Small Table, Big Philanthropy: Why Fewer Donors – Done Right – Will Change Your Organization Forever

The fundraising sector has spent decades telling us that growth means more: more donors, more events, more outreach, more volume. But the organizations closing the largest, most transformational gifts aren't the ones with the biggest databases. They're the ones who stopped managing volume and started building depth.

In this session, major gift strategist and author Mary Hacket introduces the Small Table Philanthropy framework, a proven approach to identifying, cultivating, and closing major gifts by going deeper with fewer donors instead of casting wider nets that yield thinner results.

Drawing from 25 years as a working major gift officer — including closing a $100 million gift in seven months — Mary will challenge attendees to rethink their portfolio strategy, their cultivation model, and the way they measure fundraising success. This is not theory. Every concept in this session is drawn from real donor relationships, real asks, and real outcomes.

Attendees will leave with a clear framework for building a smaller, more intentional major gift portfolio — and the confidence to move those relationships forward with purpose and clarity.