Joy in the Major Gift Journey

In this thoughtful and instructive episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes Michal Werner, CAP, CFRE, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey, for a rich conversation about major gift fundraising and the patience it requires. Framed around the idea that there is “joy in the journey,” the episode explores what happens when a donor who seems like a certain yes instead says no, and how that moment can become the beginning of something far more meaningful. Drawing on a real donor story from early in her tenure, Michal offers a grounded and compelling example of what it looks like to stay in the relationship, listen more carefully, and let the donor’s interests shape the path forward rather than forcing a gift onto the organization’s preferred timeline. What makes the episode especially valuable is the way it reveals the difference between fundraising driven by institutional assumptions and fundraising rooted in genuine discovery. Rather than walking away after the initial rejection, Michal kept the conversation open, did deeper research into the donor’s private foundation giving, and uncovered a more expansive vision of social justice than the organization had initially presented. That shift led to a very different opportunity: funding a dedicated position focused on building allyships across faith communities and combating antisemitism through collaboration, education, and relationship-building. Bill skillfully draws out the lesson that major gifts are rarely about simply matching capacity with a dollar figure. They are about finding the intersection between organizational purpose and donor values, then building enough trust to move forward together. The result in this case was not the original seven-figure ask, but a five-year commitment of $50,000 annually that proved both strategic and transformational. As the discussion continues, the episode becomes an excellent case study in stewardship, internal leadership, and long-term fundraising discipline. Michal explains how regular impact reporting, visible program results, and continued donor engagement helped turn an initial five-year commitment into ongoing support, with the donor now committed to sustaining the work beyond the original pledge period. Just as important, she speaks candidly about the internal pressure fundraisers often face from boards or executives who expect major gifts to close quickly or at a higher level. Her advice is clear and practical: do not hear “no” as final, do not rush trust-building, and do not treat major gift fundraising like annual fund work. Bill closes by reinforcing a theme that runs throughout the episode: if a donor keeps taking the meeting, the conversation is still alive. For fundraisers navigating complex donor relationships, this episode offers both reassurance and a strong reminder that some of the most meaningful gifts emerge not from certainty at the start, but from patience, humility, and persistence over time.