This document provides guidance on how to effectively ask for donations. It discusses different asking styles, preparing for the ask by researching prospects and creating materials, making the ask itself, and following up after the ask. The key points covered are crafting the ask, practicing questions and answers, recording relevant data from meetings, following up with thank you notes, and engaging donors in ongoing involvement with the organization. The overall message is that fundraising requires planning, researching the right people to approach, practicing the ask, and maintaining engagement with donors through regular communication and thanks.

1. Making the Ask
To join the call dial 609.318.5900
and use the code 882-848-532#

2. How To Use Join.me

3. Let’s get started!
Name
Organization
What is your “ask style”?

4. Heather Yandow
Third Space Studio

5. Today’s Agenda
• Asking Styles
• Before the ask
• THE ASK
• After the ask

6. “Fundraising is the gentle art of
teaching the joy of giving.”
Hank Rosso

7. Asking Styles

8. Before the Ask
• Create your fundraising plan, including
donor pyramid
• Gather or create your collateral materials
• Research the prospect
• Make the appointment

9. Fundraising Plan & Donor Pyramid
• How much money overall does your
organization need to raise?
• How much money does your organization
need to raise from individual donors?
• What are you individual donor strategies?
• How much do you need to raise from major
donors?

10. A Sample Pyramid
Amount Number of Gifts Total Gifts
$25,000 1 $25,000
$10,000 1 $10,000
$5,000 3 $15,000
$2,500 6 $15,000
$1,000 12 $12,000
$500 16 $8,000
$250 24 $6,000
$100 40 $4,000
Average of $50 100 $5,000
203 $100,000
Want more? Visit
thirdspacestudio.com/?p=625

11. Collateral Materials
• What do you already have?
– Annual reports
– Newsletters
– News articles
– Pieces of foundation proposals
• What might you create?
– Case statement
– Pledge form
• WARNING: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy
of the good.

12. Prospect Research
Your goal is to:
Have the right person
Asking for the right amount
For the right program
At the right time
Focus you research on the first three.

13. Prospect Research
1. Right person – or right team
– Find any social connections to organization
– Match ask size, personalities, and program
2. Right amount
– Examine donor history with your organization, gifts to
similar organizations, political giving (opensecrets.org)
– Decide on a number, or a range for new donors
3. Right program
– Look at donor notes and other giving
– Ask during the meeting!

14. Questions? Comments?

15. Making the Appointment
• No one right way to contact a prospect
• Ideally, it’s done by your “right person”
• Make clear that you want to discuss a gift:
– “I’d love to talk to you about renewing your support
this year.”
– “Do you have time for me to update you on our work
and talk about your support of our efforts?”
• If you have trouble making an appointment, try
asking for advice
(Gail Perry: http://www.gailperry.com/2011/10/how-to-secure-the-face-to-face-visit/)

16. Questions? Comments?

17. THE ASK
• Crafting the ask
• Practicing your questions and answers
• What to do if….?

18. “Donors don't give to institutions.
They invest in ideas and people in
whom they believe.”
G.T. Smith

19. Crafting the Ask
• Create a draft script for the
meeting, including
questions for the prospect
• Lay out specific roles for
everyone at the meeting
• Decide who is going to
actually make the ask

20. Crafting the Ask
• Practice the words you will use to ask for a
gift:
– “Would you be able to support us with a gift of
$500 this year?”
– “To launch this great new initiative, we really need
donors at the $1,000 level. Would you be able to
do make a gift at that level?”
• Practice being quiet

21. Questions and Answers
• Identify the five hardest questions a prospect
could ask you about your project, organization, or
request:
– “I notice you had a surplus in 2010. Why do you need
my donation?”
– “I heard you had to fire your last ED. How are things
going now?”
– “Why are you spending your resources on printing
materials in Spanish?”
• Practice answering them with your team or a
colleague

22. What to do if…?
• The prospect says no.
• You don’t know the answer to one of their
questions.
• They stand you up.
• They want to give stock, land, or another
non-cash donation.
• They want something in writing.

23. Questions? Comments?

24. Following the Ask
• Recording relevant data
• Following-up
• Thanking
• Involving appropriately

25. Recording Data
• What is relevant?
– Date, location, and length of meeting
– Ask and result
– Background details
– Program interests
– Involvement preferences
• Record in paper files or in your online
database
• Be aware of access and security

26. Following Up
• Thank donor for taking the time to meet with
you, sharing advice, etc. even if they did not
give
• Provide any information you offered
• Look for an opportunity to get them involved
in the next month

27. Thanking
• How do you thank donors?
– Hand-written note
– Official tax letter
– Phone call from ED or Board member
– Listing in your annual report or on your website
– Thank you card from program participant
– Letter from the ED with program results or
organizational accomplishments

28. Thanking
• Rule of thumb is to
thank donors seven
times before you
ask them again.

29. Involvement: Cycle of Engagement
Open Thank
the and
Door Track
Engage
Thank Thank
and and
Track Track
Ask

30. “In good times and bad, we know
that people give because you meet
needs, not because you have needs.”
Kay Grace

31. Questions? Comments?

32. Thank you!
Heather Yandow
919.780.4117
heather@thirdspacestudio.com