May 5, 2025 • 34 mins
The journey from behind-the-scenes prospect researcher to frontline major gift officer can feel like jumping into the deep end without a life vest. In this illuminating conversation, Matt Stokes, Leadership Giving Officer at Yale University, shares his experience making this challenging career transition and the lessons he's learned along the way.
Matt brings a unique perspective, having spent years analyzing data and identifying prospects before stepping across the table to build relationships with donors directly. He reveals how his background in research has shaped his approach to cultivation and solicitation, providing him with valuable insights that many fundraisers never develop. Most importantly, he discusses the mindset shifts required when moving from data analysis to relationship building – particularly the realization that donors genuinely want to make meaningful impacts through their philanthropy.
Professional development emerges as a crucial theme throughout our conversation. Matt credits scholarships from organizations like AFP and CASE with providing essential learning opportunities when organizational budgets might have limited his growth. He emphasizes the transformative power of mentorship, sharing how two influential leaders in the fundraising community have shaped his career trajectory through their guidance and wisdom. For those early in their fundraising careers, he offers practical advice on finding mentors and accessing professional development, even with limited resources.
Perhaps most valuable is Matt's advice on building confidence in donor conversations, particularly for those new to making solicitations. He reframes these potentially intimidating encounters as opportunities to help donors achieve their philanthropic goals – a perspective that transforms the entire relationship dynamic. His insights on handling donor criticism demonstrate emotional intelligence that fundraisers at any career stage can learn from.
Whether you're considering making the leap into major gifts, are new to frontline fundraising, or are looking to build stronger bridges between your research and development teams, this conversation offers practical wisdom from someone who has successfully navigated this critical career transition.
Connect with us to continue the conversation and subscribe for more insights on advancing your fundraising career!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Keith Greer, CFRE (00:05):
Hey, there, hi, and welcome back ambitious
fundraisers.
I'm your host, keith Greer, andtoday we're talking about
making a leap.
Stepping into a major giftsrole for the first time can feel
like jumping into the deep end.
Our guest went from analyzingdata and identifying prospects
to sitting across from donors,building relationships and
making the ask.
(00:25):
It's exciting, it'sintimidating and for many
fundraisers making this leap,it's a big adjustment.
My friend, matt Stokes, knowsexactly what that transition
feels like.
Matt started his career inprospect research, spending
years behind the scenes helpingfundraisers identify and qualify
potential donors, but now he'sstepping into a principal gift
(00:46):
officer role his first time onthe front lines of fundraising.
Today we're talking about whatthat shift has been like, what's
helped him find his confidenceand what he's learned that can
make both fundraisers andprospect researchers more
effective.
We're also diving into theimportance of professional
development, the role ofmentorship and the conferences
(01:07):
that have had the biggest impacton his career, including one
he's helping to organize laterthis year.
If you're new to Major Gifts,this episode is going to give
you insight and encouragement.
If you've been doing this for awhile, it's a great reminder of
what it's like to step intothis world for the first time
and how you can better supportthe next generation of
fundraisers.
So let's talk fundraising.
(01:29):
I'm excited to welcome to thepod my friend, matt Stokes.
Matt has over a decade ofexperience in philanthropy,
specializing in educationalnonprofit organizations.
Throughout his career, he hascollaborated with development
teams to secure more than $25million in funding for education
(01:50):
and research initiatives.
Currently, matt serves asLeadership Giving Officer at
Yale University, where hepartners with college alumni
across the Mid-Atlantic andSoutheast regions to generate
essential support for coreacademics and research programs
as part of Yale's ambitious $7billion that's billion with a B
campaign.
A dedicated leader in thefundraising community, matt is
(02:14):
an active member of theAssociation of Fundraising
Professionals and the AfricanAmerican Development Officers.
He chairs the AFP Code ofConduct Committee.
He chairs the AFP Code ofConduct Committee, serves on the
AADO 2025 Conference PlanningCommittee and was recently
appointed to the AADO Board.
Matt, welcome to.
Let's Talk Fundraising.
Matt Stokes (02:34):
Awesome.
I'm glad to be here, Keith.
Thank you so much for having me.
Keith Greer, CFRE (02:37):
And we got a chance to meet just a few months
ago at the AFP LeadershipInstitute out in Atlanta.
Matt Stokes (02:51):
What did you think of that experience?
Overall, I had an amazingexperience and it was great to
be surrounded by thoughtful andtalented fundraisers who are
doing amazing work in every partof this country, including you.
Keith Greer, CFRE (02:58):
Oh well, thank you.
I wasn't fishing forcompliments, but I agree,
everybody there was soincredible.
It was nice to be surrounded bypeople who are leaders and to
be counted among those people,because oftentimes I don't think
we often think of ourselves inthat role, but people like you
and me and everybody else there.
We were selected to be therefor a reason, and so that's
(03:20):
really exciting.
Matt Stokes (03:22):
Absolutely.
I enjoyed the experience andI'm just looking forward to
continuing to buildrelationships with everybody
that I met through the Institute?
Keith Greer, CFRE (03:32):
Absolutely, and so you've spent years in
prospect research, but nowyou're on the other side of the
table as a principal giftofficer.
What was the biggest mindsetshift that you had to make when
you stepped into this role?
Matt Stokes (03:44):
Absolutely.
I will say that there were afew challenges that came with
transitioning from doing behindthe scenes work to becoming a
frontline fundraiser and I thinkwhat helped me make the
transition was strategically andthoughtfully building
relationships with donors, yeah,and engendering trust and
(04:07):
empathy through listening moreand talking less, and, I would
say, knowing the story and notbeing afraid to debunk myths and
challenge assumptions.
Keith Greer, CFRE (04:19):
What were some of the biggest myths and
assumptions that you felt likeyou had to debunk?
Matt Stokes (04:31):
Absolutely so oftentimes when I meet with Yale
donors they think that theuniversity is too well funded,
so that gives me an opportunityto educate and inform them about
how the endowment actuallyworks and how the money is
already earmarked and how westill need support from donors
to support core programs acrossthe university, including
(04:56):
keeping the lights on.
Keith Greer, CFRE (04:58):
Absolutely, and I think that, coming to an
institution as big and asprominent as Yale, that's
probably something that's apretty common misconception out
there.
But one of the things that I'veseen in many organizations is
that professional developmentbudgets are often reserved for
more senior employees, those whoare already at the top of the
organization.
But you, in your role, you'vehad some great training and
(05:20):
support in your role.
What has made the biggestdifference for you and do you
think more organizations shouldbe investing in their employees
stepping into these kinds ofroles for the first time?
Matt Stokes (05:31):
Yes, that's a great question.
I think what made the biggestdifference for me was having
trusted and caring mentors thatI can lean on to help me
navigate challenges in my career, and I would say that I've had
a few people who have pushed meto achieve my short-term and
long-term goals.
