OUR SERVICES
Expert guidance from first conversation to closing gift.
We work hands-on alongside your team — not just as advisors, but as active partners through every stage of your campaign. Three core services, one relentless goal: your largest gift ever.
01 CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS
02 FEASIBILITY STUDIES
03 MAJOR GIFT & LEADERSHIP COACHING
Typical engagement: We generally work with campaigns of $1M–$20M. Not sure if you're in range? The strategy call is the right place to find out.
Campaign management
We don't hand you a plan and wish you luck. We get in the work with you.
Leading a major fundraising campaign can feel overwhelming — especially when your team is already stretched. With 15+ successful campaigns and deep roots in the DC and Maryland philanthropic community, we bring proven strategy and hands-on execution support so you can reach — and exceed — your goal.
Proven track record: 15+ campaigns managed, 100% met or exceeded goal — including a $14M close on a $10M target.
Hands-on partnership: We work alongside your team to implement strategy, engage donors, and keep momentum strong through every phase.
Major gift solicitation: From cultivation to closing, we help you approach 6- and 7-figure donors with clarity, confidence, and care.
Volunteer leadership: We recruit, train, and support campaign volunteers and board champions who open doors you didn't know existed.
Local philanthropic expertise: Deep knowledge of DC and Maryland donors, networks, and giving culture — so you're never starting from zero.
Start smart. Move forward with confidence.
Before you launch, you need clarity — not guesswork.
Nonprofits that skip the feasibility study and go straight to campaign launch are taking a costly gamble. Our feasibility studies give you a strategic, donor-informed foundation — revealing what's truly possible, who your top prospects are, and how to approach them — so you launch with the right goal at the right time.
Confidential donor interviews: We speak candidly with your key prospects to assess their capacity, interest, and readiness to give at a major level.
Honest goal validation: We'll tell you what the data says — even if it means adjusting your timeline or goal. That honesty is what makes campaigns succeed.
Prospect identification: We identify and prioritize the donors most likely to give at a transformational level — so your energy goes to the right people.
Messaging that resonates: Real donor feedback shapes the messaging and case for support that will inspire generosity and build trust.
A clear path forward: A custom, step-by-step action plan — whether you're ready to launch now or need 6–12 more months of cultivation first.
Feasibility Studies
Good to know: A feasibility study typically runs 8–12 weeks. It is the single highest-ROI investment a nonprofit can make before a campaign.
Flexible engagement: Coaching is available as a standalone service or as part of a full campaign engagement. Ask us what's right for your organization.
Major Gift & Leadership Coaching
Turn passionate supporters into major donors.
Major gifts don't happen by accident. Let's prepare for them — together.
Your current donors have more capacity than you think. The gap isn't the donors — it's the ask. Led by Farrah Ferriell (CFRE, CPC), our coaching transforms how your development staff and board members think about, approach, and invite major commitments. The confidence we build lasts long after the engagement ends.
Personalized major gift strategy: We identify your highest-capacity prospects and build a thoughtful, individualized approach for each one.
Ask training that works: Practical tools and real language for executive directors, board members, and development staff — so every conversation feels natural, not scripted.
5-, 6-, and 7-figure focus: We help you move beyond the annual fund mindset and build the relationships that lead to transformational commitments.
CFRE-credentialed expertise: Farrah's coaching is rooted in 22+ years of real major gift experience — not theory. She's raised over $300M and coached teams across the country.
Long-term capacity building: We don't just run the play for you — we build your team's capability so you can sustain major gift success for years to come.
Who we work with — and who we don't.
We're a boutique firm. We stay small so every client gets Gudrun or Farrah directly — not a junior associate. That means we're selective about who we work with, and that's by design.
✓ We're a great fit if you are...
✓A nonprofit in DC, Maryland, or the surrounding region planning a campaign of $1M or more
✓An organization with strong board leadership and a willingness to invest in the process
✓A development team that wants to build real major gift capability — not just outsource the work
✓An executive director who is ready to be personally involved in donor relationships
✓An organization whose mission you're proud to tell donors about — because that's what we'll be doing
✕ We may not be the right fit if...
✕ - You're looking for someone to run the campaign entirely without staff involvement
✕ - Your board is not yet engaged or supportive of a major fundraising effort
✕ - Your campaign goal is under $500K
Independent Schools
Capital campaigns for building projects, endowment, and scholarship funds.
Social Services
Campaigns for human services organizations, disability services, and community nonprofits.
Faith-Based
Building campaigns and major gift strategy for faith communities and religious organizations.
Higher Education
Major gift campaigns for universities, community colleges, and foundations.
Arts & Culture
Capital and endowment campaigns for arts organizations, museums, and cultural institutions.
Environment & Health
Mission-driven campaigns for environmental, health, and advocacy organizations.
A proven process. Customized for your mission.
HOW WE WORK
1 . Understand Your Vision
We start by listening to your goals and aspirations
2. Assess Readiness
A thorough feasibility study reveals what's truly possible and who will lead the way.
3. Build the Roadmap
A custom strategy — timelines, donor tiers, messaging, leadership roles, and milestones.
4. Execute Together
We work alongside your team — not just as advisors, but as active partners in the campaign.
5. Celebrate & Sustain
We help you reach — and often exceed — your goal, then build the systems for what's next.
What nonprofit leaders say about working with us.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
"I have been involved in many fund raisers over the years. Gudrun Hofmeister is the best fund raising professional I have ever worked with. She enthusiastically kept the volunteers on task and she is an absolute expert at raising money from foundations. I would highly recommend her to any charity trying to raise a large sum of money."
Blackie Bowen, Chair, Empowering Lives Campaign
“Philanthropic Fundraising has helped us be so successful because we've been able to take a crisis, manage through the crisis, and then pick up and figure out how to continue to excel in resource development.”
Katie Collins-Ihrke, Executive Director, The Arc of Howard County
“There's a tried and true way to fundraise. The knowledge that the team from Philanthropic Fundraising brought to the table was great. Their process gave our board the confidence to approach donors we never would have approached on our own.”
Addie Nardi, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, MD
Let's get your nonprofit its largest gift ever.
READY TO START?
Book a free 30-minute strategy call. We'll talk through where you are, where you want to go, and whether we're the right fit to get you there.