The Petrus Development Show

Andrew and Rhen are back with a fun episode this week where they discuss and debunk all kinds of fundraising myths.  Rhen comes armed with nearly 20 fundraising myths that have been misleading nonprofits for years, and Andrew doesn't hold back in unpacks each one with hard truths and real-world wisdom. A very small sample of the fundraising myths discussed includes:Skip hiring a fundraiser - people will automatically give to organizations doing good work. (Spoiler:  they won't!)Donors hate being contacted by fundraisers.  (Often, the opposite is true!)Organizations need to host big events to make big money. (Small moves, big impact!)A single big donor can fund everything!  (Recipe for disaster.)Introverts cannot be successful fundraisers. (Some of the best are quiet powerhouses.) Do you think Andrew got it wrong on any of these?  We want to hear your take!  Drop us a line at podcast@petrusdevelopment.com and join the debate.  

What if you could have an intern who works 24/7, never complains about tedious tasks, and costs almost nothing? While finding human help for repetitive fundraising tasks can be challenging and expensive, AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing how nonprofit development offices operate.Join Andrew and Rhen as they explore the practical ways artificial intelligence can become your most valuable (and affordable) team member. They'll share specific strategies for leveraging AI in fundraising while highlighting the crucial boundaries every development professional needs to understand.

Andrew begins this episode by emphasizing that fundraisers should expect failures as normal parts of the job.  There's no way to avoid potential donors who respond unfavorably, and to effectively handle this inevitable rejection, fundraisers have to remember that rejection isn't personal.  Donors have countless reasons for declining that rarely relate to the fundraiser themselves.After sharing their list of daunting statistics for fundraisers, Andrew and Rhen follow up by discussing coping strategies for perceived failure.  Long story short:  a resilient mindset and supportive community help fundraisers persist through challenges, knowing that facing and overcoming failure is fundamental to eventual fundraising success.

Yes, you read that correctly!  In this week's episode of the Petrus Development Show, Rhen quizzes Andrew on which fundraising concepts he would choose to kill, date, and marry.  Listen as Andrew shares his thoughts on which fundraising ideas that should be nixed, which should be further explored, and which ideas merit long-term commitment.

Ever faced a frustrated donor? If you've been fundraising for any length of time, chances are you've been on the receiving end of donor displeasure. Donor frustration comes in many forms - from upset letters and negative social media comments to exasperated responses when you reach out. Andrew and Rhen tackle these awkward situations with practical advice for becoming a supportive listener. Their key insight: when donors express frustration, it often stems from genuine care about your organization and a desire to see improvement. As a fundraiser, learning to separate a donor's anger from their feelings about you personally is essential for navigating these challenging interactions successfully.

As spring blooms, so does the opportunity for growing monthly giving. May sees a surge in new sign-ups, and in this episode, Andrew and Rhen share creative strategies to engage and inspire new monthly donors.For more on the nuts and bolts of monthly giving programs, check out our Petrus Academy course "Raising Money with a Giving Day". 

It's a recurring question the life of a fundraiser:  "How much money should I request from a donor when I meet with them?"  If that's a question that continues to baffle you, we have good news!  Andrew and Rhen return with an episode on tools you can use to determine the appropriate dollar amounts for donor asks. In this epsiode, Andrew shares his experiences with determining donor ask amounts.  He highlights tools he uses to help him come up with his ask range, and he discusses the clues you can look for in your initial interactions to help you determine ask amounts down the road.  Most importantly, however, Andrew emphasizes the need for boldness when you make your asks.  The consequences of being bold are often much less than the lost opportunity that comes with caution.   

Andrew and Rhen return to the podcast to discuss how organizations improve their chances of success when hiring development staff.  As Andrew sums it up, he'll always choose to hire for passion and train for skill.  Andrew also shares several soft skills that he seeks in potential development staff, and he closes by reminding organizations that once they find good development directors, they should be prepared to invest in them for the long-term.In this episode, Andrew answers the following questions:What characteristics should you look for when hiring a new fundraiser?If a new fundraiser fails, what likely caused the failure?Can introverts be successful fundraisers?What salary should you expect to pay a new development director?If you'd like to access the free sample incentive plan that Rhen mentions in the episode, you can find it HERE.  We hope you'll find it useful!

