What the foundation was testing when they wrote the check.

The Doubling Test

3-minute read

A foundation gave us $10 million and expected us to scale almost overnight.

We hired new staff, set up new reporting systems, and brought in consultants to extend capacity and expertise. There was no slow ramp-up. We built everything quickly, under real pressure to deliver impact.

It worked. Our program delivered and our reporting held up. Now the foundation is considering giving us more because we showed that a bigger check leads to bigger results.

What I learned from that experience is something most fundraising training misses.

Where We Usually Look

Most fundraising teams focus on building donor capacity. Is the donor engaged? Do they have enough resources? Are they ready for the ask?

That work is important, but it’s only half the story.

The real test for a major gift is what happens if the money suddenly doubles.

If a donor doubled their gift tomorrow, would your impact double too, or would you struggle to adapt?

That question tells you if an opportunity is truly investable, long before anyone writes a check.

The Doubling Test

Ask four questions to test your readiness.

Staffing. Can you hire, train, or bring in outside help quickly enough?

We brought on new program staff in just weeks and hired outside consultants to fill gaps our current team couldn’t cover.

Reporting. Do your systems track well enough to show impact at double the size?

Ours had to catch up quickly. We found gaps in our outcome tracking that weren’t obvious before but became clear when the foundation wanted more detailed answers.

Program delivery. Can your program handle more scale, or does it hit a limit?

If your program is tied to one location or group, it can’t double. If it’s built on a repeatable model, it can. We had to quickly figure out which parts of our model could scale.

Governance. Would your board’s approval process keep up if a gift doubled tomorrow, or would decisions get stuck waiting for the next meeting?

We didn’t face this test because we didn’t need board approval for this grant. But for organizations that do, this can be a big roadblock. It’s important to answer this honestly before you’re in that situation.

Our answers to all four questions were not solid before the grant arrived. We figured them out under pressure. Now we’re ready, and that’s what convinced the foundation to think about giving us more.

Your Turn

Pick one current six- or seven-figure donor conversation. If that donor doubled their gift tomorrow, would your impact double, or would you run out of ways to use the money? Reply and let me know which one you’re thinking of.

Coming Next Week

Next Sunday: a $4 million funder walks away. I’ll show you the difference between an organization that scrambles to replace the money and one that has already built the coverage to absorb it.

Until next Sunday,
Christine

PS - The Doubling Test worksheet turns these four questions into a one-page audit you can run on any active gift conversation in under 15 minutes. Reply TEST, and it's yours.

If you know a Chief Fundraiser with a gift bigger than what their organization can handle right now, share this with them. This might be just the week they need it.

I’m Christine Bork, Chief Development Officer at the American Academy of Pediatrics.

I write CFW to share what I’m learning as I lead a growing team and try to do the work in a way that’s sustainable and thoughtful.