Over the past 18 months, development teams have worked hard to maintain building relationships with major giving prospects despite the challenges of distanced interactions. As the ‘new normal’ world materialises, how can fundraisers take the lessons learnt from the pandemic to build trust and provide premium experiences for prospective donors using virtual or alternative methods? And, is it worth it in the long run to follow this approach vs traditional methods of soliciting major donations?

The upcoming webinar, hosted by James Underhill, independent fundraising consultant with over 10 years leading development campaigns, will cover a range of approaches inspired by the successes of mid-pandemic fundraising, including:

• Virtual events: we’ve all tried them but what works best? What are the pitfalls to avoid?
• Use your Head: in the case of parent major donor prospects, your Head and key figures in the school provide the natural link, even more than before the pandemic. We will discuss ways that you can use them. 
• Cut to the chase: the rules have changed, and we can be more direct in asking. What does this look like in practice?

About James Underhill
James Underhill became an independent fundraising consultant in 2013, after ten years spent leading development campaigns at Tonbridge School and then King’s Canterbury. Prior to schools, James gained a decade of experience in capital appeals, PR and marketing with national charity the Woodland Trust. He combines all of this experience with a knowledge of property and project management gained from his previous career as a chartered surveyor.