The phrase "stacking the deck" often has a negative connotation, leading people to think you're doing something unfair or manipulative.  Good news!  As we share in today's podcast episode, we think that "stacking the deck" in fundraising terms can be a wise and helpful strategy in many situations. As Andrew and Rhen explain, when they talk about "stacking the deck", they're really talking about strategic preparation before giving days, matching gift and capital campaigns.  This intentional preparation allows you to often have a handful of known donors committed BEFORE the event even begins.  In laying this groundwork and announcing success early, you encourage new and returning donors to give because they see your momentum and want to join in.  Simply put, the odds are already in your favor before your campaign officially starts! Note:  If you're planning a giving day in the near future, click HERE and check out our self-paced online course titled "Raising Money with a Giving Day".  Petrus would love to help boost your giving day results!

We are thrilled to invite you to our 2025 RAISE Regional Workshops.  As Andrew and Rhen share in the episode, Petrus is changing things up in 2025.  Instead of hosting a large multi-day annual conference in 2025, we're changing our education strategy and offering 3 single-day fundraising workshops in different regions of the country.  In making this shift, our annual RAISE event becomes more accessible for more fundraisers.  We would love for you to join us in New Orleans, Notre Dame, or Denver in 2025!

We return with an episode that explores how fundraisers should handle advice from donors, particularly when it comes with strings attached to financial contributions. In this episode, Andrew and Rhen chat about various ways to handle donors who, in addition to offering funds, also want to offer advice about how your organization should run its programs.  Andrew wisely distinguishes between valuable expertise-based advice (such as from building experts on construction projects) versus well-meaning, but potentially misaligned, suggestions based on personal preferences or outdated experiences.  When it comes down to it, Andrew emphasizes the importance of staying true to organizational mission even if it means declining donations with restrictive conditions.  

Happy New Year!  We're back with our first Petrus Development Show episode of 2025, and we return with a discussion about fundraising attire.  Yep, you read that correctly.  We're talking about clothing.  In this episode, Andrew and Tara share details about how a fundraiser should dress for donor meetings and events.  We find this topic especially important because, as a fundraiser, your clothing should never be a distraction (for you or the donor!) in meetings.   Join Rhen as he questions Andrew and Tara about all the clothing basics - from shoes to accessories and everything in between.  What you wear to donor meetings matters.  Not only do you want to feel comfortable and confident in front of donors, but you also want to appear professional, approachable, and authentic.  

In response to repeated inquiries about foundation funding, Petrus offers this special deep dive into how to maximize grantwriting success.  Join Andrew and Rhen as they explore strategic approaches for nonprofits seeking grants. In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer these questions AND MORE:Where can you find foundations that might support your organization?  Are there specific places to look for appropriate grant opportunities?What does it take to put together a successful grant proposal? What kind of projects do foundations like to fund?How can you improve your chances of getting a grant?How should you respond after you receive notification about your request? Andrew and Rhen cover all of these basics, and they offer important insights into how to improve your chances of getting the grants you want.  But, in the end, it all comes down to this:  Treat foundations as major gifts prospects, and do the necessary research and relationship building work.  

We're glad you're back for our second Petrus Development Show episode highlighting etiquette tips for fundraisers.  As with our previous episode on good dining behavior, Andrew and Rhen offer specific rules for formal table manners.  Again, we know this is a unique topic for one of our shows, but as we all know, fundraising is about relationships.  If your dinner etiquette is rude or unappealing, it absolutely affects your ability to raise funds and grow donor relationships.  If the summary for part 1 of our etiquette series was "do no harm", this second episode can be summed up with a short "follow their lead".  Watch your host and model your behavior after theirs.  In doing so, you are less likely to embarrass or offend!

We're shaking things up this week and going in a unexpected direction - we're talking about table manners and more!  In this episode,  Andrew and Rhen, as the leaders of our Petrus finishing school, discuss all things etiquette.  While, at first glance, this topic might seem superficial and tedious, Rhen and Andrew cover essential guidelines for fundraising professionals who interact with donors at formal events and meals. From best practices at cocktail receptions to proper dining etiquette during formal dinners, Andrew breaks down how to navigate these social situations professionally and gracefully. His advice focuses on two key approaches: strictly following traditional etiquette rules, or at minimum, following the principle of "do no harm".  The primary goal of any donor interaction is to avoid any social missteps that could impact future donor relationships.

