Abstract

Fundraising and development are essential functions for many nonprofit organizations, including most public horticulture institutions. Although much research has been done examining the philanthropic motivations of donors, no research has specifically addressed those motivations as they apply to public horticulture institutions. This research examined the motivations of major gift donors who support public horticulture institutions as well as the solicitors' perceptions of major gift donor motivations.

The research employed a series of eight case studies at public horticulture institutions of varying locations and annual operating budgets. Case studies included interviews with 19 major gift donors, five development directors, and five executive directors. The term major gift donor can take on different meanings; as a result major gift donor was not given a monetary requirement and was defined by each institution. It was explained that the gift should have been a one-time, "transformational" gift, made in the past five years. Demographic data for the major gift donors were also identified in this research.

Through data analysis, seven major themes of motivation were identified: Personal Connections, Interest and Aesthetics, Public Persona of the Institution, Involvement, People, The Gift: Solicitation and Recognition, and Financial Issues. Any or all of these themes may have contained information that influenced the donors' decision to make a gift. No significant inconsistencies in development director or executive director perceptions of donor motivations were found, indicating clear communication and a personal relationship between the solicitor and the major gift donor.

As public and corporate funding sources continue to decrease, public horticulture institutions must look more to individuals for funding. This research provides information that can be helpful to the further development of major gift giving programs at public horticulture institutions.