Philanthropy Unlocked

 

A 6-week Mastermind for Ambitious Major Gift Fundraisers

led by The Fundraiser Coach, Beth Ann Locke

Learn the unspoken rules, essential mindsets and tactical maneuvers that will help you confidently engage high-net-worth donors so that you can close more major gifts (and MEGA gifts) and 10x the impact of your organization.

I want to work with HNW donors!

In case you missed my Masterclass...

 

... "First Steps to Engaging High-Net-Worth Donors: Strategies for Successful High-Impact Fundraising" you can watch it right here.

Grab a pen and get ready to take notes on all the download - the gems, insights and tips to help YOU take your own first steps to engaging high-net-worth donors.

 

Trusted by:

Are you ready to uplevel your skillset, strategies and subconscious beliefs about “rich people” inside Philanthropy Unlocked?

 

Before you read any further, let’s make 100% sure:

You’re right for Philanthropy Unlocked if you want front-row access to the donor engagement strategies that will allow you to ensure your organization will always have the funds it needs to fulfill its mission goals and even have your pick of top-tier fundraising careers.


Philanthropy Unlocked is the right fit for YOU if you want to learn time-tested strategies for building a rapport with high-net-worth individuals—so that you become known as a top-tier fundraiser who can reliably secure 6-, 7-, even 8-figure gifts and feel at home in any room.

If you are...

 

✅  A Major Gifts Officer at a nonprofit organization who knows that the strategies you’re using to secure 5-figure gifts aren’t as effective with the most affluent donors on your list — so you’re looking for expert guidance to help you connect with individuals who can give at a much higher level 

✅  A Senior Fundraiser at a university or hospital, with very real needs for very large donations, who knows that big money is changing hands somewhere — and you want to make sure you’re in the rooms where those gifts happen

✅  A Chief Development Officer who’s passionate about the change your organization is working to bring about — and who wants to have their team unlock real impact, faster, with larger gifts from donors who are excited to bring about big transformations

✅  A Director of Development or Advancement Officer with a long list of projects that need funding and a short list of high-net-worth donors who can help you bring them to life…

 

You're in the right place!


Philanthropy Unlocked will give you the high-level strategies, word-for-word scripts and responsive, tailored-to-your-list support you need to start confidently closing your biggest gifts to date. So that you can work more strategically, communicate more effectively, and attract the attention of high-net-worth supporters with the power to make transformative gifts

By the end of this streamlined 6-week program, you’ll have…

A step-by-step plan for how you're going to reach out to one of the high-net-worth individuals on your list

— or an affluent individual you know has aligned values or interests (not to mention the skills you need to spot them in the first place).

A deep understanding of the linguistic nuances and “coded language” wealthy people use to talk about money

This alone is a game-changing revelation that will help you spot new opportunities and grab them when the moment’s right.

The word tracks and strategic scripts you need to comfortably navigate tricky conversations

— so you can stay cool, calm and collected even when asked a difficult question or it looks like all is lost.

A more helpful mindset when it comes to talking about BIG money numbers

Because if you find it hard to even speak your Ask out loud, you’re going to struggle to be convincing. Working on your own beliefs about money is CRITICAL if you want to work with people who treat $10,000 like it’s a $100 bill.

A clear process you can follow when you want to reach out to a regional HNW individual or couple to begin cultivation

For those working with high-volume portfolios, at hospitals and universities in particular, this skill will help you start conversations with donors at the right time. 

What does that mean for you, personally?

 

Well, by the time we’re done, you will:

  • Dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes for you to get in front of the HNW donor (meaning you have capacity for more strategic interactions or conversations).

  • Become more comfortable in the spaces where high-net-worth individuals gather to discuss the change they want to see and how they’re going to make it happen.

  • Become an incredibly attractive hire — because when you know how to close gifts from affluent donors, dream organizations come knocking on your door.

  • Have the high-level skills you need to navigate affluent donor strategy — or move into management, if that’s what you aspire to.

  • Develop the skills to be on par with some of the best fundraisers in the world.

  • Gain proximity to other high-net-worth individuals, who may in turn become your donors, if you play your cards right. (Don’t worry, I’ll show you how.)

  • Feel confident that your capabilities build trust, inspire confidence and accurately reflect the stature and reputation of your institution.

