Engaging (and Keeping) Major Donors in a Pandemic

The pandemic was especially hard on arts organizations. While the first 18 months showed that some donors were ready to give when we needed them most, the next 18 months will show you how well you and your organization can continue to cultivate and steward your donors beyond the Zoom screen.

Lead by Jackson Cooper, this interactive workshop provides you with methods of identifying, cultivating, and retaining your major donors right now. You’ll look at your major gift threshold, learn how you need to put your mission in the front of all fundraising, and apply a racial equity lens to your development operations. Your best new donors are already in your database, waiting for you to make the ask.

Attendees can register for a one-on-one follow-up consultation with Jackson Cooper based on their organization’s needs and databases as well as receiving tools and take-home worksheets to apply to their work.

Jackson Cooper is a community-centered fundraiser, writer, arts administrator, and consultant. He has served as an arts philanthropy professional for 12+ years in North Carolina, New York, and Pittsburgh. Now based in Seattle, he is the Major Gifts Manager for Pacific Northwest Ballet, Adjunct Faculty at UNC-Greensboro in their Arts Administration program, and an MFA in Arts Leadership candidate at Seattle University. He has served in leadership capacities at the NC Museum of Art, North Carolina Theatre, PlayMakers Repertory Company, and the Town of Cary among others. He serves on the board of Seattle Mens/Womens Choruses and Seattle Arts and Culture for Antiracism. He is the author of Giving, Philanthropy, and the Practice of Gratitude to be published by Routledge/CRC Press in 2023.