“Be genuinely interested in everyone you meet and everyone you meet will be genuinely interested in you.”
– Rasheed Ogunlaru

 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
Exodus 33:11

Early in my tenure as a college president, at a dinner hosted by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, I happened to sit beside a seasoned president who was known for his excellent leadership and fundraising abilities. For 90 minutes, I asked questions, probed his thinking, and learned about fundraising from a college president. My major take-a-way from the conversation was that becoming a genuine friend with the donor and building the relationship with them was most important. I remember thinking, “This is not that difficult. I know how to become friends with people.” From that moment on I became committed to relational fundraising rather than transactional fundraising. I saw fundraising as friend- raising.

“People give to people” is considered to be the number one rule of fundraising. When a strong, positive, and trusting relationship has been forged, donors will respond with a transformational gift. A donor trusts the ministry to the degree that they trust the messenger representing the ministry. And who the messenger is becomes critical in the response of the donor.

People are hungry for friendships. Genuine friendships where friends spent time together telling stories and loving each other is an enjoyable experience. You can gauge the depth of the friendship when the donor calls you rather than you calling them.

I have found people do not want to be treated as objects or loved because of their wealth. They desire connection. They deeply appreciate that personal touch where people are genuinely interested in what is happening in their lives.

The habit of our advancement team at the college was when an area of the country was hit by a storm or newsworthy event, we would get on the phone and call just to see how they were doing. When COVID hit, in a two week time, the team of 4 people made more than 600 calls just to see how people were doing in the pandemic. Many of these calls ended up being quite lengthy. Our team had a wonderful time and our donors deeply appreciated our love and care.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of sitting with a potential donor face to face and talking about your ministry and their potential involvement. In this era of video conferencing, Zoom, FaceTime, and texting, there is nothing that can top sitting with a donor, in person, and discussing your project. Like God and Moses, speaking “face to face as one speaks to a friend” is the crème de la crème of fundraising.

Average fundraising close ratios as reported by The Timothy Group with 1850+ clients are as follows:

Direct mail: 1-5% (depending on the need communicated and quality of mail piece)

Telephone: 30% (mostly with lapsed donors)

Group events: 50% (who invited them is important)

Personal request: 75-80%+ (key is right person making the call)

The personal touch is so important in receiving a sizable gift when the time is right.

About the Author: Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think about you.”
– John Wooden

“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
1 Peter 3:10

I was looking for a part-time job to supplement my church planter income. Back then, the “want ad” section of the newspaper was where one could find employment. I saw an ad which read, “Work as much or as little as you want. Set your own hours. Represent major brand companies like Litton, Proctor & Gamble, Sears…” and the list went on with well known companies. Call 123-456-7890. I made the call and the person insisted that he come and talk with me face to face about the employment opportunity. We set an evening when he would come by the house and explain what the job entailed.

When I went to the door, a well dressed man was standing with a tripod, 3×4 foot whiteboard, and a large briefcase. I immediately knew what he was selling… Amway. When I asked about how representing the brand names was part of the multi-level marketing plan to sell soap and cleaning supplies, he said that I had access to purchase these products at a discount for myself when I signed up. I felt deceived. I was expecting to learn about being a manufacturing representative and instead I was presented with a multi-level marketing opportunity.

Relationships are built on trust. When the foundation of fundraising is relational, the last thing you want to do is deceive the potential donor. If your friendship is genuine with the donor, you do not want to use the friendship to get a gift or employ a bait-and-switch method when you are with the donor. The way to avoid this is being clear when scheduling the meeting. Communicate to the donor, with their permission, you want to present to them a project for their consideration. Let the donor know you are seeking their involvement. Even if there is not an existing relationship, it is still advisable when calling to schedule the visit, to let the potential donor know you want to talk with them about a charitable gift opportunity. If they say no, you have saved your time and theirs. If they say yes, everyone knows this time you are going to make an ask. The donor can be mentally prepared for your conversation and have thought about how and if they want to be involved.

I have always thought that pride, greed, and deceit are the root of all other sins. When these enter a donor relationship, the relationship is doomed. Nothing will turn off a donor more than a fundraiser who thinks highly of themselves, projects an attitude of wanting more, and comes across as untrustworthy. Humility, generosity, and integrity always gain respect and increase the potential of a gift. One might say these three positive characteristics make fundraising a God-honoring and noble profession.