  • Close a gift — perhaps your the biggest gift - from a high-net-worth donor of your career to date. Don’t believe me? Keep scrolling and you’ll see — I guarantee it. 

 

Not sure if it's right for you? Let's chat.

Who am I to guide you through this?

Hi, I'm Beth Ann Locke, The Fundraiser Coach. 

 Throughout my 25+ year career as a fundraiser, I was known for:

→ my insightful donor and prospect strategies that invited donors to step up and invest in the mission, 

→ my deep listening skills that allowed me to discern donors’ values, and 

→ my ability to confidently work with affluent individuals and families as they joined our cause to create more impact.

This experience allowed me to develop strategies for engaging with high-net-worth donors that resulted in:

  • Personally closing between $6 and $8 million in gifts each year during my tenure at United Way of King County in Seattle
  • A $950,000 professorship in 2017, received from a supporter previously giving at the low 5-figure level; we also worked together on a plan for a $3.5 million Professorship at Simon Fraser University that closed shortly after I left
  • A 55%  increase in funding in my first year at the Orthopaedic & Arthritic Hospital in Toronto and a 30% in my second year. (While there I also noticed a new $5,000 donor and cultivated him; within 4 months he made the O&A one of their largest gifts to date: a $269,000 stock gift that went towards critically needed hospital equipment.)

 

Here’s the #1 thing you need to know about my history of helping organizations cultivate more and bigger major gifts —

 

Everything I do, you can learn, too!

My unfair advantage has always been simply engaging with high-net-worth individuals in specific ways that helped them see me as someone who could be trusted to bring their vision to life through the work of our nonprofit.  

Everything I know about cultivating close relationships with the kind of people who can make transformative gifts can be taught.  There are people with great resources out there — right now —  looking for an organization that can help them make an impact on the causes they care about the most! 

Want to become the first person they contact when they’re ready to make a IMPACTFUL gift? 

I can show you how…

These fundraisers have closed more and bigger gifts as a result of working with me:

Beth Ann helped me secure a $100,000 gift from a very wealthy alumna

“Beth Ann was instrumental in helping us secure our largest donation to date of  $100,000, in addition to some smaller ones ranging in $20,000 to $40,000 — previously our largest donors were those who donated between $250 and $1,000. 

It was a real pleasure to work with Beth Ann.  I truly felt that she was there for me, even after the course had ended.  I felt comfortable to reach out to her whenever I needed her guidance.

If you’re seeking the guidance of an expert who will also provide a personal, hands-on approach and someone who is sincerely genuine, then Beth Ann is the person for you.”

Cristina Fragale, Senior Director of Recruitment & Development
Preston High School

Working with Beth Ann helped me secure several 5- and 6-figure gifts on a faster timeline

“Beth Ann’s insights about donors are so valuable because she speaks from decades of experience. She listens and hears things about the donor that fundraisers can't afford to miss. Working with Beth Ann helped me secure several 5- and 6-figure gifts on a faster timeline. 

 Thanks to the strategies I learned from Beth Ann, I also was able to close on several estate gifts, which will provide future security for our nonprofit. With Beth Ann, I felt more empowered to reach out and ask for gifts — talking about the impact those gifts would make.”

Lorie Fees, Director of Major Gifts
Children's Hope Alliance

... I helped close a $1 million gift, and $250,000 and $200,000...

"We needed to get underway raising $4 million above our usual year-end. I really liked that Beth Ann and I were working together to develop strategic plans for my donors and prospects. I love the one-on-one chats with Beth Ann, she was easy to talk to and understood my needs on all levels.

While working together, I helped closed a $1 million gift, another at $250,000, and another for $200,000 from a private foundation. These are some of the largest gifts we have closed! Beth Ann's guidance and support gave me the confidence and support to succeeded. I'm so grateful!"

Palmer, Director of Development
Historic Columbus

Most of the fundraising trainings you’ll find focus on the nuts & bolts of getting gifts…

But high-net-worth donors don’t respond to the same tactics as someone giving $5,000 a year…

They don’t want you to call them once a quarter. 

They follow a different set of unspoken rules and social conventions most of us have never learned. 

As a result?

They give their gifts to the fundraisers who know how to make an ask they’re willing to answer. 

