Session OverviewMajor gifts fundraising sits at the intersection of strategy, psychology, relationship, and responsibility. In this interactive 3.5-hour training, participants will define or refine what major gifts truly mean for their organization—moving beyond arbitrary dollar thresholds to a model grounded in mission, capacity, and human connection.
Participants will explore the growing role of blended gifts and examine how annual, capital, and legacy commitments naturally intersect in real donor relationships. The session will deepen confidence in the art of the ask—not as a script or transaction, but as a courageous, values-aligned invitation rooted in trust and shared purpose.
As technology and AI increasingly shape fundraising strategy, this training also centers on how to remain unmistakably human-centred in a high-tech world. Participants will examine how tools can enhance insight, timing, and personalization without sacrificing empathy, authenticity, or ethical judgment—all while reducing fundraiser burnout.
The session culminates in facilitated Ethics, Power, and Influence Case Rounds, in which participants will engage with real-world scenarios involving donor influence, power dynamics, equity, and organizational integrity. These case discussions build the ethical muscle required for modern major gift fundraising.
Participants will leave with practical frameworks, shared language, and renewed clarity about how to raise major gifts with confidence, compassion, and courage.
Learning OutcomesBy the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define or redefine a major gift for their organization. Articulate a clear, mission-aligned definition of major gifts that reflects donor capacity, relationship depth, and organizational strategy rather than relying solely on dollar thresholds.
- Understand and apply a blended gifts mindset. Identify opportunities to integrate annual, capital, and legacy giving into cohesive donor conversations that honour long-term partnership and donor intent.
- Strengthen confidence in the art of the ask. Practice framing and making major gift invitations that are donor-centred, values-based, and grounded in an authentic relationship rather than pressure or performance.
- Balance technology with humanity. Evaluate how technology and AI can support major gifts work while preserving empathy, trust, and human judgment throughout the donor journey.
- Navigate ethics, power, and influence with clarity. Develop confidence in naming tensions, asking difficult questions, and making principled decisions in complex major-gift relationships.