From the fundamental importance of a clear case for support to the often-overlooked power of donor stewardship, Andrew and Rhen unpack what really matters in building a sustainable fundraising program. Learn why winging it without proper planning holds organizations back.  And, hear why personal donor outreach can't be skipped (even though it's scary!). Plus, get a bonus tip about why you don't have to go it alone in fundraising. Whether you're new to fundraising or looking to strengthen your foundation, this episode provides practical insights to help you move forward successfully.   At the end of the episode, Rhen mentions several resources that Petrus has to assist with overcoming the roadblocks discussed in the episode.Find Petrus Development on LinkedIn (click HERE!) and start gathering wisdom from experienced fundraisers.Consider signing up for Petrus's Basic Online Advancement Training (nicknamed BOAT) is a 10-week, online course that offers a blueprint for building a self-sustaining fundraising program for your organization.   Do you need to create (or update) your organization's case for support?  If so, check out our Petrus resource, "Case Components Worksheet", to help you get started.  Click HERE to receive the free download.   

As Andrew shares early in this episode, 30 percent of nonprofit giving is done in December.  For this reason, your end-of-year appeal letter could be a major winner for your organization.  Listen as Andrew and Rhen discuss ways to make your end-of-year appeal planning as fruitful as possible.  If you take nothing else from this episode, remember this:  a clear and direct ask is the most important part of the appeal letter.   In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:Why are end-of-year appeals so important?Are direct mail appeals worth the effort and expense?  Can I stick to email for a year-end appeal?Who should receive our year-end appeal?  When should end-of-year appeals be sent?What should be in the appeal letter itself?   Can you share some strategies for making our appeal letter more successful?Do you need help getting started with your end-of-year appeal letter?  If so, click HERE for our editable Canva templates that you can customize to meet your organization's needs! 

In this episode, Andrew and Rhen return with a short discussion on the pros and cons of giving days.  (Let it be known, however, that we at Petrus think the pros definitely outweigh the cons!) This episode is great for anyone who is curious about giving days and their potential for fundraising success.In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:What is a giving day?  Why should fundraisers consider focusing efforts on a giving day?What are some examples of large national and regional giving days?What are the pros and cons of joining a national giving day?  What are the pros and cons of hosting your own stand alone giving day?What goes into a successful giving day?When done well, giving days provide nonprofits with focused opportunities to connect with donors.  That said, giving days require thorough preparation in order to produce results.  Would it help for you to have additional step-by-step instructions on how to host a fruitful giving day?  If so, check out our Petrus course called, "Raising Money with a Giving Day!"  Click HERE for course details and registration options.

This week's episode of the Petrus Development Show is a unique one.  Join Rhen as he interviews Andrew Robison, owner and president of Petrus, about the history of Petrus and Andrew's role in making Petrus what it is today.  If you've ever wondered how Petrus got its start and became what it is today, this is the episode for you!  Andrew shares his journey with Petrus, detailing his progression from part-time consultant to full-time staff member, from president to owner.  He offers a unique perspective into Petrus's development over the past decade.  In addition to outlining the history of the organization, Andrew highlights the joys and the challenges that come with owning and building a successful business.  He shares pieces of his vision for Petrus's future, and he offers testimony to how remaining grounded in prayer, scripture, and life outside of business has kept him sane and moving Petrus forward boldly and faithfully.  

Petrus consultant Matt Bond joins Rhen on this episode of the Petrus Development show to discuss all things donor visits.  This is another nuts and bolts interview geared especially for new fundraisers.  Listen now as Matt and Rhen walk you step-by-step through scheduling and hosting successful donor visits. In this episode, Matt and Rhen answer the following questions:I've been told I need to go meet donors.  How do I figure out who to meet?Now, I have a list of people to meet.  How do I get that meeting?  What should I say to successfully request a meeting?  We've scheduled a meeting.  Where should we meet?  How do I dress?  Who pays for the coffee/the food?  What should I order?  How do I find my prospective donor in public? We're sitting down to meet.  What does a meeting structure look like?  What questions should I ask?  How do I close our meeting?  The meeting's over.  What do I do next?   If you enjoyed the tips in this episode, consider some of the other services Petrus offers.  As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus offers its BOAT (Basic Online Advancement Training) course as a way to learn fundraising skills while building a network of peers to support you in your work.  For more information on our fall BOAT cohort, click here.  (And, if you haven't already, be sure to listen to this podcast episode for that $200 discount code!)   

