Managing Donor Expectations

by Hannah Davis

November 24, 2025

“I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:11-12).

Nehemiah was on a mission from God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He asked King Artaxerxes for help and the king miraculously gave him time off, safe passage, and timber to make beams for the gates. He even sent along army officers and cavalry (see Neh. 2:7-9). Nehemiah could have marched into Jerusalem with pomp and circumstance; instead, he arrived unassumingly. We can learn much from Nehemiah about communicating vision and creating buy-in.

Listen
Leaders have many voices vying for their attention, especially when it comes to fundraising. Everybody has an agenda and wants to fund their pet project. It’s easy for leaders to become people-pleasers and attempt to make everyone happy, but the most important voice to hear is God’s. Nehemiah was keenly aware of what God called him to do and he wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone stand in his way. What is God telling you to accomplish for his glory?

Learn
After three days in Jerusalem, Nehemiah decided to inspect the walls for himself. He didn’t tell “the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work” (Neh. 2:16). Instead, he took a few confidants on a night vision tour around the wall. Nehemiah was careful not to raise expectations before he had a clear understanding of what needed to be accomplished. Don’t cast a vision before you have a solid plan to carry it out.

Lead
When Nehemiah finished his due diligence, he preached a three-point sermon: (1) We have a serious problem, (2) God has already provided our answer, (3) Now is our time to respond (see Neh. 2:17). Share this same appeal with your donors—the problem, your solution, God’s provision, and a call to action. Perhaps Nehemiah sounded something like William Wallace’s rousing speech in Braveheart, “they’ll never take our freedom!” His pep talk worked because all the people replied, “Let’s start rebuilding” (Neh. 2:18).

Look Out
When you take a stand for the Lord, your enemies will spring into action. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were quick to mock and ridicule Nehemiah and the people. As an anonymous WWII bomber pilot said, “The flak only gets heavy when you’re over the target.” Nehemiah didn’t let criticism paralyze him. “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it” (Neh. 2:20).

Think About This: Creating buy-in is ultimately about influencing others, not making demands on them. Nehemiah invited the people to join him in the work, “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace” (Neh. 2:17). Don’t demand a gift from your donors, invite them to partner with you in the great work God has called you to accomplish.

Response: Lord, help me listen to your voice so I can inspire our donors to accomplish the tasks you’ve marked out for us (see Heb. 12:1).

Fundraising Verse of the Week

When Your Donor Says No

by Ron Haas

October 6, 2025

Jesus replied: A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready.” But they all alike began to make excuses (Luke 14:16-18).

Stanley Weinstein opined, “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.” When donors reject your invitation to partner with you, something is off in the fundraising equation. You need to discover the underlying reasons. Consider these giving variables:

Wrong Asker
The number one reason people give is because of who asks. Assign the right person to solicit your prospect. Choose someone your prospect is comfortable with and will have the greatest likelihood for success. Be humble and realize that you might not be the best choice.

Wrong Prospect
Some nonprofit organizations have broad donor appeal because they serve a wide constituency. Ask yourself why would someone consider giving to your ministry? Your prospective donor must have some connection—the closer the better. However, any solicitation is a nonstarter if your mission doesn’t align with your prospective donor’s values.

Wrong Project
Everyone has giving motivations and interests. Some love education. Some have compassion to care for the poor and needy. Some only give to international missions. Donors reject our proposals because we haven’t listened. Gifts grow in size and frequency when you align with your donors’ hearts.

Wrong Time
A donor might support your mission and your specific project, but still not give because of timing issues. Be flexible and offer giving options. Could they give a small gift now to show their support for the project, and give the balance of their pledge later?

Wrong Amount
A large request should never be a surprise. Active listening will help you identify the right gift range. There is no exact science for determining what to ask. What has your donor given in the past? If you are asking for an annual gift, you can ask 2 to 10 times over their previous gift. If you are asking for a capital campaign commitment, you can stretch them 10 to 25 times their annual gift.