I would say something else thathas been instrumental for me is
(05:54):
applying for scholarshipsthrough CASE and AFP to attend
fundraising conferences andmaking the case for past
employers and sponsors to covereverything else outside of
registration.
I feel like those opportunitiesreally set me up for success.
Not only was I able to networkwith others in the field, I was
(06:18):
also able to learn bestpractices and put those to use
to make the organization that Iwas working with better and to
raise more money.
Keith Greer, CFRE (06:28):
I think that's a really great point
about looking for scholarshipopportunities, because I think
so often especially people whoare maybe new into fundraising
they think that, oh, myorganization doesn't have the
budget for it, so there's noopportunity to be able to go to
these conferences or to go tothese learning institutes.
How did you find out aboutthese scholarships and how do
(06:50):
you think other people can startlooking for them and finding
those kinds of opportunitiesthemselves?
Matt Stokes (06:56):
Yeah, I would say that it comes back to networking
, knowing people who are leadersin fundraising, who can say to
you, you know, via call, text oremail hey, you know, this
conference is coming up and Ithink it'll be a great
opportunity for you to learn andgrow in the field.
I think you should apply forthe scholarship that covers
(07:17):
registration and then we canfigure out how to help you with
everything else.
But I want you to be in theroom, how to help you with
everything else, but I want youto be in the room.
And sometimes I would learnabout these opportunities by
being subscribed to AFPnewsletter so I would get the
email letting me know about thescholarships.
Also follow AFP and Case onLinkedIn, so when they make
(07:43):
announcements in post, I see theopportunities pop up and would
explore them and apply and gethelp, you know, with reviewing
my scholarship materials.
Keith Greer, CFRE (07:55):
Yes, yeah, I think having your eyes open for
those is really important, andhaving that network of people
whether they're mentors orfriends or advisors having kind
of you in mind and lettingpeople know about that is really
important.
And so when we were talkingearlier, you mentioned how
important mentors and advisorshave been in your journey.
Who are the people that helpedguide you and what's the best
(08:18):
piece of advice that they gaveyou?
Matt Stokes (08:21):
Oh yeah, I love this question.
So two people come to mindimmediately.
I would say Birgit Smith-Burton, who is the founder and
executive director of AADO, andKen Miller, president of Denali
FSP Fundraising and GrantConsultants.
I would say that the two ofthem have been very instrumental
(08:42):
in helping me grow as afundraiser and with Birgit,
she's always encouraged me topassionately pursue growth
opportunities that align with mygoals and values, and with Ken,
he's always encouraged me tostop and smell the flowers by
celebrating wins, both big andsmall.
(09:05):
And there have been times whereI haven't done that, and when I
first started working with Kenas a mentor, that was something
that he challenged me to do andI'm glad that I listened to his
advice because it allows me to,because it allows me to, like
(09:29):
sit with what I haveaccomplished and how I've helped
others and how others havehelped me, and it kind of helps
me think about how I would liketo move forward in doing this
kind of work.
Keith Greer, CFRE (09:38):
I think that's a really beautiful idea
to celebrate both the small winsand the big wins, because so
often it feels kind of likewe're marching along right.
It's just one foot in front ofthe other and there's never an
end to the journey, and so itnever maybe feels like we're
making progress along the way.
But when you can take thosemoments to really stop and
(09:59):
reflect on what you haveaccomplished, you get to see
just how far you've come insteadof how far you still have to go
raising money for yournonprofit.
So I love that advice.
And for someone who's new tothe field, what advice do you
have for them to find a mentor?
Matt Stokes (10:17):
I would say network , network, network.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:22):
So what should they be doing?
Matt Stokes (10:24):
Network, network, network.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:28):
I love it, just in case you missed it the
first time.
Matt Stokes (10:33):
I would say that it's genuinely good to get to
know people and partner withthem, to grow your career and be
actively involved in advancingthe fundraising community
through service.
I think that's an importantpart of it too, because I think
relationships make the world goround.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:56):
They do, and being of service is really
important and it's a good way tostart your networking right,
and that's kind of what you'redoing with conferences and
professional development.
So what events or workshopshave been the most impactful for
you?
And tell us about theconference that you're helping
to organize in September.
What makes that really amust-attend event?
Matt Stokes (11:19):
Got it.
I would say.
An opportunity that comes tomind right away is AFP Lead 2022
in Houston.
Keith Greer, CFRE (11:30):
Okay.
Matt Stokes (11:31):
I had the opportunity to attend that
opportunity and it was great,and one of the highlights for me
was booking time with a careercoach, and he helped me come up
with actionable strategies thatled to where I am today.
So I remember having aconversation with him about
(11:51):
pivoting from prospect researchto frontline fundraising, and he
was very helpful in helping methink through how I could start
from where I was and get towhere I am now, and I was able
to put those strategies intoaction and they worked.
Yes, so the AADO 2025conference will be held at the
(12:17):
Emory Conference Center inAtlanta this September the 15th
through the 17th and I thinkthat this conference is a vital
gathering for advancing ourfields uh and building
meaningful connections amongprofessionals.
I think that it provides anessential platform for
(12:38):
fundraisers of color to haveimpactful conversations about
their career journeys, lift oneanother up and move their work
forward, and I am on theconference planning committee,
so we are most definitelylooking for sponsorships.
Keith Greer, CFRE (12:58):
Excellent.
So if anybody out there wantsto sponsor the AADO, reach out
to Matt.
We'll make sure to put hisLinkedIn information in the show
notes so that you can help outwith that conference.
What is it that is so special?
And about finding thatcommunity among people like
yourselves, because I definitelyfeel that importance within the
(13:20):
LGBTQ community myself.
But what is it that for you?
That's really about.
Finding people who share thatsimilar background that makes it
such an important piece ofbuilding that community.
Matt Stokes (13:33):
Absolutely.
I think a part of it is knowingthat I am not alone, and I want
to be surrounded by like-mindedpeople who can support me
through the good, the bad andthe ugly, and I also think it's
important to see yourselfreflected in leadership.
(13:56):
Personally, one of my long-termgoals is to one day lead a
fundraising shop at a college oruniversity, and through AA and
DO, I have met fundraisers ofcolor who have done that, and I
have the opportunity, throughthis vibrant network, to work
(14:17):
with them to figure out how Ican get there.
So I would say that those twothings come to mind when I think
about why it's important tohave these kinds of spaces for
us.
Keith Greer, CFRE (14:31):
I really thank you for sharing that.
The other part for me and Itotally agree with everything
that you're saying, but a bigpart of it for me is having
somebody who has a sharedbackground with me.
They are going to see the worldin a different way than anybody
else does, and so the way thatthey're going to approach the
(14:52):
problems and the challenges thatI'm facing are going to be more
aligned and attuned with who Iam as a person as well, and so I
think having that sharedbackground is just so vital and
so important, and so thank youfor sharing that.
