In mid-March, just as the U.S. began to really react to the spread of COVID-19, I started a series of “Coronavirus Townhall” weekly meetings. These online sessions were open to the public — anyone was free to join.
These meetings became a place of hope, strategizing, and sharing. During our weekly sessions, participants…
- shared resources, ideas, and best practices for what’s working and what’s not working in our socially-distanced world;
- offered advice about what tools and databases work best, and what they love and don’t love about each;
- suggested which companies are best for wealth screening, including pricing and hidden benefits;
- provided encouragement and inspiration – those that successfully solicited gifts readily helped others;
- exchanged contact information to begin building a more intimate support network outside of our weekly sessions.
As our new socially-distanced reality settled in, it became clear that we’re in this for the long haul. Unfortunately, the weekly townhall sessions I’d been running simply weren’t enough to handle the long-term struggles that so many nonprofits are facing. People need much more tactical support.
So I’ve chosen to retire these weekly meetings in favor of a program that can expand this growing community while offering more granular, strategic fundraising support (see the next section for details).
Note — you may still access replays of many of the Coronavirus Townhall sessions that ran through the end of July, 2020:
Watch Previous Coronavirus Townhalls here »
A New Online Community for Fundraisers
The weekly Coronavirus Townhall calls gave me a whole new appreciation for the power of community — especially during times of crisis. That’s why I completely reworked the material from my 7-week online course, Mastering Major Gifts, into an all-new online community — Mastering Major Gifts 2.0.
- Learn to how to build donor relationships from a safe, virtual distance
- Discover new ways of asking for gifts while being sensitive to current events
- Identify the right major donors to ask, and connect with them in meaningful ways
- Build the confidence and skills to ask for major gifts virtually and in-person
- Join regular townhall sessions to receive tactical support and encouragement
- Participate in Facebook and LinkedIn communities to trade tips and inspiration
- Earn 5 CFRE credits for every month you continue with the program
- Monthly ‘pay-as-you-go’ pricing that won’t break the bank
MMG 2.0 is all about giving you the community and leadership you need to make it through this challenging time, strengthening your nonprofit and preparing it for whatever lies ahead. Click below to learn more:
Learn about Mastering Major Gifts 2.0 »
FREE Toolkit Talk Townhall Sessions
In addition to the paid community offered through Mastering Major Gifts, I’m continuing to conduct free weekly townhall sessions with my partner, Andrea Kihlstedt, at the Capital Campaign Toolkit. Our weekly Toolkit Talks are very similar to the original Coronavirus Townhalls, and we headline some amazing guests (like Seth Godin).
Sign up for Toolkit Talks here »
We hope to see you there!