Wrong Way
A major donor shared that in the past few years she has been getting phone calls, letters, and personal visits from ministry directors and development staff who literally demand that she give a gift to their organization. They don’t ask, “Would you consider a gift of $50,000?” or “Would you pray about giving a gift of $100,000?” Their actual words are, “You must give a gift of $250,000 to this project.” That’s not biblical boldness; it’s just plain rude.

Think About This: The man in the parable of the banquet wasn’t deterred by those who rejected his invitation. Instead, he instructed his servant to, “Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full” (Luke 14:23). When your prospects say no, keep asking until others say yes!

Response: Father, forgive me for being discouraged when donors reject my ask. Help me discern what went wrong so I can hear a “yes!”

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Getting Past the Gatekeeper

by Ron Haas

May 20, 2025

“He also stationed gatekeepers at the gates of the Lord’s temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter” (2 Chronicles 23:19).

Gatekeepers have one job—to keep out unwanted visitors. Perhaps you have encountered a major donor gatekeeper in the form of a financial planner, attorney, family member, or personal assistant. How do you get around the gatekeeper to connect with your donors? Gatekeepers process boxes of correspondence for major donors and must determine what is important and unimportant. Just imagine sorting through ten times the mail you receive daily. One ministry leader was surprised to learn that his notes weren’t getting to his major donor friends and then discovered the gatekeeper’s unwritten rules about whether he would pitch the correspondence or pass it on to the donor. Here is one gatekeeper’s pitch/pass list:

Thank you note on the receipt. Pitch It!
A common practice for ministry leaders is to write a personal thank you to the donor on the gift receipt. It’s a nice gesture that probably gets noticed by 95% of your donors. However, a note on a receipt is still a receipt, not an official thank you note.

Any mention of a future project. Pitch It!
It’s tempting to tease a new project while you thank your donor for their gift to your current project. But if you focus on the next big thing, are you expressing gratefulness for the gifts that got you this far? Effective thank you notes must be genuine. Don’t just check the box saying that you thanked your donor.

Handwritten thank you note that mentions a future gift. Pitch it!
Congratulations for sending a handwritten note! Handwritten notes are rare. Don’t dilute your thank you by asking your ministry partner to consider a future gift. Your thank you note should focus on your donor not you.

Printed thank you note. Pitch It!
Some fundraisers have lousy handwriting and use a computer to print a note. Printed notes feel impersonal because they are. The only exception is if your donor knows that you have a health condition that makes handwriting difficult for you.

Personal, handwritten, stand-alone thank you note. Pass to the donor!
Here’s what passes this gatekeeper’s scrutiny: a handwritten thank you note that’s just a thank you note. Period. Mike was having difficulty connecting with a major donor. The donor had given but never responded to Mike’s phone calls or emails. Mike decided to be proactive and personally deliver his handwritten thank you note. He was interrogated at the front entrance, but the gatekeeper called the donor and said, “Mike, from ABC Ministries is here with a thank you note. Should I send him up?” The answer came back, “Sure.” The major donor was glad to see him and invited him in.

Think About This: Jesus taught about the relationship between the shepherd, his sheep, and the gatekeeper. “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3). When you have a personal relationship with your donor, the gatekeeper will open the door wide.

Response: Father, please open the gate and help me connect with my major donors.

Image of a group of light wooden figurines standing in rows, with one bright green figurine standing out in the center. Above the group is the title "Fundraising Employee of the Month" in bold green and blue text, with the Bible reference "Ruth 2:7" in smaller text.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fundraising Employee of the Month

by Ron Haas

April 30, 2025

“She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter” (Ruth 2:7).

Ruth the Moabite faced a new season of life. Her husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law died so she and Naomi traveled back to Bethlehem hoping to start over. When they arrived, Ruth didn’t waste time sitting around feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she got right to work. Fundraisers can learn much from Ruth’s work ethic.

