Relaunch Your Major Gift Program

— Or Build One That Actually Works. Live. In 4 Hours. With Mary Petersen.

The Small Table Intensive is the live working session where you plan your first intimate donor dinner, build your $1,000 match circle, and map your complete 90-day relaunch — using the proven three-step system from Mary's new book Small Table Big Philanthropy.

Five couples gave 90% of the money at your last gala. The other 295 came for the wine. You spent six months planning an event that produced results you could have gotten from one dinner. You're exhausted, you're scattered, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you know there has to be a better way. There is.

The CEO, the new hospital and the $1.2 million lunch

He had a parish list, a conference room, and six couples who believed in the mission. No PowerPoint. No gala committee. No venue deposit. He called them personally, gathered them around one table, and let the conversation do the work. By the time the plates were cleared, $1.2 million was committed. What he had wasn't a bigger donor list — it was the right system, the right people, and the confidence to ask. That's the whole model.

Emma's farmhouse

Emma didn't have a ballroom. She had a dining room, a sunny afternoon, and a few extra chairs borrowed from the neighbors. The table wasn't fancy. The ask was. She hosted one small dinner, followed up with intention, and raised $325,000 from people who left feeling like they'd been invited into something real — because they had. You don't need a venue. You need a seat at the right table.

Sara from Kentucky

Sara had just stepped into her first Executive Director role. No major gift experience. No existing donor relationships built on years of cultivation. She went through the three-step system, hosted her first intimate dinner, and raised $900,000. Not eventually. Her first time. If you've been waiting until you feel ready, Sara's story is your permission slip.

What You'll Leave With

Your first (or next) intimate dinner fully planned — host identified, guest list curated, conversation designed, follow-up mapped

Your $1,000 match circle strategy — who to recruit, how to frame it, how to steward donors so they stay and climb

Your complete 90-day action plan — specific moves, specific dates, ready to execute Monday morning

The exact language for every conversation — the dinner invitation, the soft close, the upgrade ask, and the follow-up call

About Mary

Mary Petersen spent 25 years as a working major gift officer before she started teaching. She's raised millions from living rooms, boardroom lunches, and farmhouse tables — using the same three-step system she's teaching in this Intensive. She is the author of What to Say and Small Table Big Philanthropy, and the founder of Major Gift Momentum. This is someone who did the work — not someone who studied it.

Module Breakdown

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this for a new program or an existing one?

Both. Whether you're launching from scratch or relaunching something stalled, the three-step system works.

Will this work for a small organization?

Sara from Kentucky had no network and no experience. Her first dinner raised $900,000.

Is this live or recorded?

Live only. No replay. This is a working session, not a course.

Can my organization pay for it?

Yes. An invoice can be provided. Contact [email protected].

How is this different from Major Gift Momentum?

The Intensive is a one-time working session. MGM is ongoing monthly coaching. Many Intensive graduates join MGM to keep the momentum going.