On Demand
Seasoned gift officers will tell you that it’s easier to secure another gift, or even an increased gift, than it is to inspire a donor’s first gift. While that may be helpful to know, and can be substantiated with reports and data, it doesn’t help us tackle the important challenge of inspiring a donor’s first major gift. What do experienced gift officers know about inviting that first gift, and how can they share that advice so that the rest of us can approach the process with confidence? How do we know when the prospect is ready to make their first major gift?
In this On Demand webinar, we will explore the key steps a gift officer can take to inspire that first major gift from donors and prospects. This includes the preparation that gift officers must undertake behind the scenes to ensure they are presenting the right opportunity to the right donor at the right time. We will also examine discovery prospects, portfolio management, leadership annual fund donors, and campaigns as we discuss strategies for inspiring first-time major gifts.
Join Gonser Gerber senior consultant Meredith N. Brunen, Ed.D., for this 60-minute webinar designed to help you prepare to make that first major gift invitation with a new donor, or an increased gift for an existing donor.
Registration
The fee is $295 per institution, which allows your entire team the opportunity to participate in this professional development at the same time. If you are a current client of Gonser Gerber Advancement Consulting, that fee is just $145. You will also receive a copy of the presentation and a recording of the webinar with your registration.
On Demand Details: After your registration, you will receive a copy of the power point presentation as well as a copy of the recording. (Please allow at least 48 business hours to receive your materials.) You will be able to share these materials with your entire team, including volunteers, and review the recording as many times as you need.
Who Should Attend
This program is designed for advancement and development professionals responsible for engaging donors and inspiring philanthropic support. Participants may include major and planned gift officers, annual fund professionals, communications staff, community and alumni engagement professionals, and institutional leaders.
We welcome staff members from non-profit organizations, religious orders, secondary schools, colleges and universities, and other mission-driven organizations.
About Your Faculty
Dr. Meredith N. Brunen is a Senior Consultant with Gonser Gerber and brings more than 20 years of executive advancement leadership experience across higher education and mission-driven nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she served as Chief Development Officer for Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and the Momentary, leading development operations for two internationally recognized cultural institutions and strengthening fundraising systems, infrastructure, and team performance.
Previously, Dr. Brunen held senior roles at University of West Georgia, USC Upstate, Hendrix College, University of West Florida, and NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Across these institutions, she led or supported campaigns totaling more than $241 million; grew annual, major, and athletic giving—including a 79% increase in unrestricted athletic support; secured multi-million-dollar gifts; and launched faculty–staff giving efforts achieving 85% participation. Her leadership also increased employee engagement scores on her team from 3.37 to 4.08 in one year and advanced strategic communications, donor engagement, and volunteer mobilization.
She earned her Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Arkansas, where she authored Raising the Bar: The Modern Community College Presidency, contributing to national research on the value of advancement experience in executive leadership.
