How to Close Major Gifts Faster—Without Rushing the Donor

Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here!

Do you really need to spend 18 months cultivating a donor before making an ask? 😅 (Spoiler alert: Absolutely not.)

In this firecracker episode, Mary calls BS on the outdated “18-month cultivation” rule and walks you through how to build authentic, strategic donor relationships that lead to major gifts faster — without feeling rushed, pushy, or awkward.

What You'll Learn:

• Why loooong cultivation timelines are sabotaging your impact.
• The three things donors must be clear on to say “YES.”
• Five powerful ways to accelerate donor momentum without pressure.
• What to say instead of “can you support our work?” 🙃
• Why smaller portfolios = deeper relationships and bigger gifts.

Resources & Links

🎯 Ready to crush your major gift goals faster? Grab Major Donor Meeting Mastery – it’s your fast track to YES for just $47!

If you loved this episode, please leave a review and share it with a teammate who’s stuck in “not yet” land.

Until next time, keep fundraising with clarity, purpose, and a little sass.

Stop having “nice meetings” that go nowhere. If you want meetings that end with momentum (next step + timeline + clarity), start here:

🔥 Major Donor Meeting Mastery — my step-by-step system for better donor meetings.
📘 Mary's books — check out the books that will elevate your major gift fundraising.
👩🏻‍💻 Want my complete packaging + ask system? Watch the Momentum Training.

💻 Connect with Mary Petersen

• Website: heyfundraiser.com
• YouTube: @heyfundraisers
• Instagram: @heyfundraiser
• LinkedIn: Mary Petersen
• Email: [e-mail]