In this episode, Rhen and Andrew share stories from their early days as fundraisers, and they reassure new development officers that the world of nonprofit fundraising is, indeed, navigable.  This discussion is both a dose of encouragement AND a list of expectations and best practices.  If you're new to fundraising and need a specific path forward, this episode is for you!  In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:Popular opinion is that fundraising is just begging for money. We know that's not true, but what is the alternative?  What is fundraising?As a new fundraiser, what can you expect for your new position?  What are your responsibilities? Conversely, what are your director's responsibilities and what should you and the director expect from one another? What will your board or other leadership council expect from you?  What do donors expect from you?  What if you're fundraising part-time while you do another job for the organization?  How do you split your time? What can you expect as results in your first year of fundraising?  And, in the subsequent few years?Fundraising can be frustrating, especially as you're doing all the work and not seeing the desired results.  How do you handle feelings of self-doubt?  As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus offers its BOAT (Basic Online Advancement Training) course as a way to learn fundraising skills while building a network of peers to support you in your work.  For more information on our fall BOAT cohort, click here  (And, if you haven't already, be sure to listen to this podcast episode for that $200 discount code!)   

A successful capital campaign requires lots of pre-planning as a warmup to the actual campaign.  The more you prepare prior to the campaign launch, however, the greater your chances of campaign success!  Listen in as Andrew and Rhen discuss, in detail, all of the things that should happen before you embark on a capital campaign.   In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:How do you know when your organization is ready to execute a successful capital campaign?  What are some indicators that your nonprofit might not be ready to take on a campaign?How do you develop vision for a campaign?What kind of data/database to you need to have in place to be ready for a campaign?How can you get a good estimate of what the cost will be for the campaign project?  How much time do you need to allow before a building campaign in order to get drawings, land, etc.?What happens to your annual fund during a capital campaign?  Can you fund both?As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus is offering a free capital campaign prep checklist for listeners.  Use this document to make sure you're covering all of your bases BEFORE you begin your next capital campaign.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.   

Andrew and Rhen return this week for a fun episode on fundraising trends.  The best fundraisers don't make assumptions about what works.  Instead, they look to data to make informed decisions about fundraising activities.  Listen as Andrew and Rhen give statistics about average success rates for a variety of fundraising activities.  Use these statistics to set reasonable expectations for your success!In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:What's a typical conversion rate for an appeal letter's results?  Is there a difference between direct mail and email appeals?  What kind of fundraising success should I expect from social media posts and requests?Can a phone-a-thon be successful?  What can organizations do to improve results?Why should fundraisers focus on monthly giving?  Are grants worth the time and effort?  What about banquets and galas?What is a good success rate for major gifts asks?  As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus is offering a free annual fund checklist for listeners.  Use this checklist (along with the data from this episode!) to choose activities that can help you build a more robust annual fund.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.    

This is nuts and bolts episode for anyone who wants to start hosting matching gift challenges.  Andrew and Rhen will walk you step-by-step through the logistics of organizing a matching gift challenge, and they offer insight to all of the creative possibilities for these challenges.  After listening to this episode, you'll certainly be ready to begin your own matching gift challenge plans! In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:What is a matching gift challenge?How do you find donors who are willing to offer matching gifts?How do you structure your matching gift challenge and maximize results?Should monthly gifts be included in the challenge?  If so, how?What happens if we get to our deadline and and haven't met the goal of our challenge?  Or, the alternative, what happens if we hit our goal early?As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus is offering a free annual fund checklist for listeners.  The checklist shares several ideas (in addition to matching gift challenges!) for how you can build a more robust annual fund.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.     

Development directors make many donor visits alone, and that's just an accepted fact of schedules and logistics.  Not everyone can come to every visit.  That said, there is a time and a place for bringing someone else with you on your visits, and Andrew and Rhen discuss how to best prepare for partnered visits and make the most of your time together with the donor.  In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:How many donor visits should you make per month to be successful?  And, based on those numbers, how many of those visits should include a team member?What members of your team should you bring on donor visits? How do you know when it's the right time to bring someone else on a donor visit with you?How do you prepare your director or other team members to join you on donor visits?  Are there best practices for how you interact and play off of each other during the meeting?What can you do if your director doesn't want to be involved in donor meetings?   As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus has a sample phone script you can use for calls to request donor meetings.  Would you like to see it?  If so, click here for more information. 

