Hey Fundraiser!

If your major gifts work is running on vibes—if you only do outreach when you feel confident, or you avoid the ask until you feel “100% ready”—this episode is your intervention (said with love). In this conversation, Mary breaks down the Momentum Method , a simple system that helps you build steady progress in major gifts without relying on motivation, a perfect week, or a magical burst of confide...

I wrote a short, punchy field guide with word-for-word major gift ask scripts so you can make confident, collaborative solicitations (without the anxiety). In this video I share why I wrote it, what’s inside, and how to use it to book more meetings, tailor your ask to head/heart/gut donors, and handle objections like a pro. This one is for you executive directors, major gift officers, and director...

In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen interviews Heather Withrow, a member of the Major Gift Momentum program. Heather shares her transformative journey in fundraising, detailing her impressive successes, including securing a $245,000 gift. The conversation explores the mindset shifts and strategies that have empowered Heather to approach fundraising with confidence and clar...

In this episode, Mary Petersen tackles one of the most-asked questions in fundraising: “What exact words do I use to close a major gift?” Mary breaks down the anatomy of an effective ask— clarity, confidence, and connection —and shares five solicitation styles with real-world language, when to use each, and why they work. You’ll learn how to time the ask using permission-based fundraising , avoid...

In this episode, Mary Petersen pulls back the curtain on the habits, mindsets, and metrics that consistently drive 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts. Whether you’re new to major gifts or ready to elevate your game, this episode breaks down what the best MGOs do differently — and how you can model their success starting today. You’ll learn:  ✨ The five daily habits every top MGO swears by  📆 Why time-bl...

Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! In this episode of Hey Fundraiser! , Mary Petersen dives into a surprisingly common (and often confusing) fundraising moment — when a donor sends in an unsolicited major gift that’s much smaller than what you were preparing to ask for. Should you celebrate it, be worried, or assume your cu...

Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! Today we’re tackling one of the most common (and costly) mistakes I see major gift officers make: lowballing the ask. If you’ve ever walked out of a donor meeting wondering if you should’ve asked for more—or felt afraid to offend a donor by going too big—this episode is your wake-up call....

Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! Welcome back, fundraiser! In this episode, we're tackling one of the most head-scratching (and heart-sinking) experiences in major gift fundraising: donor silence . Ever had a warm, engaged prospect suddenly vanish into the abyss of unread emails and unreturned voicemails? You're...

Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! Do you really need to spend 18 months cultivating a donor before making an ask? 😅  (Spoiler alert: Absolutely not.) In this firecracker episode, Mary calls BS on the outdated “18-month cultivation” rule and walks you through how to build authentic, strategic donor relationships that lead...

Interested in Major Gift Momentum? Check it out here! Are you stuck chasing donors who never call back? Wasting your precious time on high-capacity but low-interest "prospects"? This episode is your rescue mission. Mary introduces the ABCDE Method —a powerhouse framework to help you quickly spot which donors deserve your energy (and which should be blessed and released). You'll lear...

📅 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. You’ll hear what it really takes to help fundraisers grow their confidence, build a major gift pipeline, and start closing six- and seven-figure gifts—no guesswork, no f...

Hey fundraiser! In this episode, I’m sharing a major mindset (and strategy) shift that changed everything for me in major gifts: Permission-Based Fundraising . Years ago, I blew a solicitation—not because I asked for the wrong amount, but because I asked without permission . That moment reshaped how I approach every donor conversation, and today, I’m walking you through exactly how you can use thi...

Description: Ever feel like you're stuck in your major gift work — second-guessing your proposals, over-preparing for donor meetings, or trying to sound more “professional” than you feel? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. You’re just operating with some mindsets that a lot of fundraisers are carrying around. In this episode, Mary unpacks the three most common mindset traps holding fun...

Fundraiser, this is a BIG one! 🎉 Closing your first six-figure gift is a milestone moment in your career—and today, I’m walking you through exactly how to make it happen. Whether you’re brand new to major gifts or just haven’t hit that $100K mark yet, this episode will give you the step-by-step framework to find the right donor, cultivate the relationship, make a powerful ask, and steward the gif...

Episode Summary: Raise your hand if you’ve ever walked out of a donor meeting thinking, “Oh my gosh, I totally messed that up.” 🙋‍♀️ We've all been there! Asking for a major gift can feel stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I break down the five biggest solicitation mistakes I see fundraisers make every single day —and how to avoid them. Whether you’re struggling with when...

Welcome to the first podcast of 2025! Starting a new year can feel like both a blank slate and a daunting challenge—especially when your fundraising total resets to zero. But don’t worry, fundraiser, we’ve got you covered. In this episode, we break down how to approach your annual fundraising goals with clarity, strategy, and confidence. You’ll learn: How to divide your big fundraising goal into a...

It should not take you more than a year to close a major gift. The days of cultivating for 18+ months is OVER.  I hope this story inspires you to: embrace permission-based fundraising trim your portfolio so that you have 40-60 qualified prospects go deeper with fewer prospects, as opposed to shallow efforts with hundreds of prospects Send a voicemail to Mary: https://www.speakpipe.com/heyfundraise...

What sets the most successful major gift officers (MGOs) apart from the rest? In this episode, we explore the single most important trait that top-performing MGOs share—a quality that helps them thrive in the face of challenges, build meaningful donor relationships, and achieve extraordinary results. We’ll unpack how this trait shows up in daily fundraising work, why it’s so crucial for long-term...

In today’s episode, we tackle one of the most vital elements of major gift fundraising—finding new prospects! Whether you're a seasoned fundraiser looking to sharpen your strategy or a newcomer eager to build your prospect pipeline, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you cultivate meaningful relationships with future major donors. Join Mary as she shares proven tactics fo...

In this episode, Mary dives into the number one challenge faced by her major gift coaching clients—fear of making the ask. Whether it’s the fear of rejection or the fear of damaging a relationship, many fundraisers struggle with taking that final step. Mary shares practical strategies to help you confidently make major gift asks, even when fear kicks in. From mindset shifts to cultivation tactics,...

In this episode, Mary dives into transforming board members into effective storytelling fundraisers. She highlights the significance of board members feeling comfortable and skilled in connecting with donors through the organization's stories. Mary categorizes board members into four types: connectors, storytellers, visionaries, and closers. She offers insights on how board members can craft...

In this episode, Mary discusses the importance of fundraising operations and how it can make or break a fundraising program. She outlines six pillars of strong fundraising operations, including strong technology and systems management, enhancing the donor experience, supporting fundraising efforts, data-driven reports and analytics, building collegial partnerships, and standard operating procedure...

In this podcast episode, Mary Hackett discusses the importance of metrics in annual giving. She emphasizes the need to measure what truly matters and avoid vanity metrics. Mary then dives into specific key performance indicators (KPIs) for annual giving, including retention rate, retention rate for first-time donors, upgrade rate, total raised, donor pool growth, and second gifts in the same fisca...

In this week's Hey Fundraiser! episode, Mary Hackett discusses the importance of creating an effective fundraising board and how to engage board members based on their unique profiles. She highlights common mistakes organizations make with board members and provides strategies for deploying them strategically. Mary introduces the four board member profiles: connectors, storytellers, visionari...

Join our host, Mary Hackett, as she bravely shares three impactful stories of fundraising failures, revealing valuable lessons and pitfalls to avoid in this very personal Hey Fundraiser! episode. Link mentioned in today's episode >>> Questions To Ask Valuable Resources From Hey Fundraiser! ↓ → Join The Fundraising Collective → Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn   → Join our Priva...