October 14-16, 2026
offered by The FOCUS Group
Take Your Fundraising to the Next Level
Fundraising may be hard work, but you don’t have to do it alone. Join us at The FOCUS Group Institute to make your fundraising more effective and, ultimately, further your mission.
The FOCUS Group Institute is two days of in-person professional development. Experienced instructors will guide you through our proven material and ensure you have a clear plan to make your day-to-day work more effective.
You can choose from three tracks:
2) Cultivating Major Gifts Training Intensive
WHEN
6 pm Wednesday, October 14 through 12 pm Friday, October 16, 2026
WHERE
Embassy Suites, St. Augustine, FL (closest airports JAX and MCO)
COST
$995 per person (includes all training, materials, and meals)
Lodging - Participants may stay at the Embassy Suites or elsewhere nearby
Track #1
Preparing Your Organization for a Capital Campaign
If your organization is ready to grow to the next level by acquiring property, expanding your facilities, building capacity, or funding key strategic initiatives, it may be time to consider a capital campaign. But how do you know if you are ready?
Topics include:
- When and how to launch a capital campaign
- Role of your strategic plan
- How campaigns differ from annual fund
- Preparing your board and staff
- Key "must-haves" for a successful capital campaign
Ideal for: Teams thinking through all aspects of carrying out a campaign—invite your President, Development Director and a Board Member to come.
(We believe this is so important that your third registration is free! This track only.)
Track #2
Cultivating Major Gifts Training Intensive
Your most significant donor relationships have the potential to accelerate your mission in meaningful ways. But cultivating major gifts requires more than simply making the ask. How do you build authentic donor partnerships that lead to greater engagement, generosity, and long-term impact?
Topics include:
- Major donor conversations
- Theology of giving
- Portfolio organization and management
- Donor cultivation strategies
- Listening to advance relationships
Ideal for: Major gift officers or any development leader who cultivates your most significant donor relationships.
Track #3
Maximizing Your Legacy Gift Program: Key Elements to a Self- Assessment
The $80 trillion transfer is here. Is your ministry positioned to secure transformational gifts from your ministry partners? A successful legacy gift program is built on best practices, a strategy and plan, and customized donor engagement. Learn how to evaluate your program and identify areas for future growth.
Topics include:
- Prospect identification- Engagement and asking strategies
- Building capacity (team/volunteers)
- Gift documentation and pipeline forecast
- Intentional donor care
Ideal for: Current and former The FOCUS Group clients, or any nonprofit, looking to establish or strengthen a legacy giving program with the resources they already have.
"Left the intensive encouraged that I am doing work to advance the Kingdom. I lose sight of that sometimes!" - a recent TFG Institute participant
“I would ABSOLUTELY recommend offering this again. The practical training and ready encouragement I received transitioned my mindset and moved me into a space of truly believing we could do this.” - a recent TFG Institute participant
“Thank you so much for the time and energy put into the Institute. It was well done and well worth the time and effort.” - a recent TFG Institute participant
“I felt prepared and excited to return and get started!” - a recent TFG Institute participant