We return this week with a Petrus Development Show episode on communications planning for development offices.  Rhen is joined by Andrew Robison, our Petrus president, and the two share their ideas on strategic communications for the second half of this year.  A successful development communications plan is often an intentional cycle of informing and asking.  We inform through our newsletters and ask through our appeal letters.  Andrew and Rhen suggest a schedule for communications pieces for August through December, and theythey offer tips on how to create successful communications pieces.  In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:What is recommended communications schedule for the 2nd half of the year?What kind of planning and preparation goes into each communications piece? Why do we put so much emphasis on direct mail?  Couldn't we just send electronic appeals? If you're interested in checking out of the templates that Andrew and Rhen discuss, please click here for more information. 

Andrew Robison, Petrus president, and Rhen Hoehn, Petrus's director of marketing, are together again on this week's episode of the Petrus Development Show!  They spend their time discussing how to set development staff expectations for a new fiscal year.  It's another nuts and bolts show about a specific fundraising topic, and it's not one to be missed!Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:What are reasonable expectations for new development staff in their first year?  What specific numbers could you consider as goals?Should new fundraisers be able to raise their own salary in their first year?When you have an established development officer, how do you go about setting metrics for a new fiscal year?Can you offer staff a commission on money raised?  (Short answer: NO!) As Andrew and Rhen discuss, Petrus happily offers a sample incentive plan that you can use with fundraisers in your office.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.     

Andrew Robison, Petrus president, is back on this week's epidsode of the Petrus Development Show!  Andrew and Rhen spend their time together discussing the all-important topic of budgeting.  While budgeting may not seem like a terribly excting interview topic, Andrew and Rhen outline why the budgeting process can be transformational for your development office.     In this episode, Andrew and Rhen answer the following questions:Why should you spend time on the budgeting process?What is the budeting prcoess?  How do you set numbers for income and expenses?If you're a new development office, what is reasonable expected growth for your first few years?Do you have specific estimates for expected growth over the years?What is a good expenses to income ratio for a development office?What kind of spreadsheet tool can you use to assist with budgeting? As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus is offering free access to our recommended budgeting template.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.     

Rhen is again joined by Tara Doyon, director of operations and senior consultant for Petrus, in this week's episode of the Petrus Development show.  Tara and Rhen broach the potentially intimidating topic of planned giving, and they work to make the idea of planned gifts more accessible for fundraising professionals.   The primary lesson that Tara and Rhen share in this discussion is that fundraisers don't have to be the planned giving experts.  On the subject of planned giving, it's best to know the basics.  Beyond that, fundraisers simply need know which community experts can offer assistance with the specifics.  The most important thing that fundraisers need to do regarding planned giving is to find ways to start the conversation with their donors.   In this episode, Tara and Rhen answer the following questions:What is planned giving?  What are typical types of planned gifts?Who are top planned giving prospects?  Who should you be talking to about planned gifts?How do we encourage planned gifts?What is a gift acceptance policy and why is it necessary for your organization?As Rhen mentions at the end of the episode, Petrus created a free planned giving cheat sheet to help you get the planned giving conversation started.  If you'd like to receive this resource, please click here for more information.    

Learn about the great speakers at RAISE24 - The Catholic Fundraising Conference.As a pocast listener, you can access 15% off registration when you use the promo code RIVERWALK at checkout!Level up your fundraising game, build a network of fellow Catholic fundraisers, and have a lot of fun doing it!RAISE24 - The Catholic Fundraising Conference | June 24-26, 2024 | San Antonio, TXpetrusdevelopment.com/raise24 for more details

It's time for another change!  We continue our Petrus Development Show Q+A series on important development topics, but this week's episode features a new voice from the Petrus family.  Join us as Rhen interviews Matt Bond, Petrus consultant and executive director of the Santa Fe Family Life Center in Oklahoma City.  Matt and Rhen discuss a variety of potential donor events, and they share their thoughts on which events are most worth the time and effort.   Rhen and Matt are very clear about the challenges of beginning large fundraising events such as galas and golf tournaments.  Instead, they share ideas about events that are smaller, more manageable, and potentially even more successful in the long run.   Specifically, Matt answers the following questions: What types of donor events can an organization consider?  Do different events have different puposes?What kind of time and investment should you expect for large events like galas?Why might several smaller events be better than one large event where you can raise a lot of money at once?If you go for smaller events, how do you decide who to invite?  What does a sample agenda look like for the event?Is there a best day of the week for donor events? Can events be an organization's main source of revenue?  

