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 192-Fundraising Lessons from Frozen II

Is Asking for a Gift the Next Right Thing? Summary:Are you about to ask someone for a gift? Maybe the meeting is already on the calendar… but before you make the ask, Clark wants you to pause and reflect. In this episode, Clark shares a powerful mindset shift that can...

From the Podcast Episode 191: The Golden Package Title: Every Package Is the Golden Package: Building a Culture of Donor Care

Summary:What if every donor interaction was treated like a golden opportunity? In this episode, Clark builds on the themes from Episode 187 ("Surprise and Delight") to dig deeper into what it really takes to create a culture of excellence in donor stewardship. Drawing...

From the Podcast Episode 190: 4 Ways to Grow Your Gratitude Muscle

Summary:In this episode, Clark dives into the most underrated (yet powerful) skill a fundraiser can cultivate: gratitude. Far beyond gift acknowledgments and thank-you letters, Clark explores how authentic gratitude—when it’s woven into your worldview—can transform...

From the Podcast Episode 189- Christmas in August?

Summary:In this special episode, Clark is joined by Monica Vandeventer—CEO of Major Gifts Fundraiser and the brain behind the ClarkBot. Together, they unpack how fundraisers can simplify, streamline, and elevate their year-end appeal process using the ClarkBot and a...

You can’t wow donors if you skip the basics

Donor stewardship isn’t about flashy gestures—it starts with doing the basics well. Timely acknowledgments, clear communication, and heartfelt appreciation lay the foundation for strong donor relationships. Only after meeting these essentials can you truly surprise and delight your supporters, creating a lasting impact that goes beyond one-time events.

From the Podcast Episode 188-How long can you do this?

Summary:Are you walking, resting, or sprinting right now? In this episode, Clark Vandeventer shares a powerful metaphor drawn from his time trail running in Tahoe to help you evaluate the pace of your fundraising work. He explores what it means to find a rhythm you...

Are You Speaking Your Donor’s Language? How to Identify Listening Preferences and Tailor Your Message

You don’t need one donor pitch — you need four. Here’s how to adapt your story based on your donor’s listening preference… and how the Clarkbot can help.

From the Podcast Episode 187-Surprise and Delight: How to Build Donor Loyalty with the “Little Wows”

Summary:In this episode, Clark Vandeventer reflects on his annual “Tahoe Time” and uses the example of his Airbnb hosting experience to deliver a timely message for fundraisers: do the basics well—and then, surprise and delight. Clark draws on a quote from the Disney...

When Friends and Family Tagalong on Donor Meetings

When donors bring guests to visits, it can disrupt your plans for a focused conversation. But these shared experiences help build long-term relationships and turn supporters into champions.

From the Podcast Episode 186-Understanding Donor Listener Types

Summary In this episode of the Major Gifts Fundraiser Podcast, Monica and Clark delve into the significance of understanding oneself and others in the context of fundraising. They discuss various personality profiles, the importance of listening, and how to adapt...

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Contact Us

Major Gifts Fundraiser

(805)453-1978

Clark@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com

Monica@MajorGiftsFundraiser.com