Small Table, Big Philanthropy: A Proven Framework for
Growing Major Gifts Through Intimate Donor Experiences

Nonprofit fundraisers spend countless hours planning galas, auctions, and large-scale events, often at the expense of what drives major gifts: meaningful donor relationships. Too many development professionals are stuck managing event logistics instead of having the conversations that lead to deeper engagement and larger gifts.

On September 17, Mary Petersen will join Women in Development of Greater Boston (WIDGB) to share her proven three-step framework for using small, intentional donor dinners to strengthen donor relationships and grow a major gifts program.

Drawing from her book, Small Table, Big Philanthropy: The Fundraiser's Playbook for Major Gifts, Mary will show fundraisers how to move beyond the "rubber chicken circuit" and create donor experiences that foster connection, build trust, and lead to more significant giving. Her approach is practical, scalable, and repeatable, helping donors develop a stronger connection to your mission and a greater commitment to your organization's work.

When donors leave feeling informed, valued, and invested, follow-up conversations become easier and giving becomes a natural next step in the relationship.

Whether you manage a portfolio of 50 donors or 250, the Small Table framework can be adapted to fit your goals and capacity. You'll leave this half-day intensive with a clear, step-by-step process for designing intimate donor gatherings that increase major gift opportunities, strengthen donor retention, and free up more time to focus on relationship-building.

Speaker:

Mary Petersen, Major Gift Strategist, Award-Winning Author, Speaker, and Coach 

 Thursday, September 17

Registration: $30 for WID members (through Monday, 9/14/26)
$45 for non-members (and members who register late, after Monday, 9/14/26)
No refunds within 7 days of the program. 

This program is at capacity. Registration has been closed.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 SPACE IS LIMITED

Mary Petersen
Mary Petersen is a nationally recognized major gift strategist, award-winning author, speaker, and coach who helps nonprofits of every size close transformational 5-, 6-, and 7-figure gifts. Over 25 years as a working major gift officer, she has helped organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars and launch record-breaking campaigns, including a 9-figure gift she closed in just seven months.

She is the author of the award-winning What to Say: 12 Major Gift Scripts to Get a YES and Small Table Big Philanthropy, host of the weekly Hey Fundraiser podcast, and founder of Major Gift Momentum. A member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council and a frequent speaker for AFP and AHP, she has taught at Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.