Webinars The Hidden Risk in Major Gifts: Building a Modern Due Diligence Strategy Major gifts bring transformative opportunity but also increasing scrutiny and risk. Learn how modern due diligence strategies help nonprofits confidently vet donors, protect their reputation, and move forward with the right gifts. Home Resources Webinars The Hidden Risk in Major Gifts: Building a Modern Due Diligence Strategy Webinars Due Diligence education nonprofits Major gifts have the power to transform nonprofit organizations. But without the right vetting processes in place, they can also introduce significant financial, legal, and reputational risk. As philanthropy becomes increasingly global and high-profile donors face greater public scrutiny, capacity and connection are no longer enough. This session explored how modern fundraising teams are evolving their due diligence strategies to meet these challenges, without slowing down momentum. Altrata’s Matt Thompson walked through the hidden risks organizations face when accepting major gifts without proper vetting, from financial exposure and sanctions risk to mission misalignment and donor fallout. He also shared practical frameworks for building a scalable due diligence program, regardless of team size or resources. The session examined a critical shift: from reactive, checkbox-driven vetting to a proactive, intelligence-led approach to donor due diligence that protects institutional integrity while enabling confident, informed fundraising. Missed the live session? Watch the on-demand replay now to access all the insights. Key highlights Understanding the hidden risks of major gifts: Explore the financial, legal, reputational, and mission alignment risks that organizations face when major gifts are accepted without proper vetting, and why the implications go further than most teams realize. Building a scalable due diligence framework: Learn how organizations of every size can create repeatable, practical due diligence workflows that scale with the complexity and value of each gift, without adding unnecessary burden to already stretched teams. Knowing what to evaluate and when: Discover the key risk indicators every development team should be assessing, including source of wealth, adverse media, sanctions exposure, and mission alignment, and how to determine when each level of scrutiny applies. This session is essential for prospect research and due diligence professionals, major gifts officers, development and advancement leaders, and nonprofit executives seeking to strengthen their donor vetting processes and protect their organization’s mission and reputation. Access the recording now. Our Presenter Matt Thompson, VP, Higher Education and Healthcare, Global, Altrata Matt Thompson has spent over a decade helping nonprofit organizations achieve their fundraising goals. Originally from Boston, Massachusetts, Matt has been in the software industry since 2006 and brings a wealth of experience in wealth intelligence, donor engagement, and strategic relationship-building. A passionate advocate for leveraging data to drive impact, Matt works closely with organizations to develop tailored strategies that enhance major donor cultivation and stewardship. When not working, Matt is an avid golfer, a devoted Patriots fan, and a proud parent.