“Will you donate to this cause?” It’s a hard question to ask. Our society has raised people to believe that asking for money is shameful and, in most situations, the subject of finances should be avoided at all times. Unfortunately, most nonprofits do not have all the money they need to achieve their noble goals, and someone has to ask for it.

Building Relationships
As the Director of Development & Outreach at KUAC in Fairbanks, Gretchen Gordon builds and maintains relationships with major donor prospects everyday. Gordon says that major gifts, “are an expression of passion and commitment to your organization’s mission, vision, and, most importantly, a matching of your organization’s values and the giver’s personal values.”

A major gift provides the giver the opportunity to state his or her interests publicly. This, in turn, encourages others of similar means to give accordingly. This benefits the entire nonprofit community, as not everyone supports the same cause. Even if friends of a prospect choose to not support the same organization, chances are greater that they will support nonprofits of their own preference.

According to Lynne Johnson, Director of the Office of Development and University Relations at University of Alaska Southeast, cultivating a good relationship with a prospective major donor increases the ease of actually making the request for funding – known as “the ask.” To do this, a one-on-one relationship needs to develop.

Events and personal meetings are a good way to develop the relationship between an organization and a prospect. Johnson advises, “Give the donor a chance to tell what they are interested in. Go to their office; you can learn a lot about a person by observing their surroundings.”

If the prospect is married, make certain the spouse is involved in the process. “Major gifts are made in partnership,” says Gordon.

The organization must present a compelling case detailing the impact that the prospect’s donation will make. Donors want to know the particulars of a project or program and where their money is going. Events, casual discussions, and personal contact can help potential donors understand how much their help is needed.

Cultivating the Asker
“Talking about ‘making the ask’ is synonymous with finding the right person,” says Johnson. She explains that it is best if it is not staff. Ideally, it should be a team comprised of the right volunteer and the right campaign leader and/or executive staff person. The volunteer should be the prospect's peer, someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in the project, perhaps a fellow giver who believes in the cause.

Gordon advises, “To make the choice, you look first to the donor and then to your own team. The best strategy is to pair a volunteer who gives at a major giving level and a member of the executive team of the organization who also gives at a major giving level.” This way the donor will be among peers who are passionate and knowledgeable about the cause.

Gordon also says that the asker should know the following about the major donor prospect before a face-to-face meeting:

• Giving history;
• Types of gifts (is there a pattern in the way they may restrict their gifts or are they all unrestricted, do they make additional gifts when asked, consistency of renewals, special gifts);
• How involved they are with your organization (do they volunteer, are they an advocate);
• What other organizations do they support with their money and/or their time;
• What other organizations are they affiliated with;
• What are the spouse’s community involvements; and,
• How are the prospect’s children’s involvement in the community.

Always, a staff person should go along with the asker in order to answer questions and give technical information about the project. A good relationship with the potential donor, knowledgeable staff, and a passionate volunteer who has good interview skills will allow the conversation to develop “the ask” comfortably.

It’s All About the Timing
Sensitivity is often an overlooked virtue. When building a relationship with a donor, timing is important. A “yes” can turn to a “no” if the asker is not in tune to the potential donor. Listen to the donor and take note of what is revealed about personal life and finances.

Gordon says, “Listening is worth 100% of your relationship with a prospective major donor.” She advises the asker to ask open-ended questions and the donor will “make their own case for giving.”

Johnson concurs: “Get to know them better, thank them for their support in the community and find out what their interests are.” Donors will give signals that indicate their interest. Learning to recognize those signals will increase the donor’s comfort and, likely, the nonprofit’s donation.

What to do in Case of Refusal
Try to find out what is meant when the donor says “No.” The prospect could mean, “No, the timing is not right,” “No, not at that amount,” or, “No, not for that project,” instead of, “No, I do not support your cause.” When a prospect says no, it is critical to understand the reasons.

“Listening is tremendously important in this dialogue,” says Johnson. If the prospect is having financial upheaval, personal problems, or if there is interest in the project but not the capacity, the solicitor must respond to these conditions and change the approach.

Directly asking the prospect “Why not?” can place the person on the defensive and affect the organization’s ability to solicit future gifts. Instead, Gordon recommends asking open ended questions to discover the meaning of the refusal. “Follow up by asking when you could contact them again regarding this project, this program, this initiative, etc.” By doing so, a nonprofit shows its commitment to its prospects and allows them to determine how best to show their support.

It’s not Begging
When asked if she had any advice for the novice fundraiser, Gordon replies, “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Development is an art and a science. By showing our commitment to learning and growing individually, we reinforce that ‘fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving’.”

In response to the same question, Johnson says that it helps her to recall this statement: “I’m not begging, I’m presenting an opportunity for someone to invest in a good cause that will make a better world.”

Far different than begging, most people have certain interests and concerns; however, many major donor prospects do not know how to help, or do not know their help is needed. Johnson says, “See your role as educating this personal philanthropist. Be passionate about the cause.”

When donors are passionate about a cause, they view the nonprofit as an extension of themselves. If a prospect believes that you are doing their work for them, they will respond.

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