Hey Fundraiser!
Welcome to Hey Fundraiser, the podcast for nonprofit Executive Directors and major gift officers who are done guessing.
Each week, host Mary Petersen pulls back the curtain on what actually works in major gifts. Not theory. Not whiteboard frameworks. Real scripts, real strategy, and the exact moves you can use in your next donor meeting. Mary spent 25+ years as a working major gift officer and built a methodology that closes 5 and 6-figure gifts in months, not years, by going deep with a focused portfolio instead of chasing volume.
If you've ever frozen up before an ask, stared at a "wish list" of donors with no idea who to call first, or wondered why the industry keeps telling you a major gift takes 18 months to close, this is your show.
You'll leave every episode with one clear thing to do on Monday morning. Hit follow and start building real momentum.
Hey Fundraiser!
A Week in the Life of a Major Gift Coach
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
š
Episode Summary:
Ever wonder what a major gift coach actually does? In this episode, Mary pulls back the curtain on a single Monday filled with coaching sessions, new client strategy, proposal rewrites, and prospect deep dives. Youāll hear what it really takes to help fundraisers grow their confidence, build a major gift pipeline, and start closing six- and seven-figure giftsāno guesswork, no fluff.
š” Whether you're a solo development officer, a board chair taking on fundraising, or a seasoned MGO needing structure and strategyāthis episode is packed with real-life scenarios, coaching advice, and actionable takeaways.
š„ In this episode, youāll hear about:
- Heatherās journey from $0 to $35K and how sheās prepping a $250K ask
- A theatreās $3M challengeāand why their $10K/month consultant isnāt cutting it
- Coaching a one-person development shop through donor meeting language and confidence building
- Why your 15-page proposal is probably doing more harm than good
- How to build a prospect strategy map and cultivation touchpoint calendar
- Welcoming a new Major Gift Momentum member and creating systems from scratch
- Helping a large nonprofit structure messaging to inspire seven-figure gifts
āØ Links & Resources:
- š§° Major Donor Meeting Mastery ā $47 Course
- š Join the Fundraising Collective
- š¢ Major Gift Momentum ā Group Coaching
- āļø Book a Free 45-Minute Game Plan Call with Mary
š¬ Quotable Moment:
"A major gift coach doesnāt just tell you what to doāweāre in the trenches with you, building your confidence, your materials, and your strategy." ā Mary Petersen
šŖ 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.
šÆ 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 script.
More from Mary:
š Mary's books. What to Say and Small Table Big Philanthropy. The books behind the methodology.
š„ Major Donor Meeting Mastery. My step-by-step system for donor meetings that move the relationship forward.
š©š»āš» Momentum Training. My complete packaging + ask system, all in one place.
š» Connect with Mary Petersen
- Website: heyfundraiser.com
- YouTube: @heyfundraisers
- Instagram: @heyfundraiser
- LinkedIn: ...