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- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
1 - 1,000 - Monthly Reach
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1 - 5,000 - Active Followers
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1 - 500
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On the show
Recent episodes
From Reading the Book to Doing
May 1, 2026
22m 57s
Small Table Big Philanthropy is Available TODAY!
Apr 30, 2026
16m 34s
Small Table Big Philanthropy: A Sneak Peek Inside the Book
Apr 24, 2026
27m 52s
What to Say When You're Ready to Ask
Apr 17, 2026
25m 23s
The No-Agenda Visit: Your Most Powerful Cultivation Tool
Apr 10, 2026
22m 01s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1/26 |  From Reading the Book to Doing | In this episode, I will share how shifting from large galas to small, intimate dinners can exponentially increase major gift fundraising. Discover her three-step strategy to build sustainable donor relationships and learn about her Small Table Intensive workshop designed to turn theory into actionable plans. #fundraising #donorrelationships #philanthropy #majorgifts #marypetersen 🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewe... | 22m 57s | ||||||
| 4/30/26 | Small Table Big Philanthropy is Available TODAY! | Order Small Table Big Philanthropy at https://stbp.heyfundraiser.com/. This is the book your entire development team need. If you want to go beyond the book and actually build this out with me — live — I just opened registration for the Small Table Intensive. This is a 4-hour working session, limited to 30 organizations, where we don't just talk about the Dinner-Match-Upgrade strategy. We build it. Together. #fundraising #donorrelationships #philanthropy #majorgifts #marypetersen 🪑 The... | 16m 34s | ||||||
| 4/24/26 | Small Table Big Philanthropy: A Sneak Peek Inside the Book | A week before the April 30 launch, Mary does a live teaching from the heart of the book. She covers the small table philosophy (why intimacy beats scale in major gift fundraising), the three-part strategy (Dinner → Match → Upgrade), the staircase mindset ($1,000 → $10,000 → $100,000), and the courage it takes to invite someone into something bigger. This episode is part teaching, part behind-the-scenes look at how the book came to be, and part permission slip for fundraisers who are ready to... | 27m 52s | ||||||
| 4/17/26 | What to Say When You're Ready to Ask | Mary pulls from her book What to Say to teach the full anatomy of a major gift ask conversation. She covers the 5 elements of a strong ask (set-up, ask, silence, donor response, fundraiser response), how donors give from their head, heart, or gut and why matching your ask style to your donor's giving style changes everything, and the exact language of asking for a specific amount. She also digs into what most fundraisers get wrong — and the one sentence that causes more lost gifts than any o... | 25m 23s | ||||||
| 4/10/26 | The No-Agenda Visit: Your Most Powerful Cultivation Tool | Mary introduces the no-agenda visit as the cornerstone of the cultivation phase in her 4-step system (Engineer → Culivate → Solicit → Steward). This isn't 'showing up without a plan' — it's showing up with a completely different plan: the plan to listen. In this episode, you'll learn how to prepare for a visit where you're not pitching, the 5 questions that open every real donor conversation, how to read relationship readiness signals, and the follow-up routine that turns every no-agenda visi... | 22m 01s | ||||||
| 4/3/26 | Why Donors Really Leave (And It's Not What You Think) | Donor retention is the most under-discussed topic in major gift fundraising — and the most expensive mistake organizations make. In this episode, Mary digs into the real reasons donors go quiet, the exact moment most organizations lose a relationship they didn't know they were losing, and what the organizations with 80%+ retention rates do differently. Spoiler: it's not a better newsletter. This episode is grounded in a chapter from Small Table Big Philanthropy about what it really means to ... | 29m 46s | ||||||
| 3/27/26 | After the Ask: The Follow-Up Rhythm That Protects the Relationship (and Moves It Forward) | This episode explores the art of follow-up in major gift fundraising, emphasizing a steady, relational, permission-based approach that preserves trust and moves opportunities forward. Learn practical strategies for timing, messaging, handling silence, and maintaining integrity after the ask. #fundraising #donorfollowup #relationshipmanagement 🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer donors and deeper relationships, using the methodology... | 34m 02s | ||||||
| 3/20/26 | Objections Clinic: The 7 Objections + The 3-Step Response Framework | In this episode, Mary Petersen demystifies donor objections, showing fundraisers how to handle them with confidence and trust-building techniques. Learn the seven most common objections, a simple three-step response framework, and tips on tone and preparation to become a calmer, more effective fundraiser. #fundraising #donorobjections #giftconversations #relationshipbuilding #fundraisingtips 🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer dono... | 39m 34s | ||||||
