Major Gifts Intensive 2025
COMING SOON
Transform Your Major Gifts Fundraising Success
Equip Your Team to Close Record-Breaking Mega Gifts
Schedule a connection call to discuss our 2025 program.
Not sure how to reach out to prospects?
Past participants closed their biggest gifts during our 4-month, personalized major gifts coaching and training program.
“Honestly, this was a game changer. It is the best investment we’ve ever made!”
What is holding your team back from major gift fundraising success?
We’ve helped hundreds of teams like yours overcome these roadblocks.
How? Our proven strategies will help you identify your most important prospects, engage with them, and then open the door to a Gift Conversation.
Even more, we’ll teach you our Gift Conversation asking technique that opens your donors’ hearts, and puts the idea of a gift right on the table.
We’re closing amazing gifts because of the major gifts course! For example, a donor recently offered us a gift of $1 million, paid over 4 years. Unbelievably, I did not even make a formal ask! She said she had very much enjoyed the change in our communications, because we had become much more transparent. In terms of a return on investment, the major gifts course is a home run!
My big news is that I received a $100,000 gift from a somewhat demanding donor – without an ask! I followed all of your rules in working with Major Donors, patiently listening and sharing gratitude. Later, she said to me, “You have made me feel heard. I didn’t feel that way before. So, I want to make a $100k gift in support of your new leadership.”
Not Just Another Major Gifts Education Program
What makes the Major Gifts Intensive training different?
- We offer 12 LIVE, interactive trainings for your entire team.
- Your team receives 3 private team coaching calls tailored to your needs and opportunities.
- Your team is invited to 3 more group coaching calls with their assigned cohort.
- Our faculty are your champions over 4 full months, offering insights, strategies and tactics you need to confidently close more gifts and larger gifts.
- We give you actionable tools that you can practice in real time – many participants close their biggest gifts during the program!
“The Major Gifts Intensive course is the best thing I ever did for my career. The curriculum is so comprehensive—I learned something from every part of it: from the psychological ideas, to moves management, new ideas on discovery and especially the permission-based approach to asking.
This course helped me navigate the large volume of donors at the major gift and principal gift level. Now, I’m able to better connect with my donors—particularly “skeptical” donors with high capacity.
I would tell any fundraising team that if they want to be successful in their careers in gift planning, major gifts and principal gifts, this is the course they need to take.”
Barbara Mari, Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Principal Gifts
ALSAC/St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
What will you get?
Make a Transformational Investment
Your team’s investment equips up to 4 registrants from your organization with new gift-closing skills via this 4-month course.
Learning alongside your team members helps bring consistency to your major gift strategy and reinforces your new learnings.
With your investment, your team of up to 4 members receives:
Live, Interactive Training
12 LIVE advanced webinars with plenty of time for personalized, direct Q&A
Private Coaching
Three private 45-minute coaching sessions for your team with Beth Ann Locke or Gail Perry, focusing major gift strategy
Group Coaching
Three group coaching sessions so your team can learn together from other colleagues in a smaller cohort of similar organizations
Assignments & Accountability
To move you forward and keep you accountable to success
Ongoing Support
Email access to your coaches at any time during the course
CFRE Credit
for 20 course hours
What will you learn?
The 2025 curriculum has been revamped to help you navigate the ‘Big Ask’ in challenging times. This is how you will learn to close major and transformational gifts in the current climate.
1: Empower Your Institution for Success
Your Culture, Team, Mindset, Team
- Building support for major gift fundraising across your institution
- The million-dollar major gifts mindset
- Creating and supporting a major gifts team
- Emotional intelligence as a fundraising tool
- Must-have skills for individual success
2: Creating Structure to Support Your Major Gift Program
Prospect Management and Pipeline by the Numbers
- Building the Major Gift Plan
- Creating structure and accountability to measure your progress
- Establishing the right metrics to lead you to success
- Creating a predictable model for major gifts
- Estimating the value and timing of your prospect portfolio
- Analytics: managing your data for results
- Major gift officer performance in real time, making midcourse corrections
3: Identifying Major Gift Prospects and Creating Actionable Discovery Plans
- Understanding the Discovery Call Playbook
- The role of prospect research: Finding the high net worth donor
- Qualifying your donors: net worth vs philanthropic track record
- Advanced discovery and qualification skills all fundraisers need to know
- Identifying and segmenting your priority prospects
- Power discovery questions that reveal your donor’s passions, interests and hot buttons
4: Mastering the Ultimate Skills that Build Major Gift Donor Relationships
- Sales vs relationships
- Mastering the soft skills of major gift fundraising
- Getting appointments in the virtual environment
- The Advice Visit
- Deep Listening skills that yield mega gifts
- Advanced prospect management skills to optimize relationships with the right people
5: Deepen the Donor Relationship
Create Strategy that Leads to Transformational Gifts
- Mastering the Zoom visit: virtual etiquette
- Helping the donor to enjoy her visit with you
- Moving the donor along in their interest and enthusiasm
- Power conversations that open the door for a Gift Conversation
- How to ask your donor the tough questions
6: Preparing Your Donor For a Transformational Gift and Accelerating the Ask
- Understanding your donor’s triggers: Why would they give?