That I wanted to ask was youtalked about working with a
(15:18):
career coach to find out how tobest make the ask and to advance
into your next phase of yourcareer, from the researcher into
the relationship person who'sactually making the ask?
And making that ask can bereally intimidating, especially
for someone coming from abackground where they really
didn't have to do that before.
What's been the most importantfactor in helping you build
confidence in theseconversations?
Matt Stokes (15:39):
Yeah.
Something I want to note isthat my fundraising career
started in college, so, likemost people, I fell into
fundraising.
It was not something that Ithought I would be doing now,
and I will say that I amgrateful that I had this
opportunity, because I have hada fulfilling and rewarding
(16:00):
career in fundraising.
So while in college I workedfor the Oberlin Annual Fund and
in the evenings during the weekI called parents and alumni to
ask for financial aid support,and this very early experience
gave me the confidence to nowmake bigger ask in my current
role at Yale.
So I think that earlyexperience was very instrumental
(16:24):
and, to answer your question,the most important factor is
knowing that people want to makea meaningful impact through
their giving.
And I enjoy helping them figureout how they want to do that.
Keith Greer, CFRE (16:41):
I think so many people who are just
stepping into fundraising forthe first time, they feel like
they might be begging right,like they are imposing on
somebody by making the ask.
But oftentimes the people whoare taking those meetings with
you, they know exactly whatyou're there for and they are
wanting to help.
Otherwise they wouldn't haveshown up right.
Matt Stokes (17:02):
Right.
Keith Greer, CFRE (17:02):
And so, now that you've been in this role
for a bit, what's the biggestlesson you've learned about
building donor relationships andmaking solicitations?
Is there anything about majorgift works that has surprised
you?
Matt Stokes (17:15):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I would say.
The biggest lesson for me is tobe consistent and persistent
and speak with conviction whenit comes to building donor
relationships.
Yeah, and I would say one thingthat has been surprising is
(17:40):
that people can be very honest,very honest about how they feel
toward an organization, and it'snot a personal attack on the
gift officer listening to theirstory.
Keith Greer, CFRE (17:54):
Yes.
Matt Stokes (17:55):
And I've learned that that honesty can help an
organization improve itsoperations and better serve its
key stakeholders.
And that was something that waschallenging for me at first and
it is a challenge that I'mlearning to overcome is that I'm
not to take what they'resharing with me about the
(18:18):
organization as a personalattack, because it's not a
personal attack and I think thatsometimes donors need to feel
seen, heard and understood inorder to move forward.
So I can say that I've been inmeetings where people were very
honest, been in meetings wherepeople were very honest and at
times it was uncomfortable, butit was exactly what they needed
(18:40):
to move forward with theirgiving at Yale and it helped
them get back to a point wherethey were more responsive and
open to meeting and continuingthe conversation.
But they just needed to feelseen, heard and understood in
order to move forward.
Keith Greer, CFRE (19:01):
I love what you're saying about making sure
that somebody feels seen, heardand understood in those moments
where they do air theirfrustration.
When I was young, I worked atDisney World out in Orlando,
florida, and one of the thingsthey taught us was about making
relationships.
Last L-A-S-T and it was whensomebody came to you with a
(19:22):
problem you would listen to whatthey're having to say, you
would apologize for theirexperience, solve the issue and
then thank them for bringing itto you.
And if you're able to do thatin a really honest and sincere
way, which it sounds like you do, you're able to help transform
that relationship from one ofanger and frustration to one of
(19:44):
mutual respect and support.
And so beautiful job on doingthat, matt.
Matt Stokes (19:48):
Thank you, and I love, I love what Disney taught
you.
I'm going to put that intopractice.
Keith Greer, CFRE (19:53):
Last, yes, make those relationships last.
And so, now that you've seenboth sides of the relationship,
let's talk about therelationship between prospect
researchers and fundraisers.
What do you wish prospectresearchers understood about the
work of a major gift officerthat would make that
collaboration easier officer.
Matt Stokes (20:17):
That would make that collaboration easier.
Yes, and I want to preface thisby going back to one of your
earlier questions about howorganizations can invest in
people who are starting in thiswork, and, I would say,
investing in nine-monthfrontline fundraising programs
like the one that Veritas Groupdoes for mid-level and major
(20:37):
gift fundraisers.
I went through their nine-monthprogram in 2023, and it was one
of the best programs that Ihave ever been a part of.
I learned the ins and outs ofbeing a successful major gift
officer and I think that thatprogram has most definitely
(20:58):
contributed to the successesthat I've seen in my current
role, and one of the things thatI learned through that program
is that it's important for majorgift officers to create a donor
engagement plan for each oftheir prospects.
So, with saying that, I wishprospect researchers understood
(21:20):
gift officers' strategies forcultivating and soliciting
donors, because I think thatthat information could inform
their research.
Keith Greer, CFRE (21:31):
Say a little bit more about that, like how
would that impact the way theprospect researcher researches?
Matt Stokes (21:37):
Yes.
So prior to me going into ameeting, it's important for me
to have an agenda and liketalking points and to know the
purpose of the meeting and whatI'm going to cover and what I'm
hoping to get out of the meeting.
I think providing that strategyto a prospect researcher can
(22:06):
help them, help me, prepare formy meeting and maybe find
information on the prospect thatI wasn't privy to.
Okay so it helps like tailortheir research to support the
work that we're doing togetherto move the donor relationship
forward.
Keith Greer, CFRE (22:25):
Perfect.
And so then, on the flip sideof that, what do you wish major
gift officers understood aboutprospect research, and how can
these two teams work bettertogether to really drive
fundraising success?
Matt Stokes (22:39):
Great question.
I wish major gift officersunderstood that prospect
research is invaluable andactionable but takes time to
gather into a cohesive dossierfor use.
Keith Greer, CFRE (22:57):
It's not just at your fingertips.
Ready to go, Matt?
No, Aw, dashing my hopes anddreams here.
Matt Stokes (23:09):
I think prospect research could work with
prospect management to identifyand research warm leads and feed
these potential donors to majorgift officers for discovery
work.
And I think major gift officerscould keep the CRM updated as
(23:31):
much as possible with donor datafrom their meetings and
interactions with prospects,which gives prospects research a
frame of reference for research.
I do think that that is veryimportant.
A frame of reference forresearch.
(23:59):
I do think that that is veryimportant.
Having done prospect developmentwork at Morehouse College,
which was what was very valuablefor me in that role was being
able to have prior meetinghistory on a prospect.
So if I knew that the vicepresident of development was
going to be meeting with thepresident of the board, what was
helpful for me was to be ableto go into that person's record
and look at the meeting historyand kind of like, follow how
that relationship has beendeveloped and use that
information as a jumping offpoint for researching that
(24:24):
person to learn things aboutthem that maybe we were not
aware of before.
That could help the vicepresident of development as she
prepares to walk into thatmeeting.
Keith Greer, CFRE (24:38):
Okay.
So question here about puttinginformation into your CRM.
