Hey Fundraiser!

Most fundraisers treat summer like the slow season. That's the mistake. Summer is the single best relationship-building season of the year, and what you do with your donors in July and August is what you'll close in October and November. In this episode, Mary makes the case for summer as your secret weapon and hands you the exact moves to use it. You'll learn the low-stakes cultivat...

Mary shares highlights from her keynote at the AFP Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties Summer Symposium, a full morning with 110 fundraisers built entirely around major gift confidence. She covers the difference between cultivation and avoidance, the relationship rhythm that moves donors forward without feeling transactional, and why confidence isn't a personality trait – it's a skill set...

Mary teaches the board fundraising framework from Small Table Big Philanthropy — the one that works because it doesn't ask board members to do anything that feels like selling. She covers the 3-questions exercise (30 minutes, dozens of new prospects), the 4 board fundraising roles (none of which require 'the ask'), the small table approach to activating board networks, and how to ce...

Mary makes the case for summer as the most strategic cultivation season of the year. She covers the summer small table strategy (the backyard dinner, the outdoor lunch, the informal gathering at a board member's home), the fall calendar booking strategy (book October visits now, while calendars are still open), and the specific summer actions that directly lead to Q4 gift closures. She also a...

Mary teaches from What to Say and her 25+ years of major gift experience on the single most common response to a major gift ask. This episode breaks down the in-the-moment response, the 48-hour follow-up, how to create structure without pressure, and the difference between 'thinking about it' and a quiet no. She also covers the 4 most common objections in her book: 'I need to think...

Mary teaches the 4 hidden major gift prospect profiles that live in almost every donor database — and the conversations that unlock them. She covers the 3-filter database review, the re-qualification conversation, and the staircase model that shows exactly how a $500-a-year loyal donor becomes a $50,000 major gift. This episode is full of practical language you can use this week. Mary shares examp...

Mary walks through the full mid-year major gift program evaluation. This episode is built on the Engineer step of her 4-step system: the phase where you get crystal clear on whether your strategy is working. She covers the 5 metrics that actually matter, how to run a pipeline health assessment, the 3 most common mid-year diagnoses, and how to build a realistic Q3 course-correction plan that doesn&...

Mary teaches the stewardship system from Small Table Big Philanthropy — the one that turns $1,000 donors into $10,000 donors and $10,000 donors into $100,000 donors. She covers the 48-hour post-gift sequence (why a phone call beats a letter every time), the mid-year impact update format that actually gets read, the annual stewardship visit agenda, and the math behind treating donors like royalty v...

In this episode, I will share how shifting from large galas to small, intimate dinners can exponentially increase major gift fundraising. Discover her three-step strategy to build sustainable donor relationships and learn about her Small Table Intensive workshop designed to turn theory into actionable plans.   #fundraising #donorrelationships #philanthropy #majorgifts #marypetersen  🪑 The Small T...

Order Small Table Big Philanthropy at https://stbp.heyfundraiser.com/ . This is the book your entire development team need. If you want to go beyond the book and actually build this out with me — live — I just opened registration for the Small Table Intensive . This is a 4-hour working session, limited to 30 organizations, where we don't just talk about the Dinner-Match-Upgrade strategy. We b...

A week before the April 30 launch, Mary does a live teaching from the heart of the book. She covers the small table philosophy (why intimacy beats scale in major gift fundraising), the three-part strategy (Dinner → Match → Upgrade), the staircase mindset ($1,000 → $10,000 → $100,000), and the courage it takes to invite someone into something bigger. This episode is part teaching, part behind-the-s...

Mary pulls from her book What to Say to teach the full anatomy of a major gift ask conversation. She covers the 5 elements of a strong ask (set-up, ask, silence, donor response, fundraiser response), how donors give from their head, heart, or gut and why matching your ask style to your donor's giving style changes everything, and the exact language of asking for a specific amount. She also di...