- Opening up the Conversational Ask
- Nuances of dealing with high net worth individuals
- Reading the donor’s giving signals and cues
- Testing for the right dollar amount
- The dynamic questions that lead your donor to offer a gift without an ask
7: The Conversational Ask and Closing Techniques
- Nailing the gift conversation itself
- Five sure-fire approaches for a transformational ask
- Breaking down the steps of a formal ask visit
- Step-by-step permission-based asking
- The Oblique Ask
- Advanced asking and closing techniques
+ 5 Deep Dives
Meet Your Expert Support System
Gail Perry MBA CFRE
“I absolutely love this program, because we are able to help so very many organizations create or level up their major gift fundraising.”
Dr. Kathryn Gamble
Kathryn leads the Gail Perry consulting team, and has decades of experience in successful major gifts and capital campaign fundraising. She has built several fundraising programs to new heights. As our data and analytics expert, she created the Fundraising by the Numbers methodology.
Beth Ann Locke
”I believe there is no greater joy than connecting with donor to support their giving. The MGI course gives you and your team the tools you need, whether you’re growing your major gifts or ready to take a terrific team to the next level. Coaching offers support tailored to your strengths and challenges. You can raise more and we’ll show you how.”
They Asked During the Program and This Happened…
One of my best “happy ending” stories involves a donor with whom I spent two years repairing a hurt relationship. She came back with a gift nearly 80% above her previous large gift two and a half years earlier— and revealed she had left us in her will for a $2.5 million bequest gift. All of this was due to careful stewardship techniques and good conversation starters taken from Gail Perry Group’s Major Gifts Intensive course.
As Penn Foundation embarked on the first capital campaign in many years, it was immensely helpful to be in the Major Gifts Intensive. I am delighted to report that we just passed the $1.2 million mark to purchase and renovate a building that is adjacent to our campus. How exciting to see the tools and strategies we learned from Gail and Kathryn be turned into a project that will allow us to continue our mission.
What sets Gail and her team apart from their competition is that they get right to the point and get the participants doing the work and applying the principles quickly. Plus, they are a fun and caring group of people!
I’m absolutely thrilled with the results, we raised $120,000 in new major gifts and increased gifts from our major donors, in just a few short months.
The webinars were an extremely valuable educational tool. Thank you for helping us bring our fundraising to a new level.
We closed a $700k gift because of Gail’s coaching for a major gift ask!
We raised over $400k this year in the program! No more donor fatigue! It was wonderful to have direct access to Gail and get direct and personal feedback. I feel like I am getting supported in a personal way, and the advice was really targeted to my personal situation.
Nothing quite compares to the expert advice that you have shared in response to my questions, whether that be in email or during a coaching call. Not only have you provided valuable perspective on the situations I have encountered, you have also helped me to develop a greater understanding of the many moving parts in large public educational institution fundraising.
All your fundraising lessons gave me the confidence and boost to go the distance. This is my second major gift so far. Last year I was able to close a $25k gift from a Héma-Québec supplier and, he showed for another $25K this fall!
During a thank you call with a donor who had been giving $1,000 faithfully, I used your cultivation approaches, and she said she wanted to write a check for $100,000! The biggest plus is that I now recognize opportunities to ask for a gift when they come up on the phone. It has become very natural for me.The major gifts course was truly an investment that has paid off!
Frequently Asked Questions.
When does the program begin?
The program runs Wednesdays, March 6 to June 19, 2025.
What is the cost?
2025 price will equip your team of up to 4 participants. You can pay at once or you can spread the cost out over 3 payments.
One registration includes up to four team members. What if I have five members who want to participate?
If you have more than four people, it is only $500 more for each additional team member.
What if we want additional private coaching sessions for our team?
We would enjoy working more closely with your team to ensure success. Please contact us for custom coaching pricing.
How much time will I need to invest?
You can plan to spend approximately an hour and 15 minutes per week.
How long are the webinars?
Each webinar is designed to last 50 minutes, with an additional 5-10 minutes for open Q&A.
Will I get to meet the other participants?
Definitely! You will be assigned to a smaller cohort for the group coaching sessions and we will use breakout rooms so you can get to know your peers better.