What kind of information areyou wanting major gift officers
to put in there?
I'm sure adding in a telephonenumber or an updated address or
email address is helpful, butthat's probably not the context
that you're necessarily lookingfor.
It's probably more about thosecontact reports, right, when
(25:00):
you're having those individualmeetings and you're finding out
new details and new informationthat you might not be able to
find on the prospect researchside.
But it gives you a new lead tofollow to try to find that
information.
Am I hearing you right?
Matt Stokes (25:14):
Yes, absolutely.
I think what comes to mindimmediately is you know, when
you're meeting with a prospectand they're telling you that
they have like a second home andlike where is that second home
and how often do they vacationthere?
Does the prospect have kids?
Like where are their kids intheir educational journey?
Like are they in high school?
Like what type of high schooldo they go to?
(25:35):
Are they at a public highschool?
Are they at a private school?
Are they getting ready to applyfor college and what colleges
are they looking at?
When it comes to the donorsgiving, what are their
philanthropic priorities?
Like where else are they giving?
What types of gifts are theymaking to those other?
(25:56):
Organizations of details canhelp a prospect research team
dig deeper and find moreinformation about a prospect
that could be useful to a majorgift officer.
Keith Greer, CFRE (26:13):
Absolutely, and not just for the prospect
research team.
But chances are most of us arenot going to be in this role of
major gift fundraiser for thisorganization for the rest of
this organization's life.
There, not going to be in thisrole of major gift fundraiser
for this organization for therest of this organization's life
, there's going to be somebodythat comes after us and it's not
only great for the prospectresearcher but it's great for
the person that's coming in next, Because I have certainly
(26:35):
stepped into roles where theextent of contact reports is met
with donors, discussed gift,talked about family and no
further information, and it issupremely unhelpful in figuring
out where things are at.
Matt Stokes (26:51):
Absolutely, and I would wholeheartedly agree.
That was actually one of thethings that the Veritas Group
program that I did kept,emphasizing how important it is
to do the data entry, to geteverything into the CRM,
especially when it's still freshin your mind Because, to your
point, keith, one day you willleave the role, so it's helpful
(27:13):
for the next person comingbehind you to know where to pick
up with the relationship.
Keith Greer, CFRE (27:18):
Exactly, and so, coming from that research
background, you've got a reallystrong foundation in data and
analytics.
How has that shaped yourapproach to donor cultivation
and solicitation, and have youfound yourself using research
tools in a new way now thatyou're on the fundraising?
Matt Stokes (27:35):
side research background has most definitely
informed the work that I do nowin individual giving.
For example, if I can figure outwhat a donor supports
philanthropically, I can thinkof ways to approach this topic
in an upcoming meeting and focuson how he or she might like to
(27:58):
realize those philanthropicgoals through Yale.
And I would say that, likesometimes I use tools like
Rocket Reach to find new contactinformation for donors so that
I can set up an in-person orvirtual meeting.
At previous organizations Iused Alumni Finder but I find,
(28:21):
like Rocket Reach to be veryhelpful.
If I've tried to contact adonor via phone or email, I'm
not getting through to them.
Sometimes Rocket Reach willcome in handy.
Or sometimes, like a basicGoogle search, like if I can
find, if I can see in the CRMwhere somebody works but we
don't have a record of theirwork email I may be able to find
(28:43):
their work email on theiremployer's website and I may be
able to use that email to get incontact with them to set up a
meeting so that we can talkabout how they would like to
support the university throughtheir time, talents and
treasures.
Keith Greer, CFRE (29:03):
And so our last question that I've got for
you, Matt, is for anyonestepping into their first major
or principal gift role, whatadvice would you give them?
And if you could go back intime and give yourself one piece
of advice before starting thisnew role, what would it be?
Matt Stokes (29:19):
Yes, that is an excellent question.
Thank you, keith.
I honestly would tell anybodystepping into this work that
collaboration is key and I'mgoing to say it again for the
people in the back,collaboration is key.
I would say take time to get toknow your colleagues, leaders
and campus collaborators.
(29:39):
They are knowledgeable and canhelp you get the information you
need to make the case.
I can't emphasize enough how mycurrent colleagues, leaders and
campus collaborators have beeninstrumental in me learning
about Yale, which is a largeuniversity, yale, which is a
(30:07):
large university, and they'vemade you know, tackling the
learning curve, that I hadeasier, and I would tell myself
to speak up and ask for help,like there is no shame in asking
for help if you need it.
If you don't understandsomething, it's perfectly fine
to raise your hand and say youknow, I don't understand this.
Can somebody explain it to me?
I think that's a very healthyway to learn and to foster a
(30:31):
growth mindset is to say youknow, I may not know this right
now, but I can learn it and oneday I will have mastery of this
skill.
And that comes from asking forhelp and learning from others
and, along those lines I wouldsay, to foster relationships
(30:52):
with more seasoned fundraiserswho can help you learn the
process, like they've been doingit for a while and so they can
offer you tips and tricks on howto do different things to get
meetings, write convincingproposals, write quick talking
points, how to jot down quicknotes after a meeting so that
(31:14):
you can enter them later Because, like sometimes, a lot of us
have like a bunch of meetingsand so sometimes the meetings
start to blend together.
But there's different thingsthat you can do to remember each
visit or each meeting that youhave in a day.
(31:36):
Can you share one of those quicktips with us to like, between
meetings, to take five to 10minutes to jot down major points
that came up during the visit,and then to also just jot down
one to three next steps that youwant to do to follow up from
(31:59):
the meeting, and that could beto thank the person, to send
them a proposal about a specificopportunity that they're
interested in, or it could bethat you learn that the person
is expecting a baby or expectinga grandchild, so maybe there
are some, there's a bib orsomething, a nice gift that you
can send them to congratulatethem on growing their family.
(32:22):
To congratulate them on growingtheir family.
Another colleague shared withme that, if you are open to it,
you can also do voice notes onyour phone and just speak into
the phone for maybe three tofive minutes, just capturing
highlights and next steps, andthen you can go back to it later
.
Just as long as you have itsomewhere written down or in a
(32:45):
recording, that'll help you withkeeping the CRM updated.
Keith Greer, CFRE (32:51):
That is such helpful advice.
I hadn't used the three to fiveminutes to take a quick note or
to do the voice recording, butfor me I just build in five to
10 minutes at the end of mymeeting with somebody to just
put my notes into the CRM onexactly what we talked about.
But I love what you're sayingabout making sure that you're
(33:12):
putting in the next steps too,because I think so often we
forget about the next steps andrecording those as our next set
of actions.
So wonderful advice, matt.
Thank you so much for beinghere on the podcast today, for
sharing your story and yourtransition into this new role
for you.
That's super exciting.
Are you going to AFP Icon orAFP Lead this year?
Matt Stokes (33:48):
I am currently not signed up to attend either of
those.
