Asking for donations is a crucial step in organizing a successful fundraiser or raising money for charitable causes. It is important to approach potential supporters and donors in a thoughtful and effective manner to maximize fundraising potential. There are various strategies and techniques that can be employed when asking for donations. One popular way to raise funds is through fundraising events.

Find below our articles about Asking for Donation best practices.

Six Simple Ways to Help Volunteers Make Successful Asks

Remember the movie Jerry McGuire? There's a famous line in it where sports agent Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruz, says to his player client Rod Tidwell, “Help Me Help You.”  This is a guest post by our consultant Dan Bruer -…

5 Tips To Ask Face-to-Face for Big Gifts in 2023

"What are the best practices in face-to-face asking?" One of our Major Gifts Intensive organizations asked us this question last week. They were ready to dive into person to person Gift Conversations. Today we're sharing a summary of what…
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Report: Biggest Challenges to Major Gift Fundraising Success

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Nonprofits clearly see the potential that major gift fundraising success might offer. Now, we have over 550 nonprofit leaders sharing their personal challenges in major gift fundraising. The floodgates have opened here, folks. Read on for hopes,…

How to Create a Donor-Centered Fundraising Letter

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Are you wondering how to really nail a donor-centered fundraising letter? Are you trying to create a letter for your annual campaign that can grab hold of your donor's attention quickly? And do you want to write a letter that just makes…

3 Tips for Improving Your Next Fundraising Appeal Letter

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Can you write an amazing fundraising appeal letter? It's one of the most basic skills for every fundraiser. But are you getting your letters right? Or wrong? Here's how to nail your next fundraising appeal letter: 1. Make it all about the ask. That's…

How Introverts Can Be Very Successful Fundraisers

Here's the cliche - it takes a gregarious, extroverted person to enrapture donors and secure large gifts. But this is clearly NOT always correct! Introverts actually bring special skills that can be fabulous for major gift fundraising success. Our…

An Interview With Jerry Panas: The Master of Face-to-Face Fundraising

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One Saturday in June I managed to snag master fundraiser Jerry Panas on the phone for an exclusive hour-long private interview, just for the INSIDERS - about successful face-to-face asks. I'm making this available today to everyone so they can…

Crowdfunding as a Serious Fundraising Strategy? Yes!

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Can you really raise big money via social media? I used to roll my eyes when people talked about social media channels as fundraising tools. But I think I've seen the light! CROWDFUNDING has my serious attention now, and I think it…

How to Turn Regular Donors into Monthly Donors

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Monthly giving is one of the great pots of gold for you and your cause. It's one of the best ways to grow more funding from your current donors, instead of having to beat the bushes for new donors all the time. Don't forget that monthly…
Erica Waasdorp

How to Promote and Close Monthly Giving In Your Fundraising Appeal Letters

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Can you pull in new monthly giving donors from your regular appeal letters? Yes, you really can. It's actually quite easy to generate new monthly donors via your regular direct mail fundraising program. Today we have a Guest Post from…

How to Write a Fundraising Appeal — Make Your Donor The Hero

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You are planning those fall appeals right now, during the summer months. And it's time to start thinking about how you'll construct your appeal. Please Don't Make Your Letter the Same Old Ask I hope you are not planning to start out with…

This Tip Makes Asking for a Gift Much Easier and More Successful

It's the scariest moment in fundraising. It's when you sit down with a prospective donor. You look them in the eye. And you ask for a gift. What would happen if you turned the conversation over to your donor? It could be quite different! Here…

How to Warm Up Your Donors for Big Major Gift Asks

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Donors are people just like we are. They don’t want to be surprised by a solicitation. If you have a close relationship with your donor, then you’ll want to lay careful groundwork to prepare her. And you'll want to do this well before…

How to Drive Major Donors Away and Kill Off Your Major Gifts Program

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Hint: Your donor says to you, "I'm not an ATM." Have you ever had the sense that your major gift prospects are fleeing from you? Do they turn down your invitations for events, tours, even private VIP get-togethers? Do they refuse to see…

One Thing You Can and Must Do to Boost Your Year-End Fundraising Totals

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Just think, 30% of your entire annual giving will occur in December.  AND 10% of your entire annual giving is about to come in the door the last 3 days of this month. So do I have your attention? Who is going to get your donors' dollars? Here…

Phone Calls to Donors = Highly Profitable Fundraising

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Are you afraid of telephone fundraising? It can be scary to pick up the phone to call a donor or a potential donor! Especially when it’s so much easier to keep your polite distance and send a letter or an email solicitation. But stop a…