What Is a Major Gift Officer? A Complete Guide

What Is a Major Gift Officer? A Complete Guide

Understanding the Role That Drives Transformational Giving

In fundraising, some roles manage the many, while others build deep, lasting relationships that lead to gifts that change everything.

The Major Gift Officer (MGO) is that connection-builder. They’re the trusted connector between the organization—its mission, leadership, and outcomes—and the donors whose generosity fuels the work.

An MGO isn’t just asking for money; they’re a strategist, a storyteller, and a student of people, curious about what inspires generosity and eager to learn each donor’s “why.” The Major Gift Officer manages a portfolio of the most committed or highest-potential supporters with the attentiveness of a craftsperson and the care of a trusted advisor. In many ways, a great MGO manages their portfolio with equal parts connection, consistency, and care.

Whether you’re hiring a major gift officer or considering this career path, understanding the mindset and structure behind this critical role will help you build a program that lasts.

The Key Responsibilities: Beyond “Getting the Gifts”

The major gift officer job description goes far beyond making asks. A skilled MGO guides donors through a deliberate journey, from curiosity to commitment, from interest to impact.

Portfolio Management
The major gift officer manages a carefully curated portfolio optimally 100 to 150 of the organization’s highest-potential donors. Their job is to know these individuals: their motivations, values, and interests. While some organizations assign portfolios of 200+, great programs understand that less is more. Real relationship work requires time and presence.

Cultivation
Cultivation (or nurturing) is the art of building trust. The Major Gift Officer creates customized plans for each donor, balancing thoughtful outreach with genuine curiosity, while remembering (or reviewing) past information and interactions. Nurturing the major donor relationship is about invitation and involvement. This might include invitations to events (large or intimate), behind-the-scenes updates, invitations to see the mission in action, or personal notes that reflect shared values beyond typical organizational news. 

Solicitation
When the time is right, the major gift officer leads a well-prepared, collaborative ask. A strong solicitation is never a surprise! Rather, it’s the natural next step in a meaningful relationship. At times, the Major Gift Officer may assemble a team that includes a member of leadership or board member to make the invitation more powerful and aligned with the donor’s interests.

Stewardship
A great MGO knows that stewardship is the start of the next gift. The Major Gift Officer ensures the donors they work with feel like partners: appreciated, informed, and connected. This includes reporting back on milestones, outcomes (including setbacks) and offers the tangible impact of their generosity. Exceptional stewardship transforms one-time gifts into lifelong partnerships. Effective stewardship isn't about expensive tokens, but is often more personal and thoughtful and connected to the mission. 

Reporting & Accountability
Finally, great MGOs track what matters. They record meaningful donor interactions, stories and the values that the donor shares. They also set goals for themselves within the team goals and measure progress toward them. They use data to guide their strategy. Metrics aren’t just about accountability, they’re about evaluating performance to learn, refine, and grow as fundraisers.

The Essential Skills of a Successful MGO

Top-performing MGOs blend art and science the empathy to build connection and the structure to deliver results.

The Art (Soft Skills)

• High Emotional Intelligence (EQ): They listen deeply, read between the lines, and recognize unspoken donor cues. EQ builds trust faster than any script ever could.

• Genuine Curiosity: A true desire to understand what matters to each donor, their values, motivations, and hopes for impact. Curiosity fuels connection, and connection drives generosity.

• Storyweaving: They connect donor passion to mission impact through story. Not just telling stories about the nonprofit  and mission impact but weaving the donor’s story with the mission, impact and goals of the organization.

The Science (Hard Skills)

• Strategic Discipline: A great Major Gift Officer crafts and follows intentional plans for each donor. No winging it! Every meeting, note, and next step is documented and aligned with clear goals. Of course, with the ability to pivot when necessary.

• Data Fluency: A high-performing MGO uses data in the CRM not just as a database, but as a compass and guide, tracking engagement, understanding donors' giving, and identifying trends. Using data is crucial to looking for the hidden gems who may become your next new major gift donors. 

• Proposal Crafting: They write crisp, emotionally resonant proposals that show both the head and the heart of your case for support.

Hiring a Great MGO: Mindset Over Resume

When hiring, look beyond titles and tenure.The best MGOs share a common mindset - they're people-oriented, strategic, and quietly ambitious. 

