Major Gifts Fundraiser

About Major Gifts Fundraiser

This is the podcast for development professionals who are serious about raising major gifts without burning out. Hosted by Clark Vandeventer—fundraising coach, endurance athlete, and founder of Major Gifts Fundraiser—each episode offers practical wisdom, encouragement, and strategies to help you deepen donor relationships, elevate your impact, and thrive in your calling. From stewardship systems to in-person asks, from donor travel to daily habits, Clark blends real-life stories, timeless fundraising principles, and a refreshing dose

Publisher

Clark Vandeventer

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Jun 2019

Latest episode

27 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

198 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Oct 2025

   Ep. 197- Be Thankful-And Watch What Happens

   Summary: Clark shares his November playbook for development officers: how to turn Thanksgiving into a month-long movement of gratitude that naturally inspires giving. From pulling lists in October to writing year-end letters in December, he explains how to stay relationally abundant and avoid those awkward, last-minute “can you give before midnight?” calls. What You’ll Learn: Why gratitude—not urgency—is your most powerful fundraising motivator The difference between thank-you calls and gratitude calls How to structure your October, November, and December moves for maximum impact How small, consistent “no-ask” touches create major giving opportunities later Why there’s no such thing as a “transactional” gift Key Quotes: “Gratitude is an attractive quality. People give without being asked.” “There are no underperforming donors—only underperforming organizations.” “Trust the process, and the big gifts will come.” Action Step:Turn November into “Gratitude Month.” Send notes, texts, and cards. Make calls. Don’t ask—just thank. Connect with Clark: 📧 Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com 🌐 MajorGiftsFundraiser.com (https://www.MajorGiftsFundraiser.com)

2. 

   21 Oct 2025

   Episode 196- The Two Lists You Need Before Year-End

   Summary As year-end approaches, Clark shares the methodical moves that separate top-performing development officers from everyone else. In this episode, he walks through the two lists every fundraiser should pull before November hits—and how to use them to strengthen relationships and prevent last-minute panic calls in December. What You’ll Learn Why now is the time to pull your LYBUNT list—and how to read it strategically. The second critical list: your top cumulative givers over the past two years. How to spot “underperforming relationships” without labeling donors as underperforming. What to do with donors who’ve given less this year, and how to reconnect before year-end. How methodical development work in October and November makes December “miraculously easy.” Key Quotes “There are no underperforming donors—only underperforming organizations.” “If you do the work between October and December, names will magically disappear off your LYBUNT list. It’s not magic—it’s methodical.” “Good relationships are built on an accumulation of shared experiences and shared interactions.” Action Step Pull your two lists today: LYBUNT: Last Year But Unfortunately Not This Year. Cumulative Givers: Top donors from the past two years, compared to year-to-date. Then ask yourself: Are these relationships on track? Connect with ClarkHave a question or want help building your year-end plan? Email Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com Visit MajorGiftsFundraiser.com (https://www.MajorGiftsFundraiser.com) to learn more.

3. 

   6 Oct 2025

   Ep 195-Lessons Learned (Part 2)

   Summary Part two of Clark’s practical “Lessons Learned” series—from an old slide deck that still packs a punch. We cover why mission must lead your conversations, how to cultivate until the “yes” is likely, the art of listening (and how to measure it), why the case must be bigger than your organization, and the simple discipline of getting in the living room, not just the inbox. What You’ll Learn Lead with mission, not programs: Define the problem you exist to solve; then show how your programs are the vehicle. Money isn’t the problem: Relational deficit > budget deficit. Build the relationship that makes the gift obvious. Change lives, not line items: Donors give to impact. Your job is to articulate how lives change uniquely through you. Listen like a pro: Aim to speak far less than you listen; measure it after each meeting to improve. Don’t be flippant with the ask: Cultivate and ask—don’t “just ask.” Ask when a “yes” is likely. Emotion moves big gifts: Logic opens the door; emotion carries the gift over the threshold. Meet with both spouses: If both aren’t in the room, your best arguments will go unanswered. Make the case bigger than your org: Community, nation, world—then your distinctive role. Treat giving as a habit to build: Start small with first-time or reluctant givers; grow over time. Recognition matters (even if it’s “no recognition”): Always ask and align. Choose the living room over lunch: Fewer interruptions, clearer decisions. Prior donors predict future gifts: Steward yesterday’s givers to cultivate tomorrow’s. Never take insiders for granted: Keep building the drama for board and volunteers, too. Do your homework: Know their giving, interests, and context before you meet. You must ask: After real cultivation, make the clear, specific ask. Practical Tools Add this to every visit report: “% of time I talked vs. % donor talked.” What you measure improves. Pre-visit prep checklist: giving history, household context, mutual connections, LinkedIn scan, recent news. Quotable Moments “Listen. Listen intently. Listen even more intently.” — Jerry Panas “I never give because there’s a need. I give because I’m interested and I believe I can make a real difference.” — as referenced in the episode Related Lessons Learned in Major Gifts Fundraising (Part 1) Links & Resources Major Gifts Fundraiser services and trainings: majorgiftsfundraiser.com Try the Clarkbot (AI coaching, prompts, and role-play): majorgiftsfundraiser.com ContactHave a question or want feedback on an upcoming ask? Email Clark at Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.1 / 5

16 ratings

Spotify

4.2 / 5

12 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 41 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

49

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

84

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