, board, peers or engagement.
5 Interpret Philanthropic Behaviour
Distinguishes habitual, social, reactive and structured giving from genuine major-gift potential.
6 Test Readiness Without Forcing the Ask
Recognises timing, interest and caution signals that show whether more cultivation is warranted.
7 Make the Qualification Call
Decides whether to qualify, warm, pause, disqualify or revisit later, and names the missing evidence for each path.
8 Govern the Grey Cases
Handles board favourites, wealthy cold names and internally pressured prospects without weakening the standard.
A practical fit for teams building major giving.
Learn how to read capacity, affinity, access, readiness and philanthropic behaviour before recommending portfolio entry.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers for fundraising leaders deciding whether this course fits their team, training needs and practical workflow.
Is this a general introduction to prospect research? +
No. It assumes the organisation already identifies potential names and focuses specifically on applying a disciplined qualification standard to them.
Is it only for prospect researchers? +
No. It’s built for major gift officers, philanthropy managers, fundraising managers and senior leaders who need a consistent qualification call.
How long is the course? +
The course contains 8 lessons. Lesson reading time totals roughly 85–95 minutes, with practical case-review work likely taking it into the 2–3 hour range.
Is the course Australian-specific? +
Yes. The lessons use Australian wealth and giving-gap evidence throughout, while drawing carefully on relevant international research where useful.
Does it include realistic scenarios, not just theory? +
Yes. It includes fundraising moments built around board introductions with no relationship path, loyal donors with unclear capacity, and CEO-pressured prospects with no evidence file.
What should a team be able to do by the end? +
A team should be able to apply a full qualification standard across capacity, affinity, access, readiness and philanthropic behaviour, and make a defensible qualification call in ambiguous cases.
Donor Qualification: Identifying Real Major Donor Potential
Give your team an evidence standard for major donor potential — not a hunch, and not just a wealth score.
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