EPISODE · Jul 31, 2026 · 34 MIN
The Four-Hour Major Gift Program: What Busy Executive Directors Should Do and What They Can Ignore
from Hey Fundraiser! · host Mary Petersen
Executive directors are pulled in a thousand directions, but major gifts still need focused attention. In this episode, Mary shares a practical strategy for leaders who have only four to eight hours each week to devote to fundraising. You’ll learn how to identify the 15 to 20 donors who deserve your personal attention, structure a simple four-hour major gift schedule, prioritize donor conversations and follow-up, move the right people toward an ask, and ignore the complicated systems, perfect proposals, giant prospect lists, and time-consuming activities that do not lead to gifts. Mary also shares how to involve willing board members, protect fundraising time on your calendar, and build a major gift program that is focused, personal, consistent, and sustainable. 🎓 The Professional Development Budget Kit. Free Download! Everything you need to get your organization to say "yes" to funding your growth: templates, talking points, and an ROI calculator.💸 Major Gift Intensives. We're headed to 6 cities in 2027. Are we headed to yours? Join us for a 3 day deep dive into major gifts! Only 30 seats per city.🌻 The 2027 Growth Pass. Only 5 seats available. The Growth Pass bundles Mary's three flagship live experiences into one powerful year of learning. One Major Gift Intensive. One Ask Workshop. One Small Table Intensive.🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer donors and deeper relationships, using the methodology from my book Small Table Big Philanthropy.🎯 The Ask Workshop. Half a day. The exact words to use when it's time to ask for 5 and 6-figure gifts. Walk in nervous about the ask. Walk out with the scripts.💻 Connect with Mary PetersenWebsite: heyfundraiser.comYouTube: @...
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Executive directors are pulled in a thousand directions, but major gifts still need focused attention. In this episode, Mary shares a practical strategy for leaders who have only four to eight hours each week to devote to fundraising. You’ll learn how to identify the 15 to 20 donors who deserve your personal attention, structure a simple four-hour major gift schedule, prioritize donor conversations and follow-up, move the right people toward an ask, and ignore the complicated systems, perfect...
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The Four-Hour Major Gift Program: What Busy Executive Directors Should Do and What They Can Ignore
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