Your character begins to show when scheduling the visit. I found that it is the most difficult part of the fundraising process. Jerold Panas says, “Eight-five percent of getting the gift is setting up the visit.” Being honest and transparent is crucial in setting up the call. Integrity is the glue of a genuine positive relationship and an important character quality in fundraising. Trust and respect are essential in receiving a gift. When integrity, trust, and respect are broken, charitable gifts will cease. And it all begins with scheduling the call with integrity and transparency.

About the Author: Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.

“The most dangerous person is the one who listens, thinks, and observes.”
– Bruce Lee

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
James 1:19

When relationship is the foundation of your fundraising, it is important you listen carefully to the potential donor. In the course of time, they will tell you what they like to give to, when they could most likely make the gift, and how much they are considering. Finding out this information all comes not from asking direct questions, but simply listening to them talk.

In one instance, I called on a donor to make a request for the auditorium. After hearing my presentation, he said, “That is really not my interest. But I am interested in giving you a gift for a residence hall.” Twelve months later, in the midst of a campaign for an auditorium, we dedicated a new residence hall.

In another instance, while still in the relationship phase, a donor told me about a major gift he wanted to give to another organization that refused to commit to using it in the way he intended. So he did not make the gift to them.

When he told me the amount, I knew immediately how much to ask for when the time came for an ask.

Time is also significant. Donors often have to rearrange assets and consider tax liabilities in order to make a major gift. Appreciated assets often are the source of a major gift.

If you listen to them, they will tell you how much to ask for, when they are ready to make a gift, and what they want their hard earned dollars to impact.

“You should never be too busy to listen because it’s the ultimate form of respect anyone can give a person. And donors deserve our respect.”

Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”
– Zig Ziglar

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9

We all have the same amount of time in a day. How we use it often determines how successful we are. When calling on potential donors, both your time and the time of the donor needs to be taken into consideration. Early in my fundraising activity, I would set an appointment, go spend time with the potential donor, and see where the conversation would go hoping for a good outcome. I often felt like I was not maximizing my time and possibly wasting the time of the potential donor.

My mentor, Pat McLaughlin, shed some significant light when he introduced me to the six R’s of fundraising. It revolutionized my calling.

Research. The more you know about the donor, the more likely you will receive a gift. The first million dollar ask I made was for a football stadium. I made the ask and the donor said, “No.” A couple of months later I was with the same donor on campus giving him a tour of the construction site hoping to at least receive a smaller gift. As we talked, he told me his wife had only seen one half of a football game and she hated football. If I had known this prior to my million dollar ask, I would have never asked for that amount. Whenever you are with a donor, listen, observe, and learn about them. Know your donors.

Relationship. Cultivating a relationship takes time. Demonstrating love to the potential donor is an important ingredient. Spending time with them, attending events together, engaging in the things that interest the donor, and simply relating to each other on a personal level is an important aspect of fundraising. Showing appreciation and genuinely caring for them and their families is essential in building a relationship. When the pandemic swept across the nation, our team spent two weeks making more than 600 calls to donors simply asking them how they were doing. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays all are opportunities to make a connection. On Thanksgiving Day, I usually spend the first half of the day calling, texting, and emailing many of our donors thanking them for their involvement with the college. You know the relationship has reached a level of maturity when the donor contacts you. When I was in the hospital due to COVID-19, most of our major donors repeatedly called or texted me to see how I was doing. Simply put, love your donors. Wait for them to love you back.

Request. There comes a time in the relationship to make an ask. It is important to let the person know in advance you are planning to make a presentation and ask for a gift. Many people are fearful of making an ask. Some even refuse to ask. Just know if you do not make a request, you probably will not receive a gift.

Recognize. Showing recognition is tricky. Some donors seek it and thrive on it. Others want to be anonymous. Whichever the case, showing appropriate recognition to the donor for their gift is an important part of building trust. Most people think it is about being praised for the gift. I have always understood recognition as a way to build a legacy. The recognition allows future generations to see what was important to the donor. Recognition serves as a value statement for the donor. However, all donors love appreciation. Saying thank you within 48 hours of receiving a gift is a good goal. Larger gifts should receive a hand written note from the president or CEO. Staff should send thank you notes to their respective portfolios. Showing gratitude for a gift is the simplest way to recognize a donor.

Recruit. When making a call, it is always appropriate to ask if they have any friends you could call on to make a presentation. Major donors hang out with other major donors. Asking about their friends is a great way to expand your donor base. It also is the least expensive way to engage in donor acquisition.

Report. Once your donor gives, report back to them how their gift was used and how important it was to your ministry. When our auditorium was built and we began to use it, I would often take pictures of what was happening and text them to our major donors. Reporting back to the donor demonstrates integrity and accountability to them. It increases the likelihood they will give another gift.

