Major-gift proposals written for one supporter
Ideas they can talk over at home, no deadline and no payment button, with questions coming back as comments to your philanthropy team.
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Philanthropy teams use QuoteCloud to send personal major-gift proposals: a cover written to the supporter, the ideas their gift could fund with photos, a respectful note on gifts in wills, and replies as comments. When a supporter decides, a gift letter can be signed online; QuoteCloud takes no donation and issues no receipt.
A personal proposal from Paperbark Reading Trust (fictional) for long-time supporters Margaret and Ian Holloway arrives like a letter. The envelope opens and the proposal's cover rises out: A reading room at Northgate, with the line No reply needed by any date. Three gift ideas fan out beside it: fund a year of story-time ($8,000), furnish the reading room ($20,000, marked as the idea they asked about) and a reading coach for three years ($60,000). A comment from Margaret appears: We like the reading room idea. Could we see it when the shelves go in?
A proposal for Margaret and Ian, page by page
Grace, Paperbark's philanthropy manager, wrote this for two supporters who asked what a larger gift could do. It reads like a letter, not a pitch.
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Paperbark Reading TrustA proposal for Margaret & Ian PRT-MG-0091 Sample · fictional organisation
A proposal for Margaret & Ian
A reading room at Northgate
Thank you for eight years of support. You asked what a larger gift could do. Here are three ideas, written so you can talk them over in your own time.
Cover
Written to them
Their names, a thank-you for eight years of support and the question they asked, answered in their own words. The line under the date says no reply is needed by any date.
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Paperbark Reading TrustA proposal for Margaret & Ian PRT-MG-0091 Sample · fictional organisation
Three ways your gift could help
Fund a year of story-time $8,000 Every Saturday session at Northgate for 2027, with the books families take home.The idea you asked about Furnish the reading room $20,000 Shelving, seating and 1,500 new books for the room the library is giving us.A reading coach for three years $60,000 One coach in two schools from 2027 to 2029, and a report to you each year.- There's no deadline, and no reply is expected.
- If none of these feels right, we'd still love to keep you up to date.
- Nothing is paid through this proposal. If you decide to give, Grace will arrange it with you.
Grace Linley, Philanthropy manager · grace.linley@example.com
Ideas
Ideas to talk over, not a price list
Three things a gift could fund, with what each one means for children. The idea they asked about is marked as theirs, never as a recommended option, and nothing on the page can be ticked or paid.
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Paperbark Reading TrustA proposal for Margaret & Ian PRT-MG-0091 Sample · fictional organisation
The room, as it is today
The room Northgate Library is giving us After school at Northgate What the beanbags are for
The room
The room in photos
The space the library is giving Paperbark, in a gallery block, so they can picture what a gift would furnish.
Image blocks and the image editor -
Paperbark Reading TrustA proposal for Margaret & Ian PRT-MG-0091 Sample · fictional organisation
If you'd like to remember Paperbark in your will
- Some supporters choose to leave a gift in their will. If that's something you'd like to talk about, Grace can send our information pack.
- We always suggest talking to your solicitor and your family first.
Margaret HollowayWe like the reading room idea. Could we see it when the shelves go in?
Grace, PaperbarkOf course. We'll invite you both when it opens.
Gifts in wills
A gentle note on gifts in wills
A short paragraph offering the information pack, and a suggestion to talk to their solicitor and family first. No legal or tax advice, and no form to fill in.
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Paperbark Reading TrustA proposal for Margaret & Ian PRT-MG-0091 Sample · fictional organisation
Our gift letter
2 of 2 signed
- Margaret HollowaySupporter SignedTue 1 Dec
- Ian HollowaySupporter SignedTue 1 Dec
The gift you've agreed
- Gift
- Furnish the reading room
- Amount
- $20,000
- Arranged with
- Grace Linley
- Payment
- Not taken through this letter
Certificate of authenticity and audit trail attached
Later
When they've decided: a gift letter
Weeks later, Grace revised the proposal into a short gift letter that both signed online. It records what they agreed; nothing is paid through it, and Paperbark sends its own acknowledgement.
Writing a major-gift proposal that respects the supporter
How philanthropy teams set up their major-gift template so every proposal feels personal and nothing in it hurries anyone.
Written to one supporter
A cover and intro in your words for this person or family, from a template in your organisation's look.
Ideas, not packages
Two or three things a gift could fund, described by what changes, with no tick boxes or totals.
No deadline
Say plainly that no reply is expected by any date. Leave out countdowns and "offer ends" wording.
Questions as comments
Supporters ask questions in the document and your philanthropy manager replies in the same thread.
Gifts in wills, gently
An optional note offering more information and suggesting they talk to their solicitor first.
Nothing paid here
No payment on signing for a gift. If they decide to give, your team arranges it and sends your own acknowledgement.
Their questions, answered where they asked them
Margaret asked whether they could see the room when the shelves go in. Grace replied in the same thread, and the whole conversation stays with the proposal instead of in two inboxes.
Grace can see when the proposal has been opened, so she knows whether to wait or to call. Your team can get alerts in Slack or Microsoft Teams for comments and document updates.
- Comments and replies inside the document
- Opened, so you know it arrived
- Alerts in Slack or Teams for comments and updates
Tracking and notifications: Essentials and up
Document trackingIf you'd like to remember Paperbark in your will
- Some supporters choose to leave a gift in their will. If that's something you'd like to talk about, Grace can send our information pack.
- We always suggest talking to your solicitor and your family first.
Margaret HollowayWe like the reading room idea. Could we see it when the shelves go in?
Grace, PaperbarkOf course. We'll invite you both when it opens.
Write your next major-gift proposal in QuoteCloud
Free for 14 days, no credit card required. We'll convert one of your proposals into a template during the trial.
Major gifts
No deadline. No pressure.
The proposal waits until Margaret and Ian are ready. There's no countdown, no payment button and no reminder: just the ideas, the room and a reply when they want to give one.
Major-gift and bequest questions, answered
Can QuoteCloud be used for major-gift proposals?
Yes. Philanthropy teams send personal proposals from a template in their organisation's look: a cover written to the supporter, the ideas a gift could fund with photos, an optional note on gifts in wills, and comments for questions. The proposal doesn't need a price table, a deadline or a payment.
Can a donor give through the proposal?
No payment is needed in a major-gift proposal, and QuoteCloud doesn't process donations or issue receipts. When a supporter decides, your team arranges the gift with them and sends your own acknowledgement. A short gift letter can be signed online to record what was agreed.
Does a major-gift proposal have to expire?
No. Write in the proposal that no reply is expected by any date and leave out countdowns or offer wording. The supporter can come back to the same link whenever they're ready.
Can we mention gifts in wills?
Yes, gently. Add a short note offering more information and suggesting the supporter talks to their solicitor and family first. QuoteCloud doesn't give legal or tax advice, and the wording is your organisation's own.
Will we know when the supporter has read it?
Yes, from the Essentials plan. Tracking shows when the proposal has been opened, and comments come back to your team in the document. You can also get alerts for comments and document updates in Slack or Microsoft Teams.
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Proposals your supporters are glad to read
Free for 14 days. No credit card required.