Keith Greer, CFRE (33:49):
Right now I am registered to attend the AADO
2025 conference in Atlanta thisfall, and where can people find
out more about that conference?
Matt Stokes (33:54):
Yes, they can find more information on AADO's
website.
That website iswwwaadoconferencecom.
Keith Greer, CFRE (34:06):
Perfect, and if somebody wants to become a
sponsor, we'll again link Matt'sLinkedIn in the show notes.
Reach out to Matt and become asponsor of such an amazing
program that's going to supportso many development officers
within our community.
So, matt, thank you again forbeing here and I'll look forward
to seeing you, hopefully soonin person and, if not,
(34:27):
definitely on our nextLeadership Institute Zoom meet.
Matt Stokes (34:31):
Yes, I'm absolutely looking forward to it and I
thank you again, Keith, forhaving me.
Keith Greer, CFRE (34:35):
My pleasure.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Bye-bye.
Hey, there, hi, and welcome back ambitious
fundraisers.
I'm your host, keith Greer, andtoday we're talking about
making a leap.
Stepping into a major giftsrole for the first time can feel
like jumping into the deep end.
Our guest went from analyzingdata and identifying prospects
to sitting across from donors,building relationships and
making the ask.
(00:25):
It's exciting, it'sintimidating and for many
fundraisers making this leap,it's a big adjustment.
My friend, matt Stokes, knowsexactly what that transition
feels like.
Matt started his career inprospect research, spending
years behind the scenes helpingfundraisers identify and qualify
potential donors, but now he'sstepping into a principal gift
(00:46):
officer role his first time onthe front lines of fundraising.
Today we're talking about whatthat shift has been like, what's
helped him find his confidenceand what he's learned that can
make both fundraisers andprospect researchers more
effective.
We're also diving into theimportance of professional
development, the role ofmentorship and the conferences
(01:07):
that have had the biggest impacton his career, including one
he's helping to organize laterthis year.
If you're new to Major Gifts,this episode is going to give
you insight and encouragement.
If you've been doing this for awhile, it's a great reminder of
what it's like to step intothis world for the first time
and how you can better supportthe next generation of
fundraisers.
So let's talk fundraising.
(01:29):
I'm excited to welcome to thepod my friend, matt Stokes.
Matt has over a decade ofexperience in philanthropy,
specializing in educationalnonprofit organizations.
Throughout his career, he hascollaborated with development
teams to secure more than $25million in funding for education
(01:50):
and research initiatives.
Currently, matt serves asLeadership Giving Officer at
Yale University, where hepartners with college alumni
across the Mid-Atlantic andSoutheast regions to generate
essential support for coreacademics and research programs
as part of Yale's ambitious $7billion that's billion with a B
campaign.
A dedicated leader in thefundraising community, matt is
(02:14):
an active member of theAssociation of Fundraising
Professionals and the AfricanAmerican Development Officers.
He chairs the AFP Code ofConduct Committee.
He chairs the AFP Code ofConduct Committee, serves on the
AADO 2025 Conference PlanningCommittee and was recently
appointed to the AADO Board.
Matt, welcome to.
Let's Talk Fundraising.
Matt Stokes (02:34):
Awesome.
I'm glad to be here, Keith.
Thank you so much for having me.
Keith Greer, CFRE (02:37):
And we got a chance to meet just a few months
ago at the AFP LeadershipInstitute out in Atlanta.
Matt Stokes (02:51):
What did you think of that experience?
Overall, I had an amazingexperience and it was great to
be surrounded by thoughtful andtalented fundraisers who are
doing amazing work in every partof this country, including you.
Keith Greer, CFRE (02:58):
Oh well, thank you.
I wasn't fishing forcompliments, but I agree,
everybody there was soincredible.
It was nice to be surrounded bypeople who are leaders and to
be counted among those people,because oftentimes I don't think
we often think of ourselves inthat role, but people like you
and me and everybody else there.
We were selected to be therefor a reason, and so that's
(03:20):
really exciting.
Matt Stokes (03:22):
Absolutely.
I enjoyed the experience andI'm just looking forward to
continuing to buildrelationships with everybody
that I met through the Institute?
Keith Greer, CFRE (03:32):
Absolutely, and so you've spent years in
prospect research, but nowyou're on the other side of the
table as a principal giftofficer.
What was the biggest mindsetshift that you had to make when
you stepped into this role?
Matt Stokes (03:44):
Absolutely.
I will say that there were afew challenges that came with
transitioning from doing behindthe scenes work to becoming a
frontline fundraiser and I thinkwhat helped me make the
transition was strategically andthoughtfully building
relationships with donors, yeah,and engendering trust and
(04:07):
empathy through listening moreand talking less, and, I would
say, knowing the story and notbeing afraid to debunk myths and
challenge assumptions.
Keith Greer, CFRE (04:19):
What were some of the biggest myths and
assumptions that you felt likeyou had to debunk?
Matt Stokes (04:31):
Absolutely so oftentimes when I meet with Yale
donors they think that theuniversity is too well funded,
so that gives me an opportunityto educate and inform them about
how the endowment actuallyworks and how the money is
already earmarked and how westill need support from donors
to support core programs acrossthe university, including
(04:56):
keeping the lights on.
Keith Greer, CFRE (04:58):
Absolutely, and I think that, coming to an
institution as big and asprominent as Yale, that's
probably something that's apretty common misconception out
there.
But one of the things that I'veseen in many organizations is
that professional developmentbudgets are often reserved for
more senior employees, those whoare already at the top of the
organization.
But you, in your role, you'vehad some great training and
(05:20):
support in your role.
What has made the biggestdifference for you and do you
think more organizations shouldbe investing in their employees
stepping into these kinds ofroles for the first time?
Matt Stokes (05:31):
Yes, that's a great question.
I think what made the biggestdifference for me was having
trusted and caring mentors thatI can lean on to help me
navigate challenges in my career, and I would say that I've had
a few people who have pushed meto achieve my short-term and
long-term goals.
I would say something else thathas been instrumental for me is
(05:54):
applying for scholarshipsthrough CASE and AFP to attend
fundraising conferences andmaking the case for past
employers and sponsors to covereverything else outside of
registration.
I feel like those opportunitiesreally set me up for success.
Not only was I able to networkwith others in the field, I was
(06:18):
also able to learn bestpractices and put those to use
to make the organization that Iwas working with better and to
raise more money.
Keith Greer, CFRE (06:28):
I think that's a really great point
about looking for scholarshipopportunities, because I think
so often especially people whoare maybe new into fundraising
they think that, oh, myorganization doesn't have the
budget for it, so there's noopportunity to be able to go to
these conferences or to go tothese learning institutes.
How did you find out aboutthese scholarships and how do
(06:50):
you think other people can startlooking for them and finding
those kinds of opportunitiesthemselves?
