Episode Details

In this episode, Tom wraps up his conversation with Bernice “Bea” Martin Lee, CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation, by diving into the real-world messiness behind big gifts, pulled commitments, and what it takes to build sustainable major gift growth.

Bea begins with a powerful corporate solicitation story from her current role: how a pharma summit turned into a genuine partnership when she helped a company reframe its language around a new epilepsy rescue medication. From there, she unpacks what it looks like to come to the table as a true partner, not a supplicant, and how that posture has helped the Foundation secure and grow significant corporate support.

Then the conversation turns to stewardship and data:

• Why stewardship is “the fun part” and also the most neglected part of the fundraising cycle
• How to make the internal case for spending time and money on donors after the gift is closed
• Practical examples of meaningful stewardship that go beyond plaques and events and actually honor donors’ stories and values
• How Bea used CRM analysis to identify 110 high-capacity, high-affinity donors who had not been stewarded properly, and how that discovery became the basis for a $10M philanthropic growth plan
• Why leaner, more focused portfolios often outperform bloated lists filled with lukewarm names

Finally, Bea shares one of her most painful and instructive moments as a fundraiser: a verbally committed seven-figure gift that was later retracted. She walks through:

• How it happened and why it was so awkward for everyone involved
• What she learned about hidden influencers and the importance of asking, “Who else needs to be part of this decision?”
• The exact kind of language she used to re-engage the donor without shame or pressure
• How she protected the donor internally, took responsibility, and rebuilt the relationship instead of walking away
• Why humility, patience, and a long-term view matter when a big gift falls apart

If you’ve ever struggled to get beyond “please help,” wrestled with stewardship priorities, or had a donor back away from a major commitment, this episode will give you both practical tools and a calmer, wiser way to think about the long game of major gifts.

For more information on epilepsy, visit https://www.epilepsy.com/

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