Mary introduces the no-agenda visit as the cornerstone of the cultivation phase in her 4-step system (Engineer → Culivate → Solicit → Steward). This isn't 'showing up without a plan' — it's showing up with a completely different plan: the plan to listen. In this episode, you'll learn how to prepare for a visit where you're not pitching, the 5 questions that open every...

Donor retention is the most under-discussed topic in major gift fundraising — and the most expensive mistake organizations make. In this episode, Mary digs into the real reasons donors go quiet, the exact moment most organizations lose a relationship they didn't know they were losing, and what the organizations with 80%+ retention rates do differently. Spoiler: it's not a better newslett...

This episode explores the art of follow-up in major gift fundraising, emphasizing a steady, relational, permission-based approach that preserves trust and moves opportunities forward. Learn practical strategies for timing, messaging, handling silence, and maintaining integrity after the ask. #fundraising #donorfollowup #relationshipmanagement 🪑 The Small Table Intensive . Half a day. Build or reb...

In this episode, Mary Petersen demystifies donor objections, showing fundraisers how to handle them with confidence and trust-building techniques. Learn the seven most common objections, a simple three-step response framework, and tips on tone and preparation to become a calmer, more effective fundraiser. #fundraising #donorobjections #giftconversations #relationshipbuilding #fundraisingtips 🪑 Th...

In this episode, Mary Petersen talks about a simple yet powerful framework to personalize your fundraising conversations based on donor decision-making styles—head, heart, or gut—and significantly increase your success. #fundraising #majorgifts #fundraisingstrategies 🪑 The Small Table Intensive . Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer donors and deeper relationships, us...

In this episode, Mary Petersen talks about the key difference between describing your organization’s activities and showcasing the real results that inspire donors to give. Explore practical strategies to reframe your messaging around impactful outcomes that resonate emotionally and logically with donors. #fundraising #nonprofit #fundraisingstrategies #fundraisingsuccess 🪑 The Small Table Intensi...

In this episode, Mary Petersen provides a master class on the critical first five minutes of donor meetings, emphasizing their importance in setting the tone, creating depth, and leading the conversation towards meaningful engagement. She outlines common pitfalls to avoid, offers a structured framework for effective donor engagement, and discusses various scenarios that fundraisers may encounter d...

In this Valentine's Day special episode, Mary Petersen discusses the challenges of fundraising burnout and offers practical advice for rekindling passion for the work. She emphasizes the importance of relationship-building over task-oriented approaches and provides actionable steps to reconnect with donors and protect one's energy while maintaining high goals. The episode serves as a rem...

In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen discusses the critical importance of silence after making a major gift ask. She emphasizes that the moments following the ask are crucial for allowing donors to process their decision. Mary provides practical strategies for fundraisers to effectively use silence, avoid common pitfalls, and respond appropriately to donor reactions. The ep...

In this episode, Mary Petersen discusses the common experience of receiving 'no' from donors in fundraising. She emphasizes that a 'no' often signifies a need for more information or clarity rather than a definitive rejection. Petersen outlines five key reasons why donors say no, including lack of clarity, misalignment of values, timing issues, decision-making dynamics, and the...

In this episode, Mary Petersen discusses the concept of permission-based fundraising, emphasizing the importance of clarity and collaboration in donor relationships. She outlines five key questions that fundraisers can use to create a natural transition to asking for donations, ensuring that donors feel respected and engaged throughout the process. The episode also addresses how to handle vague re...

In this podcast episode, Mary Petersen discusses the critical signals that indicate when a donor is ready to be asked for a major gift. She emphasizes the importance of understanding engagement, values alignment, capacity, timing, and ownership signals. By recognizing these signals, fundraisers can approach potential donors with confidence and integrity, ensuring that the ask feels natural and app...

In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen discusses the importance of portfolio triage in fundraising. She emphasizes that the scarce resource in major gifts is the fundraiser's time and attention, not the donors themselves. By categorizing donors into three priorities, fundraisers can focus their efforts on those most likely to give, ensuring that their time is spent effec...