A lot of what we do in fundraising was inherited or just common knowledge. We rarely know who coined certain development terms or originated some of the activities and fundraising we use today. There is one term though that has stood the test of time. The concept of a “mega gift” was coined by the late Jerold Panas, a fundraising pioneer in our industry. In his iconic book Mega Gifts, he writes about the types of people who give mega gifts and what it takes to have relationships with these donors. While the book is over a decade old, the core concepts are still relevant. The only thing that has changed over time is that the gifts are getting bigger, and the donors are getting younger.