Initiative
“And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor’” (Ruth 2:2). Ruth could have listed dozens of reasons of why she couldn’t be successful. She didn’t wait for something to happen but looked for opportunities to make something happen. The same attitude works in fundraising. The secret of getting ahead is getting started.

Humility
“She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters’” (Ruth 2:7). Ruth wasn’t too proud for manual labor. She was willing to do any job that needed to be done. Apply her attitude to your work. Will you set up tables for events, make countless phone calls, or even lick envelopes? It’s wise to delegate tasks to others so you can focus on things only you can do, but “humility comes before honor” (Prov.18:12).

Stick-to-itiveness
“She came into the field and has remained here from morning till now, except for a short rest in the shelter” (Ruth 2:7). Ruth was a Proverbs 31 woman who worked dawn to dusk to provide for her family. Fundraising is hard work and requires long hours. Some fundraisers are good at starting projects but tire quickly and move on to the next new idea.

Appreciation
“At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, ‘Why have I found such favor in your eyes’” (Ruth 2:10). Ruth was grateful for Boaz’ kindness. As fundraisers we must express our genuine appreciation for our ministry partners. Never take your donors for granted. Go out of your way to thank them for their generosity.

Results
^“So Ruth gleaned in the field until evening. Then she threshed the barley she had gathered, and it amounted to about an ephah” (Ruth 2:17). The joy of fundraising is reaping the harvest of each gift – large or small. If you’re not seeing results, perhaps you’re not working hard enough or smart enough. Give your team realistic goals and hold them accountable.

Reputation
“Her mother-in-law asked her, ‘Where did you glean today? Where did you work? Blessed be the man who took notice of you!’” (Ruth 2:19) Others notice if you’re lazy or a hardworking fundraiser. What’s your fundraising reputation? Are you a worker or a shirker? Ultimately, you’re not raising money for your organization, you’re raising it for the Lord.

Think About This: “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:12). Ruth worked hard and trusted God for the results.

Response: Lord, give me strength to keep working in your fields to gather the harvest.

An image featuring a majestic eagle in flight against a vibrant sunrise or sunset sky, symbolizing strength and guidance. The text overlay reads "TRAINING YOUR TEAM TO ASK" in bold, elegant font, with "Deuteronomy 32:11" below it, emphasizing the theme of leadership and nurturing development.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Training Your Team to Ask

by Ron Haas

January 15, 2025

“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them aloft” (Deuteronomy 32:11).

Mother eagles have a fascinating method for teaching their offspring to fly. Around 8-11 weeks after the eaglets hatch, she tears up their cozy nest to force her juveniles out of bed. She then flutters over them to show them what to do. The young eagles venture out to the ends of the branches and begin flapping their wings. Finally, they take a leap of faith but when their unsteady wings cause them to fall, their attentive mother will dart underneath at the last moment to save them from a crash landing. Before they can catch their breath, she flies them higher for a second attempt. Eventually, the fledgling gets the hang of it and will spend the next 35 years soaring through life. Her example teaches us four lessons about training new fundraisers.

Stirs up its nest
Some fundraisers spend a lot of time in their cozy offices. Certainly, there are lots of things to do in your office. You have reports to run, brochures to design, donors to research, and important meetings to attend but major donor fundraising happens face to face with your ministry partners. If you are the leader, stir up your team and kick them out of the nest.

Hovers over its young
The mother eagle demonstrates to her young how to fly. The wise executive leads by example. Don’t be like the Pharisees, who “load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them” (Luke 11:46). As the president or executive director of your ministry, you should be a player-coach when it comes to raising money.

Spreads its wings to catch them
Making your first ask can be traumatic for a rookie asker. Don’t send your inexperienced fundraiser to a major donor meeting by themselves. Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs. One could talk while the other one prayed. As the experienced fundraiser, you can swoop in and save the conversation by answering a difficult question, explaining your ministry’s position on a key issue, or making the ask crystal clear.

