Capacity and Need

”How big a gift can we ask for?” The volunteer looked at me and I wanted to say, “As much as we dare.” But that really wasn’t what he was asking and, as so often is the case, the answer was far more complex than my flippant would-be retort showed.

Judging capacity is not something that can be done by simple formulae in a white room. How much someone can give and how much that person will give are not always easily related. Ability to give, desire to give to your organization and yes, how the ask is made and for how much all play huge roles.

As always, large organizations with resources often have a better shot at getting it right. But they don’t necessarily have a better shot at getting the gift. Beyond research, more than data, sometimes just asking the prospect, “What kind of a gift do you see yourself making” will get you closer to capacity than anything.

And then there is always the issue of your organization’s needs at this time.

As I write, many organizations are facing serious shortfalls. Unless you are an ostrich, you know the economy is beyond bad. Organizations’ traditional fundraising methods are falling short. New techniques aren’t quite taking off. What to do?

If you are facing a shortfall, your immediate needs are short-term. Quick gifts that will help to bridge the gap. If you are lucky enough to have a pool of donors, you may want to look at your likely large donors and ask them for a not-so-large gift. What you want here is a quick yes and an equally quick check.

When I first got into fundraising, my boss told me that if a prospect reached into his or her pocket(book) and wrote out a check for the amount asked, I probably asked for too little. In recent years, that so-called wisdom has changed somewhat and now the idea is if that happens add “A year, for N years,” to your ask. It plays well in the telling, but not always in the asking. A bird in the hand and all that may be where you are now. In today’s market, take the gift and say thank you. And then use that gift as the starting point for the next gift.

In addition to your need is the very real need of the donor. With the economy in such a tailspin your donor may be leery of committing too much. And, just as you are wondering about the donor’s capacity, she may be wondering as well. Keeping the ask to a do-able gift now may not get a listing in the Chronicle’s fundraising pages, but it very well might beef up your bottom line.

Janet Levine is a fundraising consultant. She can be reached at jlevine@levinemorton.com. Her online grantwriting class is available at www.levinemorton.com/classes.html.

What to Say? Part 3

Meetings. You have meetings. Lots and lots….but still, you are not raising lots and lots of money. Why is that?

It’s such a duh question with an equally obvious answer, but since (a) it is at the heart of our failures and (b) I am the Queen of Obvious, here goes:

Either you are meeting with the wrong people and/or you aren’t actually asking them for a gift. For many of us, that is the rub. How do you get from talking about the family, their home, the latest vacation, the program or your organization to what fundraisers love to call (with a bugle blare) “The Ask.”

Clearly, just jumping in and demanding that they “Gimme Money,” to paraphrase that greatest of all rock n’ roll bands, isn’t a cool move. But ask you must, and you must NOT be too subtle about it.

Lest this concern you, here’s a news flash: In over 90% of the cases, the person sitting across from you knows the purpose of your meeting—and they accepted anyway. So subtlety is not needed.

Indeed, on occasion, as you are telling the about your project, the prospect will ask, “What can I do?”

If this has ever happened to you, did you blow it? Be honest now. I know I have. Instead of giving a straight forward, “We need your financial support” answer, too often we beat about the bush and speak vaguely about involvement or “helping us” in some undefined way.

If you are at the point of qualifying someone or meeting to ascertain the level at which you can expect support, you might consider whipping out a gift table—either one that shows levels of gift clubs with the benefits attached to each level, or the kind you put together that shows how many gifts at the various levels you need to reach a certain goal. Then ask, “Where do you see yourself on this chart?”

There’s an old saw in development that says if a prospect whips out his or her checkbook and writes a check for the amount you requested, you’ve left money on the table. Perhaps. I’ve always believed that it gave you the starting point for the next ask. Nevertheless, there is good reason to find out what the prospect is easily willing to entertain as a possible gift.

This, at least, tells you the lowest level you should request. When you finally get to the actual gift ask, it should be somewhat higher than this first indication.

Sometimes, though, you are not ready to ask for the gift. Ask for introductions to their friends or colleagues. Ask if they would be willing to host a reception at their home (and then make sure you follow up and havethe reception). Ask them to come and talk with your students, or clients. Invite them to a special event. Ask if you can send them some additional information.

At this point, you are asking for things that will bring them closer to the organization and, more importantly, you are getting them in the habit of saying “yes” to you.

Umm….maybe I should try this technique on my husband.

what to Say? Part 2

The restaurant is lovely. The food, delicious. Conversation has been lively and you now know all about her trials with the decorator. But whenever you begin talking about your organization, things seems to go south. She listens politely, appears interested, but asks no questions and offers no clues as to what about your organization could be a hot button. You are left not knowing what would make her open up her purse.

You go back to the office, feeling less than excited and your call report (you do write those, right?) is vague. You have no plan, no strategy for the next move, don’t really know what the next step should be.

If this at all sounds familiar, know that you are not alone.

A question I like to ask myself is “Why am I doing this?” It helps to focus me and makes me think about what outcomes I desire from a particular action or activity. What I want to get from something informs what I need to do at the front end.

With fundraising, there are a finite number of reasons—and an infinite number of variations on those reasons—as to why you made that appointment.

In many cases, you’re there because Joe suggested you meet with Judy, or because this person (or that corporation or foundation) is on your suspect list. Maybe you know they have money, or they’ve given to a like organization. You want to qualify them. That is, you want to find out if they have an interest and capacity to become a major donor for your organization.

Perhaps this meeting is because you want to move someone along the cultivation process to the next step on the journey to solicitation.

You might be ready for that solicitation and this is the meeting where you will be asking for the gift.

Perhaps the gift has just been made. You are being a good steward and this meeting is to thank them for their recent generosity. Of course, you are also starting the process for the next gift.

Maybe you happened to run into Stan and he agreed to see you. Or you made this appointment because you could and because your boss has been bugging you get out of the office and do a little of what they are paying you to do—raise some funds.

Let me suggest that if you do not have a clear reason, an outcome that you are expecting, perhaps you are just wasting your time. Fundraising needs to be purposeful. There must be a focus and a goal.

The best fundraiser I ever knew once told me that you should ask the prospect for something at every meeting. Your purpose for that meeting will dictate what you ask for, but it should always be something that connects the person to your organization. And your questions should always be adding information to your donor profile. The more you know about your prospect, the better you can match needs.

What kinds of things should you be asking for? We’ll discuss that next time.


Janet Levine is a fundraising consultant. She can be reached at jlevine@levinemorton.com. Her online grantwriting class is available at www.ed2go.com/courses/ggr.