Major Gifts at Big4 Fundraising 2026

Major Gifts masterclasses

Great fundraisers can’t do it alone: How to build the conditions for transformational giving

Tessa Irwin and Roxy Kavanagh, Donor Republic

Explore the organisational conditions, internal relationships and shared responsibilities required to build and sustain a successful Major Gifts program.

Building an impact data framework that strengthens funding relationships

Jo Garner, Strategic Grants, and Kristi Mansfield, Seer Data & Analytics

Learn how to collect, interpret and communicate impact evidence in ways that strengthen your case for support and deepen relationships with grantmakers and major donors.

Main Conference sessions

10 years of big giving: What fundraisers need to know about Australia’s changing philanthropy landscape

John McLeod, Philanthropic Services, JBWere

Draw on a decade of AFR Philanthropy 50 data to understand how the scale, sources, structures and priorities of Australian philanthropy are changing – and what those shifts mean for engaging the major donors of today and tomorrow.

The relationship management talent drought

Nick Hays; Tessa Irwin; Steffi Chang; Jakki Travers FFIA

A sector conversation about finding, developing and retaining the relationship-management talent required to grow philanthropy programs – and the role leaders and organisational culture play in helping those fundraisers succeed.

Major Gifts sessions

From $250,000 to a $25 million campaign – how a 2.3 FTE team built a diversified fundraising program for a little-known cause

Shivangi Chaturvedi, Childhood Dementia Initiative

Learn how Childhood Dementia Initiative grew from grant-dependent income of around $250,000 to a diversified fundraising program generating approximately $3.7 million and supporting a five-year, $25 million campaign. Shivangi will share how a small team used evidence, clear priorities, return-on-investment measures and an organisation-wide culture of informed risk to focus its effort and build donor trust.

Your big ambition, their big gift: How to create a case for support that speaks to donors’ hearts and minds

Derek Humphries, DTV Group

Learn how to turn complex work into a clear, compelling case for support that connects your organisation’s ambition with a donor’s values, hopes and desire to make a difference.

The long game to the big gift: How to steward major donors towards transformational giving

Marietta Asaad, Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

Go behind several transformational gifts to examine the research, conversations, internal preparation and stewardship decisions that built trust and moved each relationship forward.

How to ask for untied gifts – and actually get them

Beth Cookson, Orange Sky, and Simone Plunkett, Xponential

Use a practical framework and real donor journey to understand how organisations can build the trust required to move supporters from tangible projects to flexible funding for their greatest areas of need.

Why the best fundraising happens before you ask: An Educate Girls case study

Nooreen Dossa, Educate Girls

Explore how a relationship-first approach, a focus on trust and a strong case for long-term unrestricted funding have helped Educate Girls achieve donor retention of around 90% and turn supporters into advocates.

The gratitude industrial complex: Why major donor stewardship needs a reset

Simonne Michelle, Lifeline Australia

Challenge conventional stewardship practices and explore how curiosity, trust, shared purpose and responsiveness to individual preferences can create more authentic donor relationships.