MAJOR DONOR FUNDRAISING
Major Gifts Mastery Programme
‘I found this course incredibly helpful… my favourite example is a major gift of £75,000 which I secured using things I learned in the Programme.’
Andrew McKinnon, Development Officer, Imperial College London.
Paul Davies used the Programme to QUADRUPLE the number of conversations he achieved with supporters each month, and to achieve the largest major gift his music charity Manchester Camerata, had ever received.
Marianne Richardson used the ideas and support to achieve a SEVEN figure donation by the end of the Programme (within six months) for Addenbrookes Charitable Trust.
And when Bright Spot founder, Rob Woods, taught these techniques to high-value fundraising groups at the NSPCC, they achieved an uplift in major gifts income of 29%, for which he won a National Training Award.
The Major Gifts Mastery Programme is for anyone whose job is to raise major gifts or trusts income for their charity, at a time when the major donor income is more important to charities than ever before.
Would you like to:
Achieve at least DOUBLE the number of conversations and informal meetings you have with donors / potential donors?
Improve your results from those meetings?
Ask for gifts much more confidently?
Improve your results from written proposals?
Help your colleagues understand the high-value fundraising mindset and strategies?
Sound familiar?
Consistent success in major donor fundraising is difficult for many reasons. Here are some of the things we’ve noticed that make the job especially hard:
You don’t receive enough support from your board and senior management - for example, they rarely come up with names to invite to events.
In these uncertain times, you’re finding it harder than ever to have conversations with wealthy potential donors
When you do meet donors, the chats are pleasant but usually don’t lead to support.
There are so many demands on your time that it’s really difficult to focus energy on the things that will make the biggest difference.
Though well-meaning, your colleagues just don’t understand or value the principles of major gift fundraising.
All of the above make it hard to meet your own high expectations, let alone your demanding targets. And in turn, these pressures make it harder to enjoy your job.
One big thing it helped me with is being more confident with donors. And one example was a few weeks after the first masterclass with Rob, I had a meeting with a supporter, and what I’d learned really helped and the meeting went really well, and it resulted in a donation of £25,000. I was so so pleased.’’
Grace Cannings, Major Gifts Fundraising Officer, Cure Parkinsons
Registration now open!
Our next Major Gifts Mastery will start in October 2026 in London.
A six-month programme designed to build the expertise, confidence and fundraising momentum of anyone who raises money through major gifts or trusts.
It includes:
FOUR in-person full day masterclasses with award-winning trainer Rob Woods
THREE one-hour phone sessions with our Major Gifts Coach to help you solve your unique fundraising challenges.
SIX months’ access to the Bright Spot Members Club with optional virtual workshops and dozens of training bundles, including ‘Build Your Pipeline’, ‘Managing Your Major Donor Portfolio’, ‘Mid Value Donor Strategies’ and many more.
The Major Donor Fundraisers’ Playlist – 12 half hour tracks, specially curated from the Fundraising Bright Spots podcast
Copy of The Fundraiser Who Wanted More by Rob Woods.
To see our programme packages and pricing options, scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Early Booking Bonuses!
For the first 12 people who register, you get these extras to help you get started early.
- Bonus (one hour) virtual session with Rob in September. (Value £250)
- EXTRA 6 weeks, early access to Bright Spot Membership (Includes the full training library and optional live weekly sessions with Rob) (Value £63)
- Early Momentum Bonus Pack – links to inspiring resources to help you get started.
Interested but still have questions?
Please leave your details below and a we will be in touch.
‘Major Gifts Mastery helped me double the number of meetings I secure with major donors! And one of the most memorable things was going in to meet a very wealthy donor and coming away with a pledge for £25,000!’
Liz Johnson, The Children’s Trust
What kind of results can you expect?
Increased skill and confidence to influence trustees and colleagues.
Far more conversations with potential and existing donors (most people at least DOUBLE the number of conversations they secure).
Better results from those meetings with donors and potential donors.
Far greater confidence and sense of momentum.
Improved results from your written proposals.
Some of the specific strategies you will learn:
How to persuade more wealthy people to schedule conversations with you.
The Bright Spot Magic Formula for helping donors feel inspired to want to give.
The psychology of bold, confident fundraising – what it is and how to increase it.
How to apply the psychology of persuasion, including Professor Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Influence, to major donor and trust fundraising.
How to avoid the three most common pitfalls when asking for a gift.
The one powerful tactic that helps you focus on the most lucrative activities.
Greater confidence, skill and results using the telephone.
The Bright Spot system for getting dramatically better results from major donor events.
Powerful strategies to help you take more action and build fundraising momentum, even during economic and political uncertainty.
“One example of how helpful Major Gifts Mastery has been is a meeting I had with a donor recently, where I used the techniques, and the donor has given us £500,000.”
Melanie Bushell, Development Director, Portsmouth Grammar School
Want to talk it through?
Leave your details and we’ll be in touch.
The Bright Spot Guarantee
Investing in a Bright Spot Mastery Programme is completely risk-free. After running these programmes for ten years and helping hundreds of fundraisers, we’re so confident that you will find it invaluable that, if after Day One you’re not delighted, we’ll give you a full refund…
AND Bright Spot founder Rob Woods will donate £500 to your charity.
Early Booking Bonuses!
For the first 12 people who register, you get these extras to help you get started early.
- Bonus (one hour) virtual session with Rob in September. (Value £250)
- EXTRA 6 weeks, early access to Bright Spot Membership (Includes the full training library and optional live weekly sessions with Rob) (Value £63)
- Early Momentum Bonus Pack – links to inspiring resources to help you get started.
Choose your Major Gifts Mastery Package
Major Gifts Mastery
6 Month Programme, including:
FOUR in-person full day masterclasses with Rob Woods.
THREE one-hour phone sessions with a Major Gifts Results Coach to help you solve your unique fundraising challenges.
SIX months’ access to the Bright Spot Members Club – including full training library and bonus live sessions available every week.
Copy of The Fundraiser Who Wanted More by Rob Woods.
Investment: £2,395 + vat*
Early Bird Discount: £1,995 + vat*
Major Gifts Mastery Platinum
12 Month Programme, including:
Everything included in the Major Gifts Mastery
THREE extra coaching sessions with a Bright Spot Major Gifts Coach (six across the year)
THREE Mastermind Groups (virtual) across the year
12 months access to Bright Spot Members Club.
Investment: £3,295 + vat*
Early Bird Discount: £2,895 + vat*
* Payment plans are available
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