| 3/13/26 | The Three Donor Types: Head / Heart / Gut (And How to Adjust Your Approach) | In this episode, Mary Petersen talks about a simple yet powerful framework to personalize your fundraising conversations based on donor decision-making styles—head, heart, or gut—and significantly increase your success. #fundraising #majorgifts #fundraisingstrategies 🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer donors and deeper relationships, using the methodology from my book Small Table Big Philanthropy. 🎯 The Ask Workshop. Half a day. ... | 30m 49s | ||||||
| 3/12/26 | Offers & Outcomes: Why Donors Fund Outcomes (Not Programs) + How to Package Yours | In this episode, Mary Petersen talks about the key difference between describing your organization’s activities and showcasing the real results that inspire donors to give. Explore practical strategies to reframe your messaging around impactful outcomes that resonate emotionally and logically with donors. #fundraising #nonprofit #fundraisingstrategies #fundraisingsuccess 🪑 The Small Table Intensive. Half a day. Build or rebuild your major gift program around fewer donors and deeper relati... | 32m 18s | ||||||
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| 2/23/26 | The First 5 Minutes of a Donor Meeting | In this episode, Mary Petersen provides a master class on the critical first five minutes of donor meetings, emphasizing their importance in setting the tone, creating depth, and leading the conversation towards meaningful engagement. She outlines common pitfalls to avoid, offers a structured framework for effective donor engagement, and discusses various scenarios that fundraisers may encounter during meetings. The episode concludes with strategies for structuring the remainder of the meetin... | 27m 08s | ||||||
| 2/13/26 | Valentine’s Day special: Fall Back in Love With Fundraising | In this Valentine's Day special episode, Mary Petersen discusses the challenges of fundraising burnout and offers practical advice for rekindling passion for the work. She emphasizes the importance of relationship-building over task-oriented approaches and provides actionable steps to reconnect with donors and protect one's energy while maintaining high goals. The episode serves as a reminder that fundraisers are not alone in their struggles and can find meaning in their work through intentio... | 9m 58s | ||||||
| 2/9/26 | Silence After the Ask: How to Use It Without Being Weird (And What To Do Right After) | In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen discusses the critical importance of silence after making a major gift ask. She emphasizes that the moments following the ask are crucial for allowing donors to process their decision. Mary provides practical strategies for fundraisers to effectively use silence, avoid common pitfalls, and respond appropriately to donor reactions. The episode serves as a training session on how to enhance fundraising success through confident commun... | 14m 21s | ||||||
| 1/30/26 | Why Donors Say No: The 5 Real Reasons (And the Fix for Each) | In this episode, Mary Petersen discusses the common experience of receiving 'no' from donors in fundraising. She emphasizes that a 'no' often signifies a need for more information or clarity rather than a definitive rejection. Petersen outlines five key reasons why donors say no, including lack of clarity, misalignment of values, timing issues, decision-making dynamics, and the nature of the ask itself. She provides actionable strategies for fundraisers to address these concerns and turn pote... | 19m 54s | ||||||
| 1/23/26 | The Permission-Based “Runway” to the Major Gift Ask (5 Questions That Make the Ask Easy) | In this episode, Mary Petersen discusses the concept of permission-based fundraising, emphasizing the importance of clarity and collaboration in donor relationships. She outlines five key questions that fundraisers can use to create a natural transition to asking for donations, ensuring that donors feel respected and engaged throughout the process. The episode also addresses how to handle vague responses from donors and provides practical homework for fundraisers to practice their skills. #f... | 17m 07s | ||||||
| 1/16/26 | How to Know When Someone Is Ready to Be Asked for a Major Gift | In this podcast episode, Mary Petersen discusses the critical signals that indicate when a donor is ready to be asked for a major gift. She emphasizes the importance of understanding engagement, values alignment, capacity, timing, and ownership signals. By recognizing these signals, fundraisers can approach potential donors with confidence and integrity, ensuring that the ask feels natural and appropriate. Petersen also introduces the concept of permission-based fundraising, which helps build... | 27m 46s | ||||||
