Major Gift Intensive
A 2.5-Day Retreat for 30 People. 6 Cities + 2 Virtual. 8 Chances in 2027.
This is not a conference. It is not a webinar. It is two and a half days of shoulder-to-shoulder work with Mary and a small group of fundraisers, building a major gift program that actually works. Six cities across the US, plus two virtual cohorts, so geography is never the reason you do not get this done.
8 chances to join in 2027. 6 in-person cities, plus 2 virtual cohorts.
In-Person · 6 Cities in 2027
$2,950 · Only 30 seats per city
Virtual · 2 Cohorts, Same Curriculum
Same workbook, same Money Map, same access to Mary. Only 30 seats per cohort.
Only 30 seats available per intensive. These fill quickly.
The Curriculum
Surgical Precision. Total Clarity.
You'll walk away knowing exactly how to spend your time, who to pursue, and what to say at every step. No more guessing. No more wasted cultivation.
Prospect Selection
Identify exactly which prospects to work and why, so your time goes to the donors most likely to give at the level you need.
Getting in the Door
Concrete strategies for securing the first meeting with prospects who matter, even when you have no warm introduction.
Setting the Tone
How to establish the right dynamic from the very first meeting, positioning yourself as a peer and partner, not a supplicant.
Relationship Rhythm
Implement a systematic cadence of touchpoints that keeps donors engaged and moving forward without feeling managed.
Packaging Your Programming
Present your programs in a way that connects emotionally and financially, making the giving opportunity feel inevitable.
The Ask
Exact language for making the ask with confidence, including how to frame the amount, the timing, and the follow-through.
Handling Objections
Anticipate and navigate every common objection with grace, turning a maybe into a yes without pressure or awkwardness.
Stewardship Best Practices
Build a stewardship plan that keeps donors feeling valued long after the gift, setting the stage for the next one.
Productive Donor Meetings
Run donor meetings that actually move relationships forward, with clear agendas, outcomes, and next steps every time.
Become a Local Host
Help Us Plan Your City & Save 50%
We're looking for 2 to 3 people per city to help us with local planning. It only requires two short meetings, and in exchange, you get half off your registration. We'll ask you to help promote the event to your network and share local insights on venues and logistics.
Your Money Map & 360° Philanthropic Landscape
Before you even arrive at the intensive, we'll build your complete Money Map using our proprietary software and run a full analytics sweep of your portfolio. That way, you walk in with a 360-degree view of your philanthropic landscape already in hand, and we can jump straight into planning and strategy on day one. Every donor, every capacity rating, every relationship path, mapped and prioritized before you sit down at the table.
The Money Map
An algorithm Mary has been honing for 10 years. The Money Map isolates your current major donors for renewal, identifies which donors are ready to move up, pinpoints those who have lapsed and could be recovered, and much more. It gives you a precise, prioritized view of exactly where the opportunity sits in your portfolio.
360° Analytics
A complete sweep of your philanthropic landscape. The analytics show you how your landscape is changing over time, where the holes and opportunities are, and where to focus your energy next. It is the strategic context that surrounds the Money Map, so you see both the forest and the trees.
Your 200-Page Workbook
Two weeks before the intensive, you'll receive a 200-page workbook in the mail. It includes all the pre-work and pre-reading so that when you arrive, we can get straight to work.
No wasted time. No catching up. You walk in prepared, and we hit the ground running on day one.
There's Something For Everyone
No Matter Where You Are In Your Career
The Major Gift Intensive meets you exactly where you are. Whether you've been fundraising for decades or you're just getting started, you'll walk away with a sharper strategy and a clearer path forward.
Seasoned Fundraisers
It's a great refresher, and you'll pick up new tips and tricks that sharpen your approach. Even veterans find blind spots they didn't know they had.
Mid-Career
Take your knowledge to the next level without making all the mistakes most fundraisers and EDs make with major gifts. Skip the hard lessons and fast-track your results.
Early-Career
Build the foundation right from the start. Understand how to manage your time, who to pursue, how to get in the door, and how to fundraise with confidence.
See it in motion
What the room actually feels like
Thirty fundraisers, two and a half days, one room. This is the energy you are walking into.
Shoulder to Shoulder
In the Room
Real work, real people, real results. This is what a Major Gift Intensive looks like.
What Participants Say
Participant Testimonials
"Mary's ability to ask all the right questions to understand your starting point and overall goals for supporting your organization is one of her strengths. She has definitely instilled in me to think and plan bigger."
Maren
Executive Director
"Book the intensive! It was the best decision I've ever made! I left feeling like 'I can do this.'"
Rachel
President
"After the first day with Mary, I had more clarity than I'd had in months. She helped me see exactly where the opportunity was, how to approach the donor, and what to say next. I walked away with a strategy I felt confident with, and within weeks, we closed a major gift."
Melissa
Director of Development
"I attended because I knew there were potential donors, but I didn't know how to get from 'great relationship' to 'major gift conversation.' Mary helped me map it out step-by-step. We ended up closing a 6-figure gift!"
RuthAnne
Executive Director
"I left thinking, 'Oh, this is actually possible.' She took the fear and confusion out of asking for a major gift and helped me build a strategy that felt respectful, donor-centered, and bold. The results have revolutionized my organization."
Laurie
Executive Director
Frequently Asked Questions
About Mary
Mary Petersen spent 25 years as a working major gift officer before she started coaching. She's raised millions from living rooms, boardroom lunches, and farmhouse tables.
She is the author of What to Say (International Impact Award Winner) and Small Table Big Philanthropy, and the founder of Hey Fundraiser. This is someone who did the work, not someone who studied it.
The Implementation Promise
Most training ends when the room empties. This one ends when the work is done.
Come to all two and a half days. Bring your donor list. Come to your four coaching calls. If your prospect list, your money map, your scripts, or your ninety-day plan are not finished when those calls run out, I keep going until they are.
No extra fee. No negotiation. No cap on the number of calls.
I can promise that because I am not promising you an outcome I do not control. I am promising to stay until you are holding the thing you paid for.
Want to Keep It In House?
Some development departments bring Mary in for a private Major Gift Intensive, tailored to your organization, your donors, and your goals. Tell us about your team and we'll be in touch.
Secure Your Spot
$2,950 · 8 ways to join: 6 cities, 2 virtual, 30 seats each. They go fast.