The idea of a capital campaign can be a daunting one.  Capital campaigns require an organization's full attention for an extended period of time, and the campaign's monetary goal can seem an impossible task.  Good news!  Petrus can help.  Listen as Andrew and Rhen discuss the basics of what a capital campaign looks like and what organzations can to do begin preparing for a campaign.   This is an episode about campaign logistics, but it's also a message of encouragement for organizations who may be considering a capital campaign in the near future. Specifically, Andrew answers the following questions: What is a capital campaign?  Why choose a capital campaign over normal fundraising?  Will a capital campaign hurt our annual fund?How does an organization determine the amount for their capital campaign?What does the capital campaign process look like?When is an organization ready for a capital campaign?  What can be done beforehand to prepare for a campaign?   Listen to this episode and learn the answers to these questions and more!  As mentioned at the end of the episode, Petrus is offering free access to a virtual summit on capital campaigns.  If you're interested, click here to sign up! 

In this week's episode of the Petrus Development Show, we continue our Q+A series with Petrus president, Andrew Robison.  Listen as Andrew and Rhen outline the intial steps for beginning a sustainable fundraising program.  Yes, we know this is a very quick primer - it's 30 minutes on the best ways to get started. Andrew offers detailed answers to the following questions: What is sustainable fundraising?What does it mean to fundraise based on relationships?  Where do you start when building a fundraising program?  What are the layers of a good development program?What activities should you avoid when you're just getting started?Where should a new fundraising program start with staff allocation and time management?What should you look for in a first-time development staff member?Listen to this episode and learn the answers to these questions and more!  As mentioned at the end of the episode, Petrus Development's BOAT (Basic Online Advancement Training!) program will begin it's spring cohort in the next few weeks.  Would you like to get an idea about what BOAT involves?  If so, click here to access a free BOAT preview course.  

In this week's episode of the Petrus Development Show, we continue our Q+A series with Petrus president, Andrew Robison.  Listen as Andrew and Rhen discuss the special blessing that monthly donors are for organizations.  Nonprofit and ministry leaders tend to underestimate the power of monthly donors.  Fundraisers receive pushback asking why they are focusing on monthly donors when they should be going out and making asks for big major gifts.  In this episode, Andrew and Rhen clearly state the case for growing a strong monthly giving program. Specifically, Andrew answers the following questions: Why should fundraisers put effort into monthly giving?What can you expect in terms of monthly gift size?  Do you send monthly tax receipts for donors?  What would a monthly giving society look like?What should you do when a monthly donation fails?What are some methods you could use to encourage more monthly donors?  How do you get people to sign up?What is a senior class gift program? 

Here we go again! We continue our Petrus Development Show Q+A series on important development topics, but we're changing things up this episode. This week, Rhen interviews Tara Doyon, director of operations and senior consultant at Petrus, and Tara shares about all things major gifts. Together, Tara and Rhen have decades of fundraising experience, and they come together to chat about their advice for fundraisers who are working to increase their major gifts solicitation. Specifically, they discuss the following:What is major gifts fundraising? Does a major gift need to be a specific amount to qualify?Why do fundraisers go out and ask people for gifts? How do you decide who to meet?What is the donor cycle? What is the typical progression for a donor to go from a first time gift to a major gift?How do we get face-to-face meetings? Where should we hold meetings? What happens in these donor meetings?