That’s why, for the first time ever, I’ve put together a program specifically designed to help ambitious fundraisers like you successfully navigate the nuances of cultivating relationships with and closing major gifts from demanding high-net-worth donors.

Reserve my spot - I'm in!

Introducing… 

Philanthropy Unlocked:

The place for ambitious fundraisers who want to confidently make big asks from people with BIG bank accounts

Learn the unspoken rules, essential mindsets, and tactical maneuvers that will help you confidently engage high-net-worth donors so that you can close more major (and transformative) gifts and 10x the impact of your organization.

Learn the unspoken rules, essential mindsets, and tactical maneuvers that will help you confidently engage high-net-worth donors so that you can close more major (and MEGA) gifts and 10x the impact of your organization.

This intimate 6-week mastermind has been meticulously designed to help you understand and develop the strategies, skills, and ways of thinking you need to consistently close major and mega gifts. So that your mission has the margins it needs to make change happen and you have the skills it takes to build a rock-solid professional rep.

Here’s what fundraisers ready to step into the next chapter of their careers will find inside Philanthropy Unlocked: 

Mastermind Intro Session

Philanthropy Unlocked will kick off on Thursday, February 15th, with a 60-minute Intro Session in which our small group of fundraisers (I’m capping admission at 8!) will share about their organizations, fundraising goals, and focus for this course. 

Weekly Video Trainings 

Subsequently, a series of short video training modules will be released each week on Mondays at 12 noon Pacific. Watch these short videos at your convenience. They’ll introduce the strategies, advanced skills, and mindset shifts you’ll apply the rest of the week. 

Mastermind Calls

Every other week, we’ll come together for a Mastermind Call, where you’ll have the chance to share your current challenges and aspirations with the group and receive coaching by me to put you on your best path forward. These calls are invaluable — not just for the clarity you’ll get after asking your own questions, but also for the insight you’ll gain from hearing about other fundraisers’ goals and how they get around the roadblocks they bump up against.

Ongoing
Email Support

As you move through the program’s content, you can ask questions or seek support from me (Beth Ann) via email (Monday–Friday, 9 am to 2 pm Pacific). Use this opportunity to get my eyes on your donor comms, my insight into how you engage your HNW donor or prospect, or to ask questions you need answered before our final Mastermind Call.
    The final video training module will be released on Monday, March 25th and your email support extends through Friday, March 28th. 

BONUS:
1:1 Coaching Beth Ann

In Week 5 of the program, you’ll have the opportunity to schedule a 1:1 60-minute Coaching Call with Beth Ann to get deep, personalized support on the topic of your choice, whether you want to focus on cultivating one specific donor or are looking for support creating a plan for the rest of the year. 

BONUS: Quarterly Check-ins

In the 11 months following this program, I’ll be checking in with you on your progress with your HNW donors and prospects. You may find you need a course correction, to refine your engagement opportunities, or to review your Ask strategy. This ongoing support will ensure you're able to put the plan we co-create into action and see transformational results for yourself!

I'm ready - SIGN ME UP!

Our recent growth and strategic focus has been supported through Beth Ann

“Beth Ann is an exceptional leader in nonprofit fundraising with a true gift for helping organizations think through major gift fundraising. Her vast experience in this work gives her the ability to quickly evaluate strategies and tactics for a range of donors. 

She gave our small team practical steps and language to use while we were in the process of establishing our major gifts program. Beth Ann’s coaching was inspirational, supportive, and ultimately essential in our journey to connect more supporters with our mission to end human trafficking.

After our work with Beth Ann, we received a 5-year commitment for $437,500 in support of our research! It’s one of the most substantial wins we’ve had in my entire time here and with a funder I’ve been pursuing for several years. When I finally did talk to her a few months ago, I felt equipped to draw out her interest and connect them to our current needs.

We’re now topping $1 million in revenue. So much of our recent growth and strategic focus has been supported through the wisdom and coaching of Beth Ann.”

Craig Nason, Development and Communications Director
Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking

Since working with Beth Ann, we have doubled the number of active donors and expanded our services

"We reached out to Beth Ann because we were looking to rapidly grow our fundraising efforts. She came with an incredible referral from someone we trusted. We have been repeatedly impressed by Beth Ann’s deep understanding of the fundraising process and asking for gifts, her creativity, and her focus on donor retention and gratitude.

