Major-Gift Proposal Template (Leadership & Principal Gifts)
A customizable proposal for six- to eight-figure asks — the document a gift officer presents to name a scholarship, endow a chair, or fund a priority — tied to a stewardship/retention plan.
Draft: pending review
This starter document is signed off by Major/principal gifts director (CFRE) + counsel for gift-agreement and pledge terms before it ships. The guardrails below define that review.
What’s inside
- Donor-centered case for support aligned to the prospect's stated interests
- Specific ask and gift-structuring options (outright, pledge, securities, DAF, blended/planned)
- Named-fund/naming summary with thresholds from the naming policy
- Multi-year stewardship plan and reference to the governing gift agreement to follow
Legal & ethical guardrails
The sector-specific compliance points this document must honor.
- Restricted-purpose language in a proposal can shape binding donor intent before the formal agreement — wording must match what the institution can deliver
- Any payout/'income your gift generates' illustration must be consistent with the UPMIFA spending policy and labeled an estimate
- Prospect research must not use FERPA-protected student/enrollment data; capacity data stays internal
- Pledge terms should be drafted with enforceability and documentation standards in mind
Held for professional review.
The native DOCX and full working text ship only after sign-off by Major/principal gifts director (CFRE) + counsel for gift-agreement and pledge terms on this exact version. The summary and review requirements remain visible in the meantime.
Not legal advice. Not legal, tax, or accounting advice. The Fundraising Co. provides educational fundraising materials and is not a law firm; nothing here creates an attorney–client relationship or substitutes for advice from professionals licensed in your jurisdiction. Laws and IRS rules vary by state and change over time. Review every document with qualified counsel before use.