Matt Stokes (06:56):
Yeah, I would say that it comes back to networking
, knowing people who are leadersin fundraising, who can say to
you, you know, via call, text oremail hey, you know, this
conference is coming up and Ithink it'll be a great
opportunity for you to learn andgrow in the field.
I think you should apply forthe scholarship that covers
(07:17):
registration and then we canfigure out how to help you with
everything else.
But I want you to be in theroom, how to help you with
everything else, but I want youto be in the room.
And sometimes I would learnabout these opportunities by
being subscribed to AFPnewsletter so I would get the
email letting me know about thescholarships.
Also follow AFP and Case onLinkedIn, so when they make
(07:43):
announcements in post, I see theopportunities pop up and would
explore them and apply and gethelp, you know, with reviewing
my scholarship materials.
Keith Greer, CFRE (07:55):
Yes, yeah, I think having your eyes open for
those is really important, andhaving that network of people
whether they're mentors orfriends or advisors having kind
of you in mind and lettingpeople know about that is really
important.
And so when we were talkingearlier, you mentioned how
important mentors and advisorshave been in your journey.
Who are the people that helpedguide you and what's the best
(08:18):
piece of advice that they gaveyou?
Matt Stokes (08:21):
Oh yeah, I love this question.
So two people come to mindimmediately.
I would say Birgit Smith-Burton, who is the founder and
executive director of AADO, andKen Miller, president of Denali
FSP Fundraising and GrantConsultants.
I would say that the two ofthem have been very instrumental
(08:42):
in helping me grow as afundraiser and with Birgit,
she's always encouraged me topassionately pursue growth
opportunities that align with mygoals and values, and with Ken,
he's always encouraged me tostop and smell the flowers by
celebrating wins, both big andsmall.
(09:05):
And there have been times whereI haven't done that, and when I
first started working with Kenas a mentor, that was something
that he challenged me to do andI'm glad that I listened to his
advice because it allows me to,because it allows me to, like
(09:29):
sit with what I haveaccomplished and how I've helped
others and how others havehelped me, and it kind of helps
me think about how I would liketo move forward in doing this
kind of work.
Keith Greer, CFRE (09:38):
I think that's a really beautiful idea
to celebrate both the small winsand the big wins, because so
often it feels kind of likewe're marching along right.
It's just one foot in front ofthe other and there's never an
end to the journey, and so itnever maybe feels like we're
making progress along the way.
But when you can take thosemoments to really stop and
(09:59):
reflect on what you haveaccomplished, you get to see
just how far you've come insteadof how far you still have to go
raising money for yournonprofit.
So I love that advice.
And for someone who's new tothe field, what advice do you
have for them to find a mentor?
Matt Stokes (10:17):
I would say network , network, network.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:22):
So what should they be doing?
Matt Stokes (10:24):
Network, network, network.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:28):
I love it, just in case you missed it the
first time.
Matt Stokes (10:33):
I would say that it's genuinely good to get to
know people and partner withthem, to grow your career and be
actively involved in advancingthe fundraising community
through service.
I think that's an importantpart of it too, because I think
relationships make the world goround.
Keith Greer, CFRE (10:56):
They do, and being of service is really
important and it's a good way tostart your networking right,
and that's kind of what you'redoing with conferences and
professional development.
So what events or workshopshave been the most impactful for
you?
And tell us about theconference that you're helping
to organize in September.
What makes that really amust-attend event?
Matt Stokes (11:19):
Got it.
I would say.
An opportunity that comes tomind right away is AFP Lead 2022
in Houston.
Keith Greer, CFRE (11:30):
Okay.
Matt Stokes (11:31):
I had the opportunity to attend that
opportunity and it was great,and one of the highlights for me
was booking time with a careercoach, and he helped me come up
with actionable strategies thatled to where I am today.
So I remember having aconversation with him about
(11:51):
pivoting from prospect researchto frontline fundraising, and he
was very helpful in helping methink through how I could start
from where I was and get towhere I am now, and I was able
to put those strategies intoaction and they worked.
Yes, so the AADO 2025conference will be held at the
(12:17):
Emory Conference Center inAtlanta this September the 15th
through the 17th and I thinkthat this conference is a vital
gathering for advancing ourfields uh and building
meaningful connections amongprofessionals.
I think that it provides anessential platform for
(12:38):
fundraisers of color to haveimpactful conversations about
their career journeys, lift oneanother up and move their work
forward, and I am on theconference planning committee,
so we are most definitelylooking for sponsorships.
Keith Greer, CFRE (12:58):
Excellent.
So if anybody out there wantsto sponsor the AADO, reach out
to Matt.
We'll make sure to put hisLinkedIn information in the show
notes so that you can help outwith that conference.
What is it that is so special?
And about finding thatcommunity among people like
yourselves, because I definitelyfeel that importance within the
(13:20):
LGBTQ community myself.
But what is it that for you?
That's really about.
Finding people who share thatsimilar background that makes it
such an important piece ofbuilding that community.
Matt Stokes (13:33):
Absolutely.
I think a part of it is knowingthat I am not alone, and I want
to be surrounded by like-mindedpeople who can support me
through the good, the bad andthe ugly, and I also think it's
important to see yourselfreflected in leadership.
(13:56):
Personally, one of my long-termgoals is to one day lead a
fundraising shop at a college oruniversity, and through AA and
DO, I have met fundraisers ofcolor who have done that, and I
have the opportunity, throughthis vibrant network, to work
(14:17):
with them to figure out how Ican get there.
So I would say that those twothings come to mind when I think
about why it's important tohave these kinds of spaces for
us.
Keith Greer, CFRE (14:31):
I really thank you for sharing that.
The other part for me and Itotally agree with everything
that you're saying, but a bigpart of it for me is having
somebody who has a sharedbackground with me.
They are going to see the worldin a different way than anybody
else does, and so the way thatthey're going to approach the
(14:52):
problems and the challenges thatI'm facing are going to be more
aligned and attuned with who Iam as a person as well, and so I
think having that sharedbackground is just so vital and
so important, and so thank youfor sharing that.
That I wanted to ask was youtalked about working with a
(15:18):
career coach to find out how tobest make the ask and to advance
into your next phase of yourcareer, from the researcher into
the relationship person who'sactually making the ask?
And making that ask can bereally intimidating, especially
for someone coming from abackground where they really
didn't have to do that before.
What's been the most importantfactor in helping you build
confidence in theseconversations?
Matt Stokes (15:39):
Yeah.
Something I want to note isthat my fundraising career
started in college, so, likemost people, I fell into
fundraising.
It was not something that Ithought I would be doing now,
and I will say that I amgrateful that I had this
opportunity, because I have hada fulfilling and rewarding
(16:00):
career in fundraising.
So while in college I workedfor the Oberlin Annual Fund and
in the evenings during the weekI called parents and alumni to
ask for financial aid support,and this very early experience
gave me the confidence to nowmake bigger ask in my current
role at Yale.
