Peak Performance Fundraising

Complete Online Training for Development Professionals

If you want to:
Become among the best in your field.
Have direction and a clear path forward.
Know you are spending your time on the right things.
Get the most out of your relationships.
Feel invigorated, and not burnt out…

This is how

You have an important mission to accomplish with limited staff and resources.

You need every staff member to reach their full potential, and you need to give them the tools and the training to do that. 

As your fundraising staff finds success and fulfillment in their work, you’ll also retain them longer. This leads to more consistent and profitable relationships with your donors.

Getting the proper training, having a consistent system with measurable benchmarks, and empowering your staff will take your organization to new heights.

in person training

Custom Workshops Campus Visit Training Donor Meeting Training Development Assesment

major gifts elements

Messaging
donor acquisition mini-campaigns stewardship basics development 356

Virtual Training

Beautiful, engaging fundraising training that covers all aspects of Major Gifts. 

Coaching

1 on 1 coaching to take your organization, or you personally to the next level.

Our Specialties

We have a roadmap for wherever you need to go.

Major gifts startup

stewardship basics setup & checkup

Development 365

fundraising calendar

in-person workshops

1-on-1 coaching

development assessment

complete major gifts training

mindset & board training

From Clark

Make Your Own Opportunities

Hi, I’m Clark Vandeventer. I’m here to help move your organization forward so that you can accomplish your mission. To do that, you need to raise money. There’s a fallacy that I need to address, though, and that’s that the strength of your program will drive good fundraising. Good programs don’t equal good fundraising. Good fundraising equals good fundraising. I’m here to help your organization put together a major donor program and navigate the process of working with major donors. I can train your entire team and get everyone working from the same playbook. Together, we can ensure you have the funds necessary to accomplish your important mission.

Cultiva International

“Major Gifts Fundraiser’s programs transformed the way we thought about donors. Fundraising used to scare us, but now donors are like our best friends. In 2020 when most other organizations were way down due to COVID, our fundraising revenue doubled. That is thanks to the systems and messaging we developed going through their programs. Our organization would not exist today without Clark and Monica. Our relationship was transformative.”

-Greg Jensen, Executive Director

Program Details:

In addition to the mini-campaign, Cultiva implemented the entire Development 365.

Doubled their gift revenue in the first year 

Doubled their gift revenue during Covid

Increased their total monthly donors from 30 to 130 in 1 year.  

Creative Grounds Community Theatre

“They (Clark and Monica) are great people and their program helped get us set up and ready to go. They helped us set up our stewardship and run a kickoff campaign for that stewardship.

We still use all of the tools they prepared us with. The tools they use helped streamline our onboarding process and helped make our donors feel thanked personally. We saw an immediate return on the investment with the campaign, and continue to see folks giving regularly.

It was a great use of our funds. I would do it again and again if need be.”

-Mark Landis, Executive Director

Program Details:                                                                                                           

-Major Gifts Startup                –Campaign Goal: $15,000

-Stewardship Basics                –Raised: $19,500

Fairmont Christian Camp

“They (Clark and Monica) are great people and their program helped get us set up and ready to go. They helped us set up our stewardship and run a kickoff campaign for that stewardship.

We still use all of the tools they prepared us with. The tools they use helped streamline our onboarding process and helped make our donors feel thanked personally. We saw an immediate return on the investment with the campaign, and continue to see folks giving regularly.

It was a great use of our funds. I would do it again and again if need be.”

-Angela Spranger, Executive Director

Program Details:                                                                                                           

-Major Gifts Startup                –Campaign Goal: $40,000

-Stewardship Basics                –Raised: $42,500

Grace Christian University

Clark Vandeventer and his organization Major Gifts Fundraiser have been a great assistance to me personally and our Advancement Team. His personal coaching, and Master Class in which he encourages and teaches best principles for doing, and tracking donor development towards long-term results are so valuable. The ability to identify and keep score of the priorities of fundraising has been so helpful to us. I would recommend this program to any Advancement Department. 

Ken B. Kemper, PhD.
President of Grace Christian University

Program Details:

The entire development department took Peak Performance Fundraising

Major Gifts Fundraiser Podcast

Practical fundraising advice in bite-size pieces.

If you want to get to know us, our philosophy, style, and methods, the best way is by listening to the Major Gifts Fundraiser Podcast. We have a lot of episodes and tons of great free advice there. It is available on all major podcast platforms, or listen here.

From the Podcast #169: Do you know your people?

Do you know who your top people are? Your Top 2-3 prospects? Your Top 5? Your Top 10? This may be the masterskill of success in fundraising. And, you could get the names wrong and still be right! Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com Major Gifts Fundraiser on...

From the Podcast #168: Where are you essential?

Where are you essential as a fundraiser? As a human being? In this episode Clark talks about focusing on the most important things. Don't foget -- email Clark to reserve your spot in a group coaching cohort. Deadline is January 31. Email Clark at...

From the Podcast #167: Returning Tires at Nordstroms

Have you heard the legendary story of the guy who returned tires to Nordstrom? In this episode, Clark Vandeventer recounts the story of a recent experience he had with a local business, and how these employees were clearly not trained by Nordstroms. Examples of how...

From the Podcast #166: It’s Thanksgiving Month

Clark Vandeventer opens this episode by talking about a favorite mantra: things you measure get better, things you don't won't. Also, when we expect and require excellence of ourselves in one area, that bleeds over to other areas of our life. Then, Clark...

From the Podcast #165: Brian Tracy on Long-Term Relationships, Educational Selling, and Building Mega-Credibility

In this epsidode host Clark Vandeventer shares and expands on 3 ideas from Brian Tracy's book "Be a Sales Superstar." This is Part 2. Building Long-Term Relationships Using Educational Selling Building Mega-credibility Email Clark at...

From the Podcast #164: Brian Tracy, the Winning Edge, Brilliant at the Basics & AIDA

In this epsidode host Clark Vandeventer shares and expands on 3 ideas from Brian Tracy's book "Be a Sales Superstar." The Winning Edge Principle Being Brilliant at the Basics And the classic sales formula AIDA Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com Major...

From the Podcast #163: Thanksgiving Month, Giving Tuesday, Year-End

In this episode, Clark Vandeventer talks about the three big pieces to your year-end, and that starts with spending the month of November exuding gratitude. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com Major Gifts Fundraiser on Instagram:...

From the Podcast #162: Can you text your donors?

Can you text your donors? Is that appropriate? If you're asking that question, it may be an indication we have another issue to deal with. Host Clark Vandeventer talks about whether it's appropriate to text your donors. Email Clark at...

From the Podcast #161: 30 Tips for Connecting with others

Clark shares a list of 30 tips for connecting with others. This is great life advice for caring for others and creating a high touch environment. Email Clark at clark@majorgiftsfundraiser.com Major Gifts Fundraiser on Instagram:...

From the Podcast #160: Everything Matters & Conversation Sandwich

In this episode Clark talks about his recent experience helping an organization frame the experience key stakeholders would have at a 75th anniversary gala. True service comes from the heart. He also gave students he trained a fun visual image: A Conversation...

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Contact Us

Major Gifts Fundraiser

(805)453-1978

Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com

Monica@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com