| 1/10/26 | Your Major Gift Portfolio: How to Decide Who Gets Your Time This Week | In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen discusses the importance of portfolio triage in fundraising. She emphasizes that the scarce resource in major gifts is the fundraiser's time and attention, not the donors themselves. By categorizing donors into three priorities, fundraisers can focus their efforts on those most likely to give, ensuring that their time is spent effectively. Mary provides practical strategies for engaging with priority donors and highlights common mis... | 28m 51s | ||||||
| 1/7/26 | The Momentum Method: How to Run Major Gifts Like a System (Not a Mood) | If your major gifts work is running on vibes—if you only do outreach when you feel confident, or you avoid the ask until you feel “100% ready”—this episode is your intervention (said with love). In this conversation, Mary breaks down the Momentum Method, a simple system that helps you build steady progress in major gifts without relying on motivation, a perfect week, or a magical burst of confidence. You’ll learn the 4 core elements that create momentum—and a weekly rhythm to keep them moving... | 21m 48s | ||||||
| 12/19/25 | What to Say: 12 Gift Asks to Get a YES | I wrote a short, punchy field guide with word-for-word major gift ask scripts so you can make confident, collaborative solicitations (without the anxiety). In this video I share why I wrote it, what’s inside, and how to use it to book more meetings, tailor your ask to head/heart/gut donors, and handle objections like a pro. This one is for you executive directors, major gift officers, and directors of development! You’ll learn: -Why “asking” is a joyful, professional invitation—not “begging”... | 24m 09s | ||||||
| 11/3/25 | How Heather Closed $280,000 in 6 Weeks | In this episode of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, Mary Petersen interviews Heather Withrow, a member of the Major Gift Momentum program. Heather shares her transformative journey in fundraising, detailing her impressive successes, including securing a $245,000 gift. The conversation explores the mindset shifts and strategies that have empowered Heather to approach fundraising with confidence and clarity, emphasizing the importance of community support and permission-based fundraising. The episod... | 39m 46s | ||||||
| 10/27/25 | Mastering the Major Gift Ask: 5 Solicitation Scripts To Set You Up for Success | In this episode, Mary Petersen tackles one of the most-asked questions in fundraising: “What exact words do I use to close a major gift?” Mary breaks down the anatomy of an effective ask—clarity, confidence, and connection—and shares five solicitation styles with real-world language, when to use each, and why they work. You’ll learn how to time the ask using permission-based fundraising, avoid common pitfalls (like being vague or asking too soon), and tailor your approach to each donor’s styl... | 29m 41s | ||||||
| 10/18/25 | The 5 Habits and Mindsets of High-Performing Major Gift Officers | In this episode, Mary Petersen pulls back the curtain on the habits, mindsets, and metrics that consistently drive 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts. Whether you’re new to major gifts or ready to elevate your game, this episode breaks down what the best MGOs do differently — and how you can model their success starting today. You’ll learn: ✨ The five daily habits every top MGO swears by 📆 Why time-blocking and prioritizing the right donors changes everything 📊 The key metrics high perfo... | 16m 47s | ||||||
| 10/11/25 | What to Do When a Major Donor Gives Before You Ask | Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! In this episode of Hey Fundraiser!, Mary Petersen dives into a surprisingly common (and often confusing) fundraising moment — when a donor sends in an unsolicited major gift that’s much smaller than what you were preparing to ask for. Should you celebrate it, be worried, or assume your cultivation failed? Mary breaks down exactly what to do next, why it happens, and how to respond str... | 16m 24s | ||||||
| 10/4/25 | Stop Low-balling Your Donors: How to Confidently Ask for the Right Amount | Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! Today we’re tackling one of the most common (and costly) mistakes I see major gift officers make: lowballing the ask. If you’ve ever walked out of a donor meeting wondering if you should’ve asked for more—or felt afraid to offend a donor by going too big—this episode is your wake-up call. Because here’s the truth: donors aren’t offended by bold asks… they’re confused by vague ones. We... | 18m 59s | ||||||
| 9/26/25 | How to Break Through Donor Silence (Without Feeling Desperate) | Ready to pour rocket fuel on your major gift efforts? Major Gift Momentum is the solution. Check it out here! Welcome back, fundraiser! In this episode, we're tackling one of the most head-scratching (and heart-sinking) experiences in major gift fundraising: donor silence. Ever had a warm, engaged prospect suddenly vanish into the abyss of unread emails and unreturned voicemails? You're not alone—and you're definitely not doing anything wrong. In this episode, you'll learn: Why donors really ... | 15m 59s | ||||||
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