Welcome back to the Petrus Development Show! We continue our Q+A series with Petrus president, Andrew Robison, and this week's discussion is about personality strengths and weaknesses and how those traits affect your fundraising. Andrew and Rhen begin this show with a fun question. Which of the following tools do you most closely identify with: a hammer, a measuring tape, a screwdriver, or a saw? As they'll explain, your choice might have a lot to say about your personality type. From there, Andrew and Rhen turn to a more formal personality testing model, closely resembling the Myers Briggs test, and they discuss 4 core pairs of attributes. They outline specifics of these attributes, and they explain how fundraisers can develop professional strategies that are inclusive of both their strengths and their weaknesses.Specifically, Andrew answers the following questions: What are the 4 core pairs of attributes we consider for personality types?What do the different attributes say about what your fundraising strengths might be?Can introverts be successful fundraisers?Is one personality type better than another?How can you build fundraising and executive teams that allow for complementary personalities?Listen to this episode and learn the answers to these questions and more! As mentioned at the end of the episode, Petrus has a worksheet outlining considerations for choosing a new donor database, and you can sign up to receive it by clicking here. Finally, we welcome your fundraising questions for potential use in future shows. Are there questions you'd like to hear Andrew answer? If so, email us at podcast@petrusdevelopment.com with your question, and it just might appear in a future Petrus Development Show episode.

While we start this episode with a joke, donor databases are a very serious matter. As you'll learn in this Q+A with Petrus president, Andrew Robison, choosing the right donor database can make a world of difference in your fundraising capabilities. Andrew and Rhen kick off their discussion on donor databases with an explanation of why organizations need to invest in a fundraising database instead of relying on spreadsheets of donor info. From there, they share tips about what to look for when purchasing donor databases. Specifically, Andrew answers the following questions: What types of reports do you want your fundraising database to be able to give you?What other things should look for when searching for a new database?When setting up your database, what specialty fields might you want to add? Is there any data we shouldn't include in the database?How much time does your organization need to allocate for database maintenance?What's the process for moving from one database to another?(And, a laugh for your day: Q: Where do dads store dad jokes? A: In a dada-base!)

We're continuing our Q+A podcast series with Petrus president, Andrew Robison. In this episode, Andrew and Rhen discuss gift acknowledgment and donor stewardship. While this may not be the most exciting part of a fundraiser's job, it's essential. And, you might be surprised. The act of thanking donors is likely to be more powerful than you expect. Do you have questions about how and when to successfully thank donors? If so, Andrew and Rhen answer these questions and more. What is required of organizations when thanking donors?What should organizations do beyond the mandated donor acknowledgment?What is an acknowledgment matrix and should you create one?What should organizations expect in terms of grantwriting success?What are some creative ways to thank donors?If someone has never made a donor thank you call, what advice would you give to get them started?Listen to this episode and learn the answers to these questions and more! As mentioned at the end of the episode, Petrus has a worksheet outlining the anatomy of a thank you call for fundraisers, and you can sign up to receive it by clicking here.

And, we're back! After a Petrus Development Show hiatus, we return with an interview with Petrus president, Andrew Robison. Andrew and Rhen, Petrus's marketing director, are back with a new episode about goal setting, and it's a good one! It's the beginning of a new year, and Petrus is all about goal setting. Organizations have goals, and fundraisers need to have goals, too. That said, have you ever wondered what goals you, as a fundraiser, should be making for your work? If so, Andrew and Rhen answer these questions and more. Are there specific activities fundraisers should consider for their goal setting? If so, what are the metrics that fundraisers should be tracking? And what are realistic numbers for those goals?Can and/or should fundraisers receive a commission based on total money raised in a specified period?What should organizations expect in terms of grantwriting success?The gem of this episode is in the details. Andrew and Rhen share specific numbers for potential development goals, and they offer different examples based on the organization's size and the fundraiser's experience. As mentioned at the end of the episode, Petrus has a sample incentive plan worksheet for fundraisers, and you can sign up to receive it by clicking here.

This week (November 29th through December 1st), Petrus Development is offering an amazing sale on registration fees for RAISE24. Register by Friday, December 1st, and receive 15 percent off the super early bird price of $899, bringing the registration fee down to $765. (Click here to register!)In honor of this sale, we share a special episode of the Petrus Development Show that highlights some of our favorite speakers from last year's RAISE23 conference. If you're considering RAISE24 registration and want to know more about what you'd gain from the conference, check out this podcast. In this episode, you'll hear clips from the following speakers:Eva Daniels offers tips on storytelling and how ideas that sound so simple may not always be easy.Dcn. Charlie Echeverry shares about Latino Catholics,the role they play in today's Catholic church, and how we, as fundraisers, can better engage this vital population. Bryan Wilburn and Joe Hendrickx emphasize the importance of face-to-face donor visits. Like these speakers, our RAISE24 presenters will offer inspirtation and practical tips to help you do your fundraising job with more passion and more success. Come join us in San Antonio in June 2024!