Ask questions that reveal approach, not just experience:

• “Tell me about a donor relationship you cultivated from discovery to ask. What made it successful?”

• “Walk me through how you prepare for a major gift conversation.”

• “Describe a time a donor said no to a gift solicitation. What did you do next?”

• “How do you use data to plan your week or month?”

Listen for fundraisers who speak in we rather than I, who talk about cultivation and asks as partnership versus persuasion, and who light up when they describe connecting people to purpose.

Want more insights on building a strong major gifts team? Read our guide: Building a Major Gifts Program.

Compensation and Career Growth

Major Gift Officers are among the most high-impact positions in development, and their compensation reflects both skill and responsibility. Of course, salaries vary by region, by responsibility, and by the size of the organization. 

While compensation varies widely, most organizations recognize that major gift officers drive revenue that multiplies their investment many times over.

Industry Benchmarks:
ZipRecruiter reports an average base salary for Major Gift Officers near $83,500 annual salary (~$40/hour). PayScale lists an average of $77,200, while ERI SalaryExpert notes senior MGOs can earn up to $134,000, with an average total compensation of $108,000 including bonus. (Of course salary is just a part of the total compensation package.)

From here, career paths often lead to roles like Director of Major Gifts, Chief Development Officer, or Executive Director - positions that shape the long-term philanthropic vision of an organization.

Stepping Into the Role: From Volume to Depth

Transitioning from annual giving or event fundraising to major gifts requires a mindset shift:

• From many donors to the right donors

• From quick gift wins to longer 5-, 6-, and 7-figure (and more) cultivation

• From asking often to asking well

This is the discipline and the joy of major gifts. It’s not about chasing dollars; it’s about guiding generosity.

Your First 90 Days as a Major Gift Officer

As a major gift officer, your first 3 months can look different if you are beginning and building a new major gifts program versus moving into an established major gifts program with great trust in the work of the organization.

Days 1 to 30: Connect, Listen, and Learn

• Typically the onboarding will include meeting key staff and program leaders. It's also a great idea to connect with key front-line leaders carrying out the mission.

• Review the donor portfolio and dive into each donor's giving history, narratives and data in your CRM.

• Identify the Top 10 and Next 20 priority donors and prospects and reach out with warm, relationship-focused introductions.

• Understand which donors or prospects may have already entered into gift conversations or are considering their decisions.
• Learn about the mission and the different ways to speak about the mission, milestones and outcomes with major gift donors, as you prepare for major gift conversations.
• Get up to speed on the measurements and metrics within this organization and establish your own dashboard to track and analyze your work going forward.

Days 31 to 60: Engage, Thank, and Discover

• Reach out to the rest of your portfolio and aim for 30 to 75 introduction or discovery conversations with donors, lapsed donors or prospects, focused on listening.

• There may be some donors that are are already in process or lined up for an ask. 

• Identify stewardship gaps, opportunities for connection or reconnection and re-engagement for longer-lapsed major gift supporters.

• Craft or update cultivation strategies for your top prospects, with estimated ask dates and high/low ask ranges.

Days 61 to 90: Complete Plans, Act, and Ask

• Present a 12-month strategy to your supervisor, identifying where you may need additional support for complex nurturing and solicitation strategies.

• Review where you are to quarterly and year-end goals in your portfolio and continue cultivation, stewardship and moving into gift conversations.

• Review the dashboard you're using and ensure you stay on track with your dashboard, pipeline and activity.

Every MGO’s first 90 days set the tone for long-term success—listening first, then leading with intention.

 In Summary

A Major Gift Officer is far more than a fundraiser, they’re the connective tissue between mission and means. They build trust, align generosity with impact, and turn donor relationships into sustainable revenue.

When a noprofit invests in this role - and supports it with the right systems, leadership, and coaching - you’re not just hiring a fundraiser. You’re igniting the engine that propels your organization’s most transformational work.

Ready to deepen your major gift program? Learn more about how Major Gifts Catalyst helps teams build sustainable systems and confident fundraisers.

Explore More:
The Ultimate Guide | Major Gift Officer  | Identifying Prospects  | Cultivating Donors  | The Major Gift Ask  | Stewardship & Retention  | Building a Major Gifts Program  | The Role of Technology  | Common Challenges  | Case Studies