 Since working with Beth Ann in June 2020, we have more than doubled our number of active donors, expanded our services, and our revenues allowed us to hire a part-time fundraiser. I now feel much more confident inviting donors and prospective board members to join us.

Beth Ann is genuine and puts her whole soul into helping your nonprofit succeed. She cares deeply about her clients and works alongside you to achieve the best possible success."   

Gila Block, Executive Director
Yesh Tikva

 I know your plate is already full.

Here’s how this streamlined experience breaks down:

Week 1: Understanding the High-Net-Worth Donor Landscape

Who are your wealthiest donors? What do they care about? And how do you learn to pick them out of a crowd? In Week 1, we’ll take a deep look at current market trends and how they impact HNW donor motivations. 

As a result, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the high-net-worth donor psyche, so you know exactly how to align your strategy with this type of donor’s needs. 

Week 2: Building Trust and Effective Communication

Here’s the thing: Communicating with high-net-worth involves a LOT of reading between the lines. And the fastest way to lose hard-earned trust is by making a big gaffe.

The strategies you’ll learn and apply this week will help donors see you as someone they can rely on to help them bring their vision to life — and the skills you’ll gain when it comes to effective communication will ensure you know how to handle delicate situations tactfully, key to your long-term success.

Week 3: Personalized Donor Engagement

In contrast to donors at the $10,000 to $50,000 level, high-net-worth donors don’t necessarily want you to call frequently or send a card. That’s why this week will focus on the personalized donor engagement strategies that work with wealthy donors.

We’ll dive deep into ways you can customize your engagement strategies based on your prospects' preferences, the circle they keep around them, and their relationship to your cause. As a result, you’ll develop the ability to create memorable, personalized experiences that resonate with your donors–and prime them for your Ask. 

Week 4: Advanced Relationship Building

High-net-worth donors tend to keep their circles small. That’s why you need advanced these advanced strategies to help you nurture long-term relationships with this donor type. This week’s content will focus on long-term relationship building and empathetic interaction techniques.

Thanks to these techniques, you’ll feel confident introducing yourself to new affluent contacts, comfortable reaching out to their trusted advisors, and cool under pressure when they inevitably put you on the spot.

Week 5: Professionalism and Ethics in Fundraising

When your work involves social events, weekend activities and large sums of money, you have to be mindful of both ethical and professional boundaries. Especially if you want to be known as a top-tier fundraiser, you must have a sterling reputation.

To help make blurry lines clear, this week, I’ll share personal experiences and professional expectations that will strengthen your professional integrity and make it easier for you to inspire donor confidence in your work. I’ll also share a list of ethics-related resources and address any individual concerns about ethics and professionalism in fundraising.

Week 6: Strategies for Success and Closing Gifts

Closing the gift: It’s the most important moment of your relationship with your high-net-worth donor and yet also the one that’s most out of your control. Or is it?

This week’s final video training will ensure you feel 100% prepared to complete the program and connect with high-net-worth donors on your own, to ensure your institution’s sustainable success.

You’ll walk away with lifelong skills, repeatable strategies and essential understanding of how high-net-worth donors think that will make you the go-to person at your organization when it comes to closing major and mega-gifts.

Put a bottle of bubbles in the fridge —and get ready to close the biggest gift of your career as a result of your investment in  

 

Philanthropy Unlocked

 

What does that investment look like? 

Shockingly low considering the value I’ll deliver will help you close more 5-, 6-, even 7-figure gifts for the rest of your career.

Working with me individually for this duration would run you about $7,500.

 And nonprofit organizations regularly pay me $6,000 for a full day of coaching. 

But now, for the first time, you can learn from me in an intimate group setting, over a 6-week period, for less than you’d pay to attend yet another overly air-conditioned conference in a personality-free hotel…

 

Join Philanthropy Unlocked today for just 

$3,000

 

Contact us at [email protected] for institutional invoicing instructions

 

Need a quick chat to make sure it’s a good fit?

 

Still have questions? Let's talk.

Your whole team is going to want in on the gems I’ll be dropping over the course of this 6-week mastermind

 

Here’s a little sneak peek of what you’ll learn:

Close a gift from an affluent donor within 12 months... or next year's admission is on me —

That's the Major Impact Guarantee

 

I’m so confident Philanthropy Unlocked is the key you need to unlock more major and mega gifts, I’m happy to offer you...

