"In my previous position as a major gifts officer, I had a fundraising goal of 5,000,000 per fiscal year. This was strictly for above-the-line expenses, and I consistently contributed in excess of 10,000,000 per year in additional below-the-line funds to build upon the organization's endowment. Part of my strategy was focusing on a handful of individual donors who would donate large sums based upon their passion for the organization's work funding innovative STEM programs in middle schools. I identified a potential donor based on my research into educational philanthropists with a special interest in advancing STEM efforts in schools. I sent him an introductory letter and engaged him via phone call to invite him to meet with me about our organization. We connected instantly, and he was especially impressed with the large number of funds we had been able to raise for our one hundred partner schools. His specific scientific interest was in robotics, so he agreed to provide one million dollars annually to our robotics program with a ten-year commitment."