Following the 6 R’s is a simple and effective way to plan your course of action with your donors. However, in the holy partnership, it is good to remember that the Lord is leading the way. As Stephan Joubert tweeted, “When I walk with God, He does the talking. He also determines the pace of the walking… as well as the route!” In a fundraising holy partnership, the Lord is integrally engaged in your relationship with the donor. Our responsibility is to be sensitive to His nudges, practice the 6 R’s, and allow Him to arrange the various aspects of the relationship including the outcome.

Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.

“Successful fundraising is the right person asking
the right prospect for the right amount for the
right project at the right time in the right way.”
Stanley Weinstein

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God
has been making it grow. So neither the one who
plants nor the one who waters is anything, but
only God, who makes things grow.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7

In real estate, there are three factors in a successful project or purchase… Location. Location. Location. The same is true in fundraising. There are three factors in a successful campaign. See the people. See the people. See the people. And may I add a fourth… See what God will do.

For over 60 years, the institution I served as president had longed for an auditorium. Land on campus was designated for it. The board had already named it. It was part of the fundraising effort for two capital campaigns. But each time they fell short of raising the needed funds to build it.

A pre-campaign study determined there was significant pent-up desire to build an auditorium, so we launched a campaign. Many voices kept telling us we would fail. Our vision was too big. The cost was too high. The facility was too extravagant. Even the board had a “go ahead and try” attitude. Throughout the campaign right up to the last $1 million push to pay for the entire 52,000 square foot facility debt free, we were told it could not be done. The Dedication Weekend was a huge celebration like nothing the college had ever experienced in its history. The Shari Flaming Center for the Arts was dedicated debt free. There were many factors in the success of the campaign, but the one principle we practiced diligently and religiously was what we affectionately called “The 4 Sees.” See the People. See the People. See the People. See what God will Do.

There is no substitute for sitting down face to face with a potential donor and presenting your case asking them for a gift. Fly-ins, banquets, events, mass mailings, slick brochures, you name the means and method, nothing is as successful as sitting down, looking the donor in the eye, and communicating the purpose, the vision, the need, and making an ask.

In fundraising, measure your input goals, which you can control. The results of your goals come from the Lord moving the hearts of the people we see. We do not control their hearts and motives. At best we only influence them. The most important input goal is how many people are you seeing. That is how the holy partnership works. We make the call. God moves the hearts to give.

Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.

“Angel, must I give again, I ask in dismay.
And must I keep giving and giving and giving it away?
Oh no, said the angel, his glance pierced me through.
Just keep giving ‘til the Lord stops giving to you.”
– Jerald Panas

Let your conversation be always full of grace,
seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6

People of wealth want to know Why. Why should they give their money to you at this time for this project? When raising money for your cause, understand that the donor is asking four Why questions. Why me? Why us? Why this? Why now? As a fundraiser, your responsibility is to graciously present your cause in an attractive way, that answers these questions helping the donor understand your ministry’s role in the mission of God in the world.

Why me?
Of the 7.9 billion people in the world, or the 331 million in the United States, why are you asking this person to make a gift to your cause? The answer to the question varies from donor to donor. Usually the answer lies in an affinity with the mission and vision of your ministry. Other times there is a historical reason. Sometimes it is a practical reason. And often it is simply the relationship that you have cultivated well over time. Whatever the reason, answering this question for the potential donor is paramount to receiving the gift.

Why us?
The impact of your mission in God’s world is important. What is the eternal impact of your mission, vision, and strategic direction? How is the face of heaven changing because of your work and service? Why should the donor choose to support your ministry? What is unique about your ministry and how are you making a difference in this world and the next? Both the temporal and eternal dimensions of your ministry are important in answering this why.

Why this?
Answering how the project you are presenting is a part of what God is doing in the world is crucial to the donor deciding if they will become involved. Does your vision, mission, values, and strategic direction further the work of His kingdom? When the project becomes a reality, would the vision and values of the eternal be infused in society? If this project would not happen, what would be missing in the world? The anticipated outcomes of your project, both temporal and eternal, are central to the donor making a decision to make a gift.

Why now?
Urgency communicates importance. Timing is often one of the most significant factors in a successful project. When a donor hears an urgency, they are motivated to make a gift.

Jules Glanzer served as a pastor and church planter for 25 years, a seminary dean at George Fox University, and the college president at Tabor College. While at Tabor, God used his efforts to raise more than $53 million with no gift over $2 million. Jules serves as an adjunct professor, mentor, senior consultant with the Timothy Group, and recently authored Money. Money. Money. Actions for Effective Fundraising.