So I think that earlyexperience was very instrumental
(16:24):
and, to answer your question,the most important factor is
knowing that people want to makea meaningful impact through
their giving.
And I enjoy helping them figureout how they want to do that.
Keith Greer, CFRE (16:41):
I think so many people who are just
stepping into fundraising forthe first time, they feel like
they might be begging right,like they are imposing on
somebody by making the ask.
But oftentimes the people whoare taking those meetings with
you, they know exactly whatyou're there for and they are
wanting to help.
Otherwise they wouldn't haveshown up right.
Matt Stokes (17:02):
Right.
Keith Greer, CFRE (17:02):
And so, now that you've been in this role
for a bit, what's the biggestlesson you've learned about
building donor relationships andmaking solicitations?
Is there anything about majorgift works that has surprised
you?
Matt Stokes (17:15):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I would say.
The biggest lesson for me is tobe consistent and persistent
and speak with conviction whenit comes to building donor
relationships.
Yeah, and I would say one thingthat has been surprising is
(17:40):
that people can be very honest,very honest about how they feel
toward an organization, and it'snot a personal attack on the
gift officer listening to theirstory.
Keith Greer, CFRE (17:54):
Yes.
Matt Stokes (17:55):
And I've learned that that honesty can help an
organization improve itsoperations and better serve its
key stakeholders.
And that was something that waschallenging for me at first and
it is a challenge that I'mlearning to overcome is that I'm
not to take what they'resharing with me about the
(18:18):
organization as a personalattack, because it's not a
personal attack and I think thatsometimes donors need to feel
seen, heard and understood inorder to move forward.
So I can say that I've been inmeetings where people were very
honest, been in meetings wherepeople were very honest and at
times it was uncomfortable, butit was exactly what they needed
(18:40):
to move forward with theirgiving at Yale and it helped
them get back to a point wherethey were more responsive and
open to meeting and continuingthe conversation.
But they just needed to feelseen, heard and understood in
order to move forward.
Keith Greer, CFRE (19:01):
I love what you're saying about making sure
that somebody feels seen, heardand understood in those moments
where they do air theirfrustration.
When I was young, I worked atDisney World out in Orlando,
florida, and one of the thingsthey taught us was about making
relationships.
Last L-A-S-T and it was whensomebody came to you with a
(19:22):
problem you would listen to whatthey're having to say, you
would apologize for theirexperience, solve the issue and
then thank them for bringing itto you.
And if you're able to do thatin a really honest and sincere
way, which it sounds like you do, you're able to help transform
that relationship from one ofanger and frustration to one of
(19:44):
mutual respect and support.
And so beautiful job on doingthat, matt.
Matt Stokes (19:48):
Thank you, and I love, I love what Disney taught
you.
I'm going to put that intopractice.
Keith Greer, CFRE (19:53):
Last, yes, make those relationships last.
And so, now that you've seenboth sides of the relationship,
let's talk about therelationship between prospect
researchers and fundraisers.
What do you wish prospectresearchers understood about the
work of a major gift officerthat would make that
collaboration easier officer.
Matt Stokes (20:17):
That would make that collaboration easier.
Yes, and I want to preface thisby going back to one of your
earlier questions about howorganizations can invest in
people who are starting in thiswork, and, I would say,
investing in nine-monthfrontline fundraising programs
like the one that Veritas Groupdoes for mid-level and major
(20:37):
gift fundraisers.
I went through their nine-monthprogram in 2023, and it was one
of the best programs that Ihave ever been a part of.
I learned the ins and outs ofbeing a successful major gift
officer and I think that thatprogram has most definitely
(20:58):
contributed to the successesthat I've seen in my current
role, and one of the things thatI learned through that program
is that it's important for majorgift officers to create a donor
engagement plan for each oftheir prospects.
So, with saying that, I wishprospect researchers understood
(21:20):
gift officers' strategies forcultivating and soliciting
donors, because I think thatthat information could inform
their research.
Keith Greer, CFRE (21:31):
Say a little bit more about that, like how
would that impact the way theprospect researcher researches?
Matt Stokes (21:37):
Yes.
So prior to me going into ameeting, it's important for me
to have an agenda and liketalking points and to know the
purpose of the meeting and whatI'm going to cover and what I'm
hoping to get out of the meeting.
I think providing that strategyto a prospect researcher can
(22:06):
help them, help me, prepare formy meeting and maybe find
information on the prospect thatI wasn't privy to.
Okay so it helps like tailortheir research to support the
work that we're doing togetherto move the donor relationship
forward.
Keith Greer, CFRE (22:25):
Perfect.
And so then, on the flip sideof that, what do you wish major
gift officers understood aboutprospect research, and how can
these two teams work bettertogether to really drive
fundraising success?
Matt Stokes (22:39):
Great question.
I wish major gift officersunderstood that prospect
research is invaluable andactionable but takes time to
gather into a cohesive dossierfor use.
Keith Greer, CFRE (22:57):
It's not just at your fingertips.
Ready to go, Matt?
No, Aw, dashing my hopes anddreams here.
Matt Stokes (23:09):
I think prospect research could work with
prospect management to identifyand research warm leads and feed
these potential donors to majorgift officers for discovery
work.
And I think major gift officerscould keep the CRM updated as
(23:31):
much as possible with donor datafrom their meetings and
interactions with prospects,which gives prospects research a
frame of reference for research.
I do think that that is veryimportant.
A frame of reference forresearch.
(23:59):
I do think that that is veryimportant.
Having done prospect developmentwork at Morehouse College,
which was what was very valuablefor me in that role was being
able to have prior meetinghistory on a prospect.
So if I knew that the vicepresident of development was
going to be meeting with thepresident of the board, what was
helpful for me was to be ableto go into that person's record
and look at the meeting historyand kind of like, follow how
that relationship has beendeveloped and use that
information as a jumping offpoint for researching that
(24:24):
person to learn things aboutthem that maybe we were not
aware of before.
That could help the vicepresident of development as she
prepares to walk into thatmeeting.
Keith Greer, CFRE (24:38):
Okay.
So question here about puttinginformation into your CRM.
What kind of information areyou wanting major gift officers
to put in there?
I'm sure adding in a telephonenumber or an updated address or
email address is helpful, butthat's probably not the context
that you're necessarily lookingfor.
It's probably more about thosecontact reports, right, when
(25:00):
you're having those individualmeetings and you're finding out
new details and new informationthat you might not be able to
find on the prospect researchside.
But it gives you a new lead tofollow to try to find that
information.
Am I hearing you right?
Matt Stokes (25:14):
Yes, absolutely.
I think what comes to mindimmediately is you know, when
you're meeting with a prospectand they're telling you that
they have like a second home andlike where is that second home
and how often do they vacationthere?
Does the prospect have kids?
Like where are their kids intheir educational journey?
Like are they in high school?
Like what type of high schooldo they go to?
(25:35):
Are they at a public highschool?
Are they at a private school?
