Fundraising for Social Change, 8th Edition

chapter EIGHTGetting Comfortable with Asking

This is a point that bears repeating: Asking someone you know for money in person is the most effective way to raise funds. If you ask all the people who give away money to give a gift they can afford to a cause they like, half of them will give something. (People who fit this description—you know they give, you know they can afford to give, and they believe in the cause—are called “prospects.”) Of the half who say yes to your request, half of those people will give you the amount you asked for; the other half will give you less.

The response rate you receive from personal asking is much higher than you can get from any other kind of fundraising. Moreover, you can ask for much larger amounts in person. It is rare to ask for a $5,000 or $10,000 gift by email or phone because a substantial gift needs to be requested respectfully and responded to thoughtfully, which is best done in person. It is appropriate to ask for such a sum in person if you think the prospect is someone who gives away money, can make such a gift, and has an interest in your cause. Personal solicitation is also used when asking a current donor for a larger gift or when asking a major donor to consider a capital gift in addition to an annual gift.

Studies show that 80% of people made their most recent donation “Because someone asked me.” Of course, millions of smaller fundraising requests are done in person—canvassing, Girl Scout cookie sales, raffle ticket sales, ...