Center For NonProfit Success

Major gifts fundraising

According to recent trends, individuals make up 85 percent of the donor base for nonprofits in the United States. It is perhaps not surprising to learn that the easiest way to secure those gifts is to ask for them. However, asking for money is an art. It takes training and practice to build up the skills and the self-confidence. This seminar will explore the art and the science of face-to-face solicitation. You'll learn what not to say and do during a solicitation. You'll also learn the important questions to ask and as an added feature, you'll have an opportunity to do some role-playing for fun to learn what works and what doesn't.

Topics we will cover include:

The essentials of developing a major gifts program
How to use the resources of your organization to identify, cultivate, and solicit your best prospects
Techniques of major gift cultivation and solicitation
Preparing your team to make the most effective ask

After the seminar, you'll walk out with a plan for developing a major gifts program along with real solicitation strategies to connect with your prospects and increase your chances of success. This session is designed for intermediate to advanced fundraisers.

Speakers for this session:

Marc Breslaw

Vice President, Development

Jewish Social Service Agency

Marc Breslaw has 30 years of experience in marketing and fundraising in the United States and overseas. In his career, he has been in charge of campaigns that have raised more than $450 million in major gifts, grants, endowments and broad-based community support. He is currently the vice president of JSSA, the Jewish Social Service Agency, a 115-year-old non-sectarian agency that offers diagnosis, counseling, emergency aid, newcomer resettlement and other services for children, adults, families and seniors throughout the greater Washington D.C. area. He was chief operating officer for the New Israel Fund, an international human rights and advocacy organization that funds and assists NGOs in Israel that deal with civil and human rights. Prior to that, he was associate director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington and director of development at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Joseph Krakora

Executive Officer, Development and External Affairs

National Gallery of Art

Since 1985, Mr. Krakora has served as Executive Officer for Development and External Affairs at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, overseeing development, strategic planning, and press and public information internationally. Prior to this position, he served as Special Adviser to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, with an emphasis on helping to encourage private sector support for the arts and the humanities, nationally. Previous development positions include: General Director of the Chicago City Ballet; Executive Vice President of New Programs and Media Production at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center; Director of Dance Programs for the National Endowment of the Arts; Executive Vice President of the City Center Joffrey Ballet; and Associate Director of Development at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. All of these positions focused primarily on the development of fundraising strategies and the implementation of major giving.

Location/Directions

The Summit will be taking place at Catholic University which is 3 miles north of downtown DC, and close to all forms of public transportation. The full address is:
Catholic University of America (CUA)
Edward J. Pryzbyla Center, Room 322
620 Michigan Ave NE
Washington, DC 20064

Public Transportation
CUA is located on the Metro Red Line at the Brookland/CUA stop. Exit left out of the turnstile and the CUA campus is at the top of the Metro escalator. You will cross John McCormack Rd. Continue up the sidewalk between Gowan and Pangborn Halls. Turn south at the Crough Center. The Pryzbyla Center is directly behind the Crough Center.

Directions by car

From the West, I-66:
I-66 from Virginia empties onto Constitution Avenue. Continue east on Constitution Avenue and turn left on 6th Street, NW. Turn right on E Street, NW. Turn left on North Capitol Street. Drive approximately 2 miles and turn right on Michigan Avenue, NE. You will soon see the dome of the Shrine on your left marking a university entrance at 4th Street, NE.

From the South, I-95:
When I-95 intersects the Capital Beltway in Springfield, Virginia, follow I-395 North. After crossing the Potomac River, take the "Route 1 North" exit. The road becomes 14th Street, NW. Turn right on Constitution Avenue. Turn left on 6th Street, NW. Turn right on E Street, NW. Turn left on North Capitol Street. Drive approximately 2 miles and turn right on Michigan Avenue, NE. You will soon see the dome of the Shrine on your left marking a university entrance at 4th Street, NE.

From the East, Route 50:
Take Route 50 West (becomes New York Avenue) and exit on South Dakota Avenue. After approximately 1.3 miles, turn left onto Monroe Street. Follow Monroe Street until it merges with Michigan Avenue. You will see the dome of the Shrine on your right marking a university entrance at 4th Street, NE.

From the Northwest, I-70 to I-270:
From Frederick, Maryland, take Exit 53, I-270 South to Washington. I-270 divides. Take the 495 East, Silver Spring/College Park exit (two left lanes). You will eventually feed onto the beltway, I-495. Continue on I-495 and take Exit 22 B, the Baltimore/Washington Parkway. Continue traveling south on the Parkway and exit at Route 50 West. Take the South Dakota Avenue exit. After approximately 1.3 miles, turn left onto Monroe Street. At Michigan Avenue, Monroe Street ends. Bear left and you will see the dome of the Shrine on your right marking a university entrance at 4th Street, NE.

From the North, I-95 to I-495:
Follow I-95/I-495 South to Exit 22B, the Baltimore/Washington Parkway. Continue traveling south on the Parkway and exit at Route 50 West. Take the South Dakota Avenue exit. After approximately 1.3 miles, turn left onto Monroe Street. Monroe Street ends at Michigan Avenue, NE. Bear left and you will see the dome of the Shrine on your right marking a university entrance at 4th Street, NE.

Parking at Catholic University
Parking for the Pryzbyla Center is available in the nearby McMahon Parking lot. Passes for this parking lot can be purchased in the Pryzbyla Center at $7/day/vehicle.

Register Now

Click on any seminar title or the arrow on the right side to learn more about that seminar

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Wednesday, May 14, 2008