Carries them aloft
Not every major donor meeting ends with a “yes;” sometimes you fall flat on your face. Fundraising is a journey, not a destination. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “if you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” Don’t allow your team to give up. Give them another opportunity to ask and eventually, they will succeed.

Think About This: What if you’re the experienced fundraiser and your boss is not? Learn how to lead up. Show them by your example how to ask. Set them up for success by inviting them on donor calls and giving them an easy first ask. Build their confidence and pray that God will give them a love for the ministry of fundraising.

Response: Father, give me wisdom to teach others what you’ve taught me about asking. Please give our team new strength to soar high “on wings like eagles” (Isa. 40:31).

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Spinning Straw into Gold

by Ron Haas

December 18, 2024

“Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.” (1 Corinthians 3:12-13 NLT)

One day each believer will stand before the Lord to give an account of what they accomplished in this life for him. Jeremiah reminds us God’s examination will be thorough, “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve” (Jer. 17:10). This reminder of final accountability should motivate each of us to “make the most of every opportunity” (Eph. 5:16).
Fundraisers make choices every day how to invest their time. Some busy themselves with wood, hay, and straw activities, others focus on gold, silver, and jewels. How can you know the difference?

Wood, Hay, & Straw
The list of fundraising activities is endless: 5k fun runs, galas, golf outings, concerts, auctions, etc. While these events can be fun and create great public awareness, they may not be the highest and best use of your staff and volunteer time. Events can reach many donors at one time but have at least three limitations: (1) an ask from the podium is much less personal, (2) the donor doesn’t have an opportunity to ask questions, and (3) your donor can simply ignore the response envelope.

Gold, Silver & Jewels
The gold standard for fundraising is face to face solicitation. Why do so few ministry leaders ask? Donor solicitation is friends talking with friends about how your ministry is making an eternal impact. Personal asking has at least three advantages over all other fundraising methods: (1) you can tailor the ask to the donor’s giving interest, (2) you can challenge the donor with a stretch ask amount, and (3) you can follow up with your donor about their gift decision.

Fire
Some don’t ask for fear their donor will be offended and stop giving. Asking tests a donor’s priorities. Will they give to the Lord’s work or spend it on themselves? Will they focus on temporary things or eternal? God may use the refining fire of asking to purge the dross and reveal your donor’s true heart. “He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness” (Mal. 3:3). Ultimately, asking benefits your donor.

Value
Face to face asking has the highest return on investment of your fundraising time. Take an inventory of your development calendar. Any activity not directly helping you prepare for a personal donor meeting, schedule a personal donor meeting, actually have a personal donor meeting, or follow up to your donor meeting is a wood, hay, and straw activity.

Think About This: It’s great when your boss gives you an Attaboy! for going above and beyond. How much more rewarding to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matt. 25:21).

Response: Father, please help me make personal donor visits a high priority of my week. Help me say no to good things, so I can focus on the best things.

*|FNAME|*, Have a Spirit-led Fundraising Week!

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Growing Major Gifts

by Ron Haas

November 13, 2024

“This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

Jesus shared this parable of the growing seed to illustrate how God causes the Gospel to flourish in peoples’ hearts. When the seed starts growing it doesn’t stop until it produces a harvest. Some people new to major gift fundraising think they can plant the seed and immediately harvest a $1 million gift but asking and receiving requires patience and faith. Consider these steps:

Scattering Seed
The farmer sows the seed but is not responsible for the outcome. His role in the process is very limited. All he can do is plant the seed and wait. The only human act in the Gospel is telling the story. Evangelists can’t make someone place their faith in Christ, they can only present the Gospel and trust the Holy Spirit to change hearts. As a fundraiser, you can’t make someone give to your ministry, you can only share the story, ask for their partnership, and trust God to prompt their generosity.

Sprouts and Grows
The seed has all the power within it to reproduce itself which is why your ministry story is a critical aspect of fundraising. Your story must convey eternal results. The farmer doesn’t understand how the seed grows. Likewise, