Description: Major gift fundraising is an essential and important component of any advancement program regardless of the size of your science center or museum. Nowadays, Executive Directors, board members and all staff are expected to raise major gifts, however, many times the dollars secured fall short of goals. Or, you may be unsure how to start a major gifts program. This session will focus on the essential elements of putting in place and growing a successful major gifts program and provide guidance on avoiding common pitfalls.
Speaker Bio: Abbie J. von Schlegell, CFRE, FAFP has been in the development field for over 40 years, as a consultant for about half of her career with several national firms, and as a senior development officer with four institutions. She has held key development positions at Stanford University, where she was the Major Gifts director for Silicon Valley and at The University of Chicago in major gifts, capital campaigns and donor relations.
In April 2018 she was named a Distinguished Fellow of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, one of nine to date among the 34,000 members of the international association.
Abbie also was the Chief Development Officer for the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. and for Enterprise Community Partners in Columbia, MD. She presents regularly for AFP chapters and conferences, CASE, various community foundations and nonprofit associations. She has deep expertise in major gifts, women's philanthropy, capital campaigns and governance.
She edited the first book about women's philanthropy and is considered a national resource in this important subject.