In this episode, Andrew chats with Sarah Newman, vice president for Innovest, an investment consulting firm. Andrew and Sarah discuss how Innovest helps nonprofits, especially faith-based nonprofits, make sure their investment portfolios are aligned with their mission and values. Together, Andrew and Sarah discuss the importance of ongoing education for Catholic organizations about the potential for morally aligned investments and partnerships.

In this episode, Andrew chats with Sarah Newman, vice president for Innovest, an investment consulting firm. Andrew and Sarah discuss how Innovest helps nonprofits, especially faith-based nonprofits, make sure their investment portfolios are aligned with their mission and values. Together, Andrew and Sarah discuss the importance of ongoing education for Catholic organizations about the potential for morally aligned investments and partnerships.

In this episode, Andrew takes a break from his regular interview series to share episode 4 of Petrus's new podcast, Reflections on Nouwen's “A Spirituality of Fundraising”. The show's host, Justin DeMoss of Your Philanthropic Advisor, interviews Fr. Matt Lowry from Holy Trinity Catholic Newman Center at Northern Arizona University. The two reflect on Chapter 4 of Nouwen's book, “People Who Are Rich”.

In this episode, Andrew chats with RJ Caswell, a leadership coach and organizational consultant from Charlotte, NC. Andrew and RJ discuss the importance of succession planning, leadership development, and collaboration. Together, Andrew and RJ also ponder the unique challenges of small nonprofits, specifically the fact that everyone on the nonprofit staff is a fundraiser, whether they have the title or not!

In this episode, Andrew interviews Matthew Watson, deputy superintendent for Aristoi Classical Academy in Katy and Cypress, Texas. Andrew and Matt discuss history and education, and Matt highlights the unique fundraising challenges of charter schools. As seasoned fundraisers, Andrew and Matt also discuss the importance of clear mission and messaging in recruitment of people and funds.

In this episode, Andrew chats with Dr. Scott Grant, pediatrician and creator and host of the Docs2Dads podcast. Andrew and Scott discuss generosity, and they delve into how we, as parents and family members, cultivate a lifelong spirit of generosity in our children. They speak specifically about relationship building, role modeling, and a series of steps we can take to teach generosity.

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Nic Prenger, founder and CEO of Prenger Solutions Group. Nic shares about his digital consulting work at Prenger Solutions Group, and Andrew and Nic chat about technology tools for fundraisers, fundraising for the Catholic church and its associated challenges, and tips for Catholic donors.

In this episode, Andrew interviews Karen Houghton, founder and CEO of Infinite Giving. Together, Andrew and Karen discuss Infinite Giving's mission as an investment adviser for nonprofit organizations. Karen shares her expertise in nonprofit financial management, and she and Andrew discuss ways that organizations can leverage modern, financial technology to open up more program funding and attract high capacity donors.

In this episode, Andrew interviews brothers Tom and Dan Thimons. Together, Tom and Dan founded My Catholic Will, the only online Catholic will-writing platform. Andrew invites Tom and Dan to share about My Catholic Will, how they got it started, and what they hope it will become in the future. The Thimons brothers share tools that fundraisers can use to encourage planned giving with their donors, and they also remind all listeners to consider planned gifts to their favorite organizations in their own wills.

In this episode, Andrew interviews Abram Meunzberg, digital strategist for On Fire Media. Andrew invites Abram to share about On Fire Media's mission and the work he does for his clients. The two also discuss digital media, messaging, and how fundraisers can improve their digital media strategy, making it more engaging and useful. Abram and Andrew both encourage listeners to be bold and proactive in consulting with experts to improve an organization's online presence.

In this episode, Andrew interviews John Knowles, president of the Catholic Finance Association and executive director of the Diocesan Fiscal Management Conference. Andrew and John spend their time together discussing finance, fundraising trends, and the Church's relationship with emerging technology. They also stress the importance of clarity of mission both in fundraising and in our personal lives.