Building Trust and Consent in Major Gift Fundraising with Rhea Wong

The Small Nonprofit

Send us a text

In this episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria chats with Rhea Wong, a major gift fundraising expert and former nonprofit Executive Director, about building trust with major donors, consent-based fundraising, and the shifting philanthropic landscape. Rhea shares her experience navigating donor relationships, building trust, and tips for creating a successful major gifts program.

Key Topics Covered:

• Building trust in major gift fundraising
• Consent-based fundraising
• Navigating difficult conversations with donors
• Empathy and understanding generational differences
• Starting a major gifts program

Quotable Quotes:

• "Fundraising is not about closing gifts; it's about opening relationships." - Rhea Wong
• "You need to ask for consent before you consider someone a prospect. Just because you have their contact information doesn’t mean they’re ready to give." - Rhea Wong

Actionable Tips:

➜ Ask for consent: Before considering someone as a major gift prospect, ensure you have their consent to engage in deeper conversations. Use surveys and personal interactions to learn about their interests and how they’d like to be involved.

➜ Treat donors as partners: Build relationships based on trust and transparency. Engage donors as equal partners in your mission, focusing on long-term relationships rather than one-time transactions.

➜ Have tough conversations: Don’t shy away from discussing difficult topics like systemic issues or organizational challenges. Addressing these openly can deepen donor trust and lead to stronger partnerships.

➜ Start with strong annual giving: Before jumping into major gift fundraising, ensure your annual donor program is solid. This will give you a foundation of consistent support and help identify engaged donors who could become major prospects.

➜ Be intentional and proactive: Approach donor relationships with a clear plan. Define what an ideal major gift partnership looks like for your organization and communicate that vision early in conversations with donors.

Resources Mentioned:

• Rhea Wong’s Website
• Get That Money, Honey: The No-BS Guide to Raising Money for Your Nonprofit.
• Rhea Wong’s Ways To Work with Me Quiz

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Maria Rio
• Connect with Rhea Wong

Subscribe and Review:

Don’t forget to subscribe to The Small Nonprofit Podcast on your favorite platform! Leave a review to help us reach more listeners and continue providing valuable insights. Watch this episode on YouTube.

Support the Podcast:

Support these conversations by donating here.

Coming Next Week:

Join us next week as Heather Nelson shares how nonprofits can build values-aligned corporate partnerships by confidently articulating their goals and embracing tough conversations for stronger collaborations.

Support the show