...the Major Impact Guarantee

Put simply:

If you take advantage of all the resources on offer inside this program and still don’t have a solid plan to approach and engage a high-net-worth donor or prospect, you can join us for Philanthropy Unlocked again next year for free. 

Why 12 months?
Because the strategies you’ll come up with and the plans you put in place over the next 6 weeks will take time to bear fruit—and require you to follow through on everything you’ve learned. 

 Why offer repeat admission?
Because my successful fundraising career was built on the exact strategies I’ll share with you, I know they work. If they don’t work for you this year, we’ll adjust and recalibrate until you beat your existing personal best. Guaranteed.

Questions you might need answered before you commit to making this the year you close your biggest gift to date:

 

I’m already completely swamped at work. How much time will I need to dedicate to this program every week?

Philanthropy Unlocked was developed with the reality of a professional fundraiser’s career in mind. That’s why I won’t ask you to spend hours watching video trainings or filling out worksheets you’ll never consult again.

The weekly video trainings that comprise the educational component of this course will average approximately 20 mins. Once you’ve watched, you’ll be able to reach out via email with your questions, or bring them to the bi-weekly Mastermind Calls to get them answered live.

At the same time, the strategies and skills you’ll learn will make doing your regular job easier, and cut down on the time you spend looking for answers elsewhere or wondering what to do next.

Is this program suitable for me if I currently have limited experience closing major gifts?

Absolutely! This program will dive deep into my signature framework for Connection-Based Fundraising, which means it’s a great place to develop your skills as a major gift fundraiser. Consider Philanthropy Unlocked a great way to start at the top of the pyramid when it comes to major gifts.

What is I can't attend the live sessions?

All live sessions are recorded, so you can watch them at your convenience!

While I highly recommend you try to make it live so that you can ask questions and get spot coaching as needed, the recordings will also be there for you to refer to if you’re unable to attend.

How does this program differ from other fundraising courses?

This program focuses specifically on strategies that work when engaging with high-net-worth donors, combining both theoretical knowledge and practical, real-world applications. 

 

 As a career-fundraiser and an experienced coach, I’m familiar with many other coaching programs on the market today, and I know:  There’s no one else out there teaching what I’ll share with the small group of professionals who join me for Philanthropy Unlocked.

Because money is something that’s still talked about in hushed tones—even among people who ask for it for a living—the intimate conversations we’ll have on the bi-weekly MastermindCoaching Calls will help you approach and engage with high-net-worth donors unlike any other resource that’s currently available.

 

Does this program include direct access to Beth Ann?

Yes, Philanthropy Unlocked currently includes opportunities to get direct coaching from Beth Ann, including the initial Intro Session we’ll have in Week 1, the live Coaching Calls that take place every other week, and the Bonus 1:1 Call you’ll have the option to book in Week 5 of the program.

You can also get personalized feedback from Beth Ann via email, Monday thru Friday, from 9 am to 2 pm PT, with a weekly limit of 3 email exchanges. 

 If you’re interested in pairing participation in Philanthropy Unlocked with a 1:1 Coaching package, please reach out to us at [email protected] to inquire about a custom invoice.

What is your refund policy?

Because this program includes video content and live coaching, we have an explicit no refund policy.

That said, I am thrilled to be able to offer The Major Impact Guarantee:

If you engage with the course content & show up to calls during the 6 weeks of Philanthropy Unlocked, I’m confident the strategies you learn and skills you gain will help you close the highest gift of your career to date… So confident, in fact, that if you don’t close your highest-ever-gift within the next 12 months, I’ll welcome you back into the course next year, absolutely free.

All you have to do is fill out an intake form upon signing up. Once we finish the course, I’ll keep an eye out for the celebration email where you share with me the steps you took to get that first gift - or biggest gift yet - from a high-net-worth donor.

 

 When does the program start and end, and what time are the calls?

Philanthropy Unlocked runs from Thursday, February 15th to Thursday, March 29th.

The live Mastermind Calls will take place on Zoom every other Thursday at 11:00 am PT. All live calls will be recorded and shared with all program participants within 24 hours.

The Tools, Language and Mindset You Need To Approach, Engage, and Ask High-Net-Worth Supporters to Become Donors

I'm ready to go big!