Claim OwnershipHey Fundraiser!
Subscribed: 3Played: 56
Subscribe
© 2026 Hey Fundraiser!
Description
Join Mary Petersen as she shares inspiring and actionable advice for the busy nonprofit fundraiser | WWW.HEYFUNDRAISER.COM
46 Episodes
Reverse
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 appropriate. Petersen also introduces the concept of permission-based fundraising, which helps build...
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 effectively. Mary provides practical strategies for engaging with priority donors and highlights common mis...
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 confidence. You’ll learn the 4 core elements that create momentum—and a weekly rhythm to keep them moving...
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 directors of development! You’ll learn: -Why “asking” is a joyful, professional invitation—not “begging”...
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 clarity, emphasizing the importance of community support and permission-based fundraising. The episod...
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 common pitfalls (like being vague or asking too soon), and tailor your approach to each donor’s styl...
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-blocking and prioritizing the right donors changes everything 📊 The key metrics high perfo...
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 cultivation failed? Mary breaks down exactly what to do next, why it happens, and how to respond str...
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. Because here’s the truth: donors aren’t offended by bold asks… they’re confused by vague ones. We...
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 not alone—and you're definitely not doing anything wrong. In this episode, you'll learn: Why donors really ...
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 to major gifts faster — without feeling rushed, pushy, or awkward. What You'll Learn: Why loo...
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 learn how to focus on donors with true potential and stop burning out on low-likelihood long shots. With witty wisdom...
📅 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 fluff. 💡 Whether you're a solo development officer, a board chair taking on fundraising, or a seas...
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 this strategy to: Build deeper trust with your donorsCreate donor-led momentum through every stage of ...
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 fundraisers back from raising transformational gifts — and gives you the tools to flip each one into conf...
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 gift for future giving. And hey—if you’ve already closed a six-figure gift, stick around! You’ll reli...
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 to ask, what to say, or how to handle donor objections, this episode is packed with real-life strategie...
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 actionable quarterly milestones.The importance of maintaining a prospect list full of ready-to-clo...
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 fundraisingtrim your portfolio so that you have 40-60 qualified prospectsgo deeper with fewer prospects, as opposed to shallow efforts with hundreds of prospectsSend a voicemail to Mary: https://www.speakpipe.com/heyfundraiser Major Donor Meeting Mastery: If you want to lean in to how to set yourself up for getting to ...
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 success, and, most importantly, how you can cultivate it in your own career. Whether you’re just ...
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States