We are happy to answer questions about the course! Drop your questions to coaching@gailperry.com or set up a connection call.
Our Major Gifts All-Stars
Major Gifts Intensive Coaching Clients 2015-21
4KIDS of South Florida
Achievement Centers for Children & Families
Action Against Hunger
Adirondack Health Foundation
Alpha Sigma Tau Foundation
ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
American Kidney Fund
American Rivers
Animal Rescue League of Iowa
Australian Himalayan Foundation
BANANAS
Baptist Children’s Homes of NC
Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry, Inc. (BEAM)
Blue Deer Center
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta
Calvert Marine Museum
Campbell County Healthcare Foundation
CARE House of Oakland County
Caritas of Austin
CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County
Catholic Social Services
CHI St. Alexius Health Williston Foundation
Chicago Commons
Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County
Children’s Hope Alliance
Christian Library International
Citizen Advocacy Center
City Rescue Mission
Congo Initiative
Connelly School of the Holy Child
Cornerstone Community Housing
Crocker Art Museum
Cross International
Crossroads School, Inc.
De Benneville Pines, Inc.
Eagle’s Nest Foundation
East Carolina University (ECU Foundation)
Eyes Ears Nose and Paws
Families Together
Fannin County Children’s Center
Farmer Foodshare
Fleisher Art Memorial
For Kids’ Sake
Free Will Baptist Children Home
Friends of Bonobos/Lola ya Bonobo
Fuller Center for Housing > International- *Americus*
Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts
Georgia Organics
Global Autism Project
Global Fund for Children
GrieveWell
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County
Halachic Organ Donor Society
Halton Health Care
Harlem RBI
Hawaii Children’s Action Network
Hema-Quebec Foundation
Henry Ford Health System
Historic Columbus
HODS
Home Sweet Home Ministries, Inc.
Hospice Giving Foundation
Idaho Youth Ranch
Indiana 4-H Foundation at Purdue University
Institute for Community Living
International Fund for Animal Welfare
International House
Jhamtse International
Johnston Community College Foundation, Inc.
Kehillah Jewish Education Fund
Kindred Community Farm Sanctuary
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
Koman Kansas City
Kuumbwa Jazz
La Clinica Del Pueblo
Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
Ladies Union Benevolent Association dba Noyes Home for Children and Meadowview
Lomakatsi Restoration Project
Los Angeles Conservancy
Loudoun Therapeutic Riding
Maine Maritime Museum
Make A Difference – Wisconsin
Maximum Accessible Housing of Ohio
McDaniel College
Me Fine Foundation, Inc.
Medicine Hat & District Health Foundation
Methodist Senior Services
Methodist Retirement Communities
Misericordia University
Montana Audubon
Mount Paran Christian School
Museum of Nebraska Art
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue
NAMI Wake County
Nassau County Council on Aging
National Children’s Advocacy Center
National Council of Jewish Women of Australia
National Trust for Canada
Nashville Public Library Foundation
NC Arboretum
NC Study Center
NCJWA
Next Step Ministries
North Carolina Outward Bound School
Oakland Symphony
Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services
Outlook Nebraska
Ovarian Cancer Canada
Peace Education Project
Penn Foundation
Preston High School
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin
ProKids
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research
Randolph County Partnership for Children
Red Door Family Shelter
Restore NYC
Rheumatology Research Foundation
San Diego Center for Children
Seva Foundation
Sherwood Community Services
Sight Center of NW PA
Smoky Hills Public Television
Snow City Arts
Sojourner Family Peace Center
Somerville College, Oxford
SouthEast Lancaster Health Services
St. Francis Center
St. Joan Antida High School
St. Timothy’s School
Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation
The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts
The Dressage Foundation
The Emily Program Foundation
The Fuller Center for Housing
The International School
The Kilgoris Project
The Mental Health Association of Westchester
The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
The St. Francis Center
The University of Montana Western Foundation
The Women’s Center of Tarrant County
Three Rivers Land Trust
Tree House Humane Society
UCHealth Memorial Hospital Foundation
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg
Unlock Ministries
USO of NC
Valley Conservation Council, Inc.
Volunteers of America Michigan
WARM
Warren Easton Sr High School Foundation Inc
Washington State University
WaterAid America
WhidbeyHealth Foundation
Women’s Earth Alliance
YMCA of Northwest North Carolina
Youth Homes
“We joined your Major Gifts Program last year and smashed our targets as we followed your guidance. Last week, we met with two of our lovely loyal donors, and told them about our building plans in the hope they would plan their future giving with us in mind.
Today they called to say they are giving us $500K towards our building fund!!! No-one has ever given us $500K!!! We are so excited by this gift and grateful for the training we received from you. Thank you for giving us the tools and confidence to do this work!”