{"id":46900,"date":"2022-06-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/?p=46900"},"modified":"2025-01-16T19:15:28","modified_gmt":"2025-01-16T19:15:28","slug":"how-to-ask-donors-for-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.causevox.com\/blog\/how-to-ask-donors-for-money\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Ask Donors for Money: Top Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cultivating a major donor<\/a> and setting the stage to make an ask for money doesn\u2019t have to be a nerve-wracking experience. For context, when we talk about major donors, we\u2019re referring to donors who make a significant gift to your org – one that\u2019s above and beyond the typical gift that arrives in the mail. Usually, $10,000 is a common benchmark (but splitting that into two payments of $5,000 over two years could still be considered a major gift.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Donor money can be categorized in two ways: restricted or unrestricted. Restricted gifts are earmarked for a specific purpose or project. Unrestricted gifts, on the other hand, have no strings attached and can be used for any purpose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diane Remin, President of MajorDonors.com<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We sat down with Diane Remin, the Founder and President of MajorDonors.com<\/a>, to discuss techniques on making an ask and how major gift work has transitioned online as a result of the pandemic. Diane was named a top-25 fundraising consultant by Philanthropy Media in 2016. She has served on the boards of The Food Project, Fuller Craft Museum, and Cambridge Family & Children\u2019s Service. She is also a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Planned Giving Group of New England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch the webinar on-demand here<\/a>. Below are some of our major takeaways from the conversation!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technique 1: Ask Donor For A Specific Amount of Money<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dialing down to a specific amount is one of the most widely used, tried-and-true fundraising techniques. This technique is appropriate for donors who have a track record of giving to your organization or when you want to make a multi-year ask. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When making your ask, be precise, respectful, and keep your language easy for the donor to digest.  Try using the following format: \u201c<\/em>So Diane, would you consider a gift of<\/strong> $10,000 to support [Nonprofit or restricted project]?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For multi-year gifts, there is a slight variation in format – specify the annual amount, the number of years, and the total amount. For example, \u201c<\/em>So Diane, would you consider a gift of<\/strong> $15,000 per year<\/strong> for three years<\/strong> for a total of<\/strong> $45,000 to support [Nonprofit or restricted project]?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you present the opportunity, remain silent. Don\u2019t speak until the donor says something first. If you\u2019re wondering why remaining silent is the best move, it\u2019s because you want to give the person space to consider your request. Speaking creates a distraction and you\u2019ll end up negotiating against yourself. Instead, embrace the silence and use this time to observe the donor\u2019s core reaction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technique 2: The Clueless Close<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The second technique is the clueless close. The clueless close is great for situations where you don\u2019t know the donor well or if you\u2019re uncertain on how much to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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There are three parts to the clueless close but before you get there, you need to have a case for support that includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n