Hey Fundraiser!

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...

In this episode, we are diving into two inspiring and creative cultivation stories from my experience as a major gift officer. Join us as we explore the lessons learned and the power of personalized connections in cultivating lasting donor relationships for maximum impact. Do you have an inspiring creative cultivation story you want to share? We would love to hear from you! Click the link below to...

Director of Development Reports | Free Download http://reports.heyfundraiser.com/ http://reports.heyfundraiser.com/ In this episode, I am sharing all my tips and tricks so you can quickly gain visibility, attain early wins, and assess your staffing and resources. Grab my free reports download to see exactly what I request when I start a new position as a director of development so that I can fully...

In today's podcast episode, we're gonna look at how super successful major gift officers spend their time. For the last seven years, I've been studying 32 development departments across the US and the results of this study might shock you! Study Download http://trends.heyfundraiser.com/   Episode 15—Six Ways for Fundraisers to Have the Best Major Gift Portfolio https://www.buzzsprou...

In this episode, we're unveiling six powerful strategies that will revolutionize the way you curate your major gift portfolio for maximum impact.   Learn More → Join The Fundraising Collective  → Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn   → Join our Private Facebook Group → Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Mary   🪑 The Small Table Intensive . Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift p...

Downloads Sample Proposal & 50 Ways to Engage Donors http://proposal.heyfundraiser.com/   In this episode, I am sharing my one-ask fundraising strategy that will allow you to solicit your donors once and thank them for 364 days.   Learn More → Join The Fundraising Collective  → Connect with Mary Petersen on LinkedIn   → Join our Private Facebook Group → Schedule Your Free Gameplan Call with Ma...

Downloads 15 Questions to Ask http://cultivation.heyfundraiser.com/ Moves Management Stages http://moves.heyfundraiser.com/ In this episode, we are going deep into mastering moves management. Moves management is the framework and process of identifying prospects, building relationships with them, soliciting them, and properly thanking them for their investment in your organization.    Learn More →...

In this episode, I will discuss the common practice among nonprofits requiring a minimum donation from board members. Depending on the organization, this requirement can range from $1,000 to $10,000. However, I'm here to challenge this tradition and urge you that it's time to ditch the board minimum. You might be surprised by this suggestion, or you have completely fallen out of your cha...

A happy fundraiser is more likely to go the extra mile and be successful in their efforts, which is why it's crucial to empower them and make sure they feel supported. In this podcast episode, we'll discuss six tips to help you keep your fundraisers happy, motivated, and feeling supported throughout their fundraising journey—because happy fundraisers raise more money!  Download the 6 Key...

In this episode I want to talk to you about asking for major gifts and handling those pesky objections that come up. Every fundraiser gets nervous before asking for a major gift because it puts you in a very vulnerable place. Like, what if the prospect says no? In this episode, I will share 3 questions to ask a teetering prospect that will turn a “no” into a “maybe” and a “maybe” into a “yes!” A s...

Creating Your Board | Download Free Guide https://board.heyfundraiser.com In today's episode we will discuss engaging other individuals from your organization in the fundraising process. Your program staff and leadership are all essential allies in the cultivation process. Tune in for strategic ways you can utilize your leadership to maximize your fundraising efforts. Learn More → Join The Fu...

Creating Your Board | Download Free Guide https://board.heyfundraiser.com In today's episode we will discuss engaging other individuals from your organization in the fundraising process. Your program staff and leadership are all essential allies in the cultivation process. Tune in for strategic ways you can utilize your leadership to maximize your fundraising efforts. Learn More → Join The Fu...

Events are an important part of engagement for donors and prospects, and you can strategically use them to springboard your cultivation efforts. Events can run the gamut – you’ve got huge fundraising galas to small, intimate house parties and everything in between. You might not love events, but why not make the best of them and utilize an event to kick off your cultivation efforts? Do you need a...