Are they getting ready to applyfor college and what colleges
are they looking at?
When it comes to the donorsgiving, what are their
philanthropic priorities?
Like where else are they giving?
What types of gifts are theymaking to those other?
(25:56):
Organizations of details canhelp a prospect research team
dig deeper and find moreinformation about a prospect
that could be useful to a majorgift officer.
Keith Greer, CFRE (26:13):
Absolutely, and not just for the prospect
research team.
But chances are most of us arenot going to be in this role of
major gift fundraiser for thisorganization for the rest of
this organization's life.
There, not going to be in thisrole of major gift fundraiser
for this organization for therest of this organization's life
, there's going to be somebodythat comes after us and it's not
only great for the prospectresearcher but it's great for
the person that's coming in next, Because I have certainly
(26:35):
stepped into roles where theextent of contact reports is met
with donors, discussed gift,talked about family and no
further information, and it issupremely unhelpful in figuring
out where things are at.
Matt Stokes (26:51):
Absolutely, and I would wholeheartedly agree.
That was actually one of thethings that the Veritas Group
program that I did kept,emphasizing how important it is
to do the data entry, to geteverything into the CRM,
especially when it's still freshin your mind Because, to your
point, keith, one day you willleave the role, so it's helpful
(27:13):
for the next person comingbehind you to know where to pick
up with the relationship.
Keith Greer, CFRE (27:18):
Exactly, and so, coming from that research
background, you've got a reallystrong foundation in data and
analytics.
How has that shaped yourapproach to donor cultivation
and solicitation, and have youfound yourself using research
tools in a new way now thatyou're on the fundraising?
Matt Stokes (27:35):
side research background has most definitely
informed the work that I do nowin individual giving.
For example, if I can figure outwhat a donor supports
philanthropically, I can thinkof ways to approach this topic
in an upcoming meeting and focuson how he or she might like to
(27:58):
realize those philanthropicgoals through Yale.
And I would say that, likesometimes I use tools like
Rocket Reach to find new contactinformation for donors so that
I can set up an in-person orvirtual meeting.
At previous organizations Iused Alumni Finder but I find,
(28:21):
like Rocket Reach to be veryhelpful.
If I've tried to contact adonor via phone or email, I'm
not getting through to them.
Sometimes Rocket Reach willcome in handy.
Or sometimes, like a basicGoogle search, like if I can
find, if I can see in the CRMwhere somebody works but we
don't have a record of theirwork email I may be able to find
(28:43):
their work email on theiremployer's website and I may be
able to use that email to get incontact with them to set up a
meeting so that we can talkabout how they would like to
support the university throughtheir time, talents and
treasures.
Keith Greer, CFRE (29:03):
And so our last question that I've got for
you, Matt, is for anyonestepping into their first major
or principal gift role, whatadvice would you give them?
And if you could go back intime and give yourself one piece
of advice before starting thisnew role, what would it be?
Matt Stokes (29:19):
Yes, that is an excellent question.
Thank you, keith.
I honestly would tell anybodystepping into this work that
collaboration is key and I'mgoing to say it again for the
people in the back,collaboration is key.
I would say take time to get toknow your colleagues, leaders
and campus collaborators.
(29:39):
They are knowledgeable and canhelp you get the information you
need to make the case.
I can't emphasize enough how mycurrent colleagues, leaders and
campus collaborators have beeninstrumental in me learning
about Yale, which is a largeuniversity, yale, which is a
(30:07):
large university, and they'vemade you know, tackling the
learning curve, that I hadeasier, and I would tell myself
to speak up and ask for help,like there is no shame in asking
for help if you need it.
If you don't understandsomething, it's perfectly fine
to raise your hand and say youknow, I don't understand this.
Can somebody explain it to me?
I think that's a very healthyway to learn and to foster a
(30:31):
growth mindset is to say youknow, I may not know this right
now, but I can learn it and oneday I will have mastery of this
skill.
And that comes from asking forhelp and learning from others
and, along those lines I wouldsay, to foster relationships
(30:52):
with more seasoned fundraiserswho can help you learn the
process, like they've been doingit for a while and so they can
offer you tips and tricks on howto do different things to get
meetings, write convincingproposals, write quick talking
points, how to jot down quicknotes after a meeting so that
(31:14):
you can enter them later Because, like sometimes, a lot of us
have like a bunch of meetingsand so sometimes the meetings
start to blend together.
But there's different thingsthat you can do to remember each
visit or each meeting that youhave in a day.
(31:36):
Can you share one of those quicktips with us to like, between
meetings, to take five to 10minutes to jot down major points
that came up during the visit,and then to also just jot down
one to three next steps that youwant to do to follow up from
(31:59):
the meeting, and that could beto thank the person, to send
them a proposal about a specificopportunity that they're
interested in, or it could bethat you learn that the person
is expecting a baby or expectinga grandchild, so maybe there
are some, there's a bib orsomething, a nice gift that you
can send them to congratulatethem on growing their family.
(32:22):
To congratulate them on growingtheir family.
Another colleague shared withme that, if you are open to it,
you can also do voice notes onyour phone and just speak into
the phone for maybe three tofive minutes, just capturing
highlights and next steps, andthen you can go back to it later
.
Just as long as you have itsomewhere written down or in a
(32:45):
recording, that'll help you withkeeping the CRM updated.
Keith Greer, CFRE (32:51):
That is such helpful advice.
I hadn't used the three to fiveminutes to take a quick note or
to do the voice recording, butfor me I just build in five to
10 minutes at the end of mymeeting with somebody to just
put my notes into the CRM onexactly what we talked about.
But I love what you're sayingabout making sure that you're
(33:12):
putting in the next steps too,because I think so often we
forget about the next steps andrecording those as our next set
of actions.
So wonderful advice, matt.
Thank you so much for beinghere on the podcast today, for
sharing your story and yourtransition into this new role
for you.
That's super exciting.
Are you going to AFP Icon orAFP Lead this year?
Matt Stokes (33:48):
I am currently not signed up to attend either of
those.
Keith Greer, CFRE (33:49):
Right now I am registered to attend the AADO
2025 conference in Atlanta thisfall, and where can people find
out more about that conference?
Matt Stokes (33:54):
Yes, they can find more information on AADO's
website.
That website iswwwaadoconferencecom.
Keith Greer, CFRE (34:06):
Perfect, and if somebody wants to become a
sponsor, we'll again link Matt'sLinkedIn in the show notes.
Reach out to Matt and become asponsor of such an amazing
program that's going to supportso many development officers
within our community.
So, matt, thank you again forbeing here and I'll look forward
to seeing you, hopefully soonin person and, if not,
(34:27):
definitely on our nextLeadership Institute Zoom meet.
Matt Stokes (34:31):
Yes, I'm absolutely looking forward to it and I
thank you again, Keith, forhaving me.
Keith Greer, CFRE (34:35):
My pleasure.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Bye-bye.
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