Major Gift Essentials

Unlock the art and science of cultivating major gifts.

  • Expert Learners

    Enrolled

  • Short

    Videos

  • 90 minutes

  • 4 Ebooks

    Free for download

    What's included?

    • Getting Started
    • Donor Segmentation
    • Cultivation
    • Solicitation & Making the "Ask"
    • The Discipline of Stewardship.

    A Professional Approach to Major Gifts

    This course is your practical, confidence-building guide to securing transformational gifts for your organization. Whether you’re new to major gifts or looking to sharpen your approach, you’ll learn how to cultivate relationships, prepare for high-stakes conversations, and make the ask with clarity and purpose.

    Focus on the long game, where you can make a difference.

    You’ll dive into proven strategies for:
     • Identifying and engaging high-potential donors
     • Designing personalized cultivation plans
     • Conquering fear and doubt when it’s time to make the ask
     • Handling objections with preparation, not panic
     • Stewarding gifts with meaningful follow-up, recognition, and impact storytelling

    Our motto is

    #Prepare | #Engage | #Ask | #Steward

    Each module includes scripts, tools, and worksheets to help you build your confidence and your donor pipeline.
    By the end, you won’t just be ready to ask—you’ll be ready to inspire.

     Learn to use all the related tools, walk into a major gifts meeting and be a rockstar from day one.

    Brad Smith M.Ed.

    Brad Smith is the founder of Rootstock Philanthropy, a fundraising and strategic advisory firm, delivering practical, world-class strategic advice to nonprofit clients worldwide. Current and former Rootstock clients include MIT, Suffolk University, the Portland (ME) Museum of Art, World Horse Welfare (UK), the Eagle Hill School (CT), the Partnership on AI, The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, South Carolina State University, The Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Charleston Day School, and Carroll School (MA).

    Brad’s early career in fundraising included stints as a Major Gift Officer at Colby College and Tulane Law School. In 2005, Brad joined MIT’s Office of Leadership Giving and over the next 11 years worked in progressively more responsible roles, securing over $100M in individual donations. Brad also led the development of MIT’s first Talent Management Program for frontline fundraisers and was promoted to the position of Director of Strategic Initiatives for MIT.nano, at the time the largest basic research project in MIT history. While leading MIT.nano, Brad initiated efforts leading to several signature programs, including the $240M MIT-IBM Intelligence Initiative and the $10M/year Mathworks Fellows Program.
    In late 2016, Brad joined the American Technion Society (ATS) as Associate Vice President for Development. While at ATS, Brad lead collaborative fundraising efforts between The Technion and Cornell Tech, earning a promotion to Executive Director of Development. While there, Brad led a team of 20 major gift officers, coordinated joint fundraising programs with Cornell University, and helped the Technion achieve record fundraising results in FY’18 and FY’19.
    While not managing Rootstock, Brad manages the Philanthropy Network on LinkedIn, a 115,000-member group that he founded and dedicated to advancing modern fundraising practice. Brad lives just outside of Portland, Maine (US) with his wife Peg, daughters Elle (14) and Evie (14) and his Labradoodle, Jasper.

    #WeAreTeam
    “As a veteran fundraiser, I believe strongly in sharing my experiences. If I can help make this profession even 1% better, count me in!”

    Brad Smith, M.Ed.

    Founder, Rootstock Philanthropy
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