Master the Ask.
Start Closing Major Gifts.
Not the theory of asking. The actual words, in order, for the conversation you have been putting off.
You care deeply about the mission.
But you're doing the job of three people.
You know that major gifts are the key to your organization's growth. But between managing events, putting out daily fires, and wearing too many hats, your major donor portfolio gets pushed to tomorrow.
And when you finally do get a donor meeting, you're not exactly sure what to say, when to ask, or how to confidently move them from polite interest to a meaningful, transformational gift.
Find Your Path
Which one is you?
Tell me where you are and I will tell you what to do first.
Get Your Advice From Someone Who Has Sat In Your Seat...
Mary Petersen spent 25 years as a working major gift officer before she ever started teaching. She's not a consultant who studied fundraising from the outside. She did it, in real organizations, with real donors, for real missions that depended on the outcome.
She closed a $100 million gift in 7 months using the same methodology she teaches inside Major Gift Momentum. Not by following the industry playbook. Not by spending 18 months in slow cultivation. By building a smaller, focused portfolio and going deeper with the right people, faster than anyone told her was possible.
Mary is the author of What to Say: 12 Major Gift Asks to Get a YES, the book that hands fundraisers the exact words for the conversation they've been putting off, and Small Table Big Philanthropy, her newest work on why depth beats volume every time in major gift fundraising.
She speaks at conferences and nonprofit gatherings nationwide, and coaches Executive Directors and development professionals who are doing this work largely without a team, a playbook, or anyone who truly gets what they're up against.
Work With Mary
How can I help you grow?
Whether you need comprehensive coaching, a focused workshop, or self-paced resources, there's a path for you.
Major Gift Momentum
Monthly group coaching with Mary (2 meetings/month), a close-knit community, and self-paced curriculum to build a reliable major gift system.
The Ask Workshop
A high-impact intensive focused purely on mastering the art and language of the direct ask.
Small Table Intensive
Intimate, high-level experience to implement Mary's small table method, a three-pronged approach to major gifts.
Major Gift Intensives
A 3-day intensive for 30 people, held in select cities throughout the US. Build your major gift program from the ground up.
On-Demand Courses
Self-paced resources and video trainings to learn the framework at your own pace.
Books
Read Mary's acclaimed books on major gifts, including What to Say and Small Table Big Philanthropy.
Three Experiences. One Transformation.
The Growth Pass bundles the Major Gift Intensive, The Ask Workshop, and the Small Table Intensive into one powerful year of learning. Save over $900 and get priority access to the most sought-after dates.
Explore the Growth PassListen to the Podcast
Books by Mary Petersen
The books that change how you ask
From word-for-word ask scripts to the philosophy of depth over volume, these are required reading for anyone serious about major gifts.
What to Say
12 word-for-word major gift ask scripts to get a YES. The book that hands fundraisers the exact language for the conversation they've been putting off.
Small Table Big Philanthropy
The fundraiser's playbook for major gifts. Learn why depth beats volume every time and how to move donors from $1,000 to transformational gifts without burning out.
Fortune 500 Expectations. Bake Sale Budget.
The bold case for unrestricted major gifts and why donors need to trust nonprofits again. Mary's most provocative book yet.
Professional Development Budget Kit
It's budget time and there's nothing better to invest in than your own education. Get the exact templates, scripts, and budget calculator to secure funding for your professional growth.
Templates, scripts & a budget calculator
Council
Ready to master the ask and start closing?
