Maybe you think the important work is inviting the gift. Perhaps you believe the important work is relationship building. You may have been told the key to advancement work is visiting with current and prospective donors. You might even believe the most significant aspect of the work is stewardship after
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In this On Demand webinar, we discuss the key steps organizations should perfect if you hope to move donors to make their first gift.
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This On Demand program will help prepare you to make that first major gift ask.
You can invite a donor to increase their giving iteratively, which means they will base the increase of their future giving on what they have given previously. Or, you can invite a donor to increase their giving aspirationally, which means they will base the increase of their future giving on
We can ask Claude to quickly write the language for a pretty compelling major gift proposal. Or, we can ask Claude to take our major gift proposal and offer 3 different versions that highlight the donor’s known interests in 3 distinct ways. We can ask ChatGPT to create a projected
Does it count as truly successful if the initial goal is achieved, but the stretch goal is not? If the stretch goal is met, what further motivation is there to continue to give effort? I’ve never quite understood the concept of stretch goals. From a leadership standpoint, I’ve witnessed first-hand how stretch
We know from research completed back in the 1960s there isn’t a direct line from our bodies to our brains when it comes to feeling physical pain. When we bump our elbow on something hard, for example, we know, instinctively, that if we immediately rub our elbow with our opposite
. . . a development program consistently expand its donor base – year over year for long stretches – without deep and relatively stable solicitation traditions and timelines. . . . a development program raise consistently more from major gifts – year over year for long stretches – without stable,
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In this Gonser Gerber Institute “Quick Bite” program, Dr. James Smith, Gonser Gerber Senior Consultant, will share some immediate steps you can implement to launch a challenge gift at your institution, including establishing how a challenge gift can help where you
I had an experienced gift officer proudly share this comment with me recently. I don’t think it was the flex he thought it was. I’m pretty sure I understood the sentiment behind his statement: He engages donors in such compelling ways and with such skill that he doesn’t need to ask for the gift. They come to their own conclusion
Helping our donors and friends remember: the professor who encouraged them when they were unsure of themselves; the loving care and treatment their mom received during a life-threatening illness; the confidence-building experiences their children had on the courts and fields of play; the sense of calm that emerged when a social service provider offered a program at just the right
What do donors expect as a result of their giving? To answer this question, advancement professionals typically respond with a duality. The first duality is the donor-focused aspect. This response is focused on what the donor expects for themselves in response to their giving. Responses like: gratitude, recognition, special invitations, small gifts, etc. The second aspect of this duality is focused on
Before each visit with a donor or a prospective donor, we should ask, “what do I really want to know?” . . . about their financial capacity? . . . about their interest in our mission or cause? . . . about their willingness to be generous? . . . about why they give? . . . about their business
November 19, 2026
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This webinar will cover how to develop a powerful annual fund case for support that serves as the foundation for fundraising appeals, volunteer engagement, leadership messaging, and donor communications.
“What will our donor get when they make their gift?” In some advancement shops, the response to this question is something specific – a pair of socks, tickets to a football game, a naming right, a tchotchke. In other advancement shops, the response to this question is nothing specific. A thank-you letter or a handwritten note will suffice. But in
November 18, 2026
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Join us for this insightful one-hour webinar as we explore the realities, opportunities, and challenges facing women in advancement today.
November 6, 2026
This Gonser Gerber Virtual Workshop for New Vice Presidents in the advancement and development profession is designed to support new leaders during their first few years on the job.
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This On Demand webinar will equip you with actionable tactics to align annual giving and major gift teams around a shared vision of donor engagement, stewardship, and growth.
It is common for some in advancement to hear the word, “persuasive,” and think, “manipulative.” But, the two are very different. When we aim to be persuasive, we: are ethical, transparent, factual, and logical; seek fair, win-win outcomes with others; respect people’s rights and responsibilities to choose for themselves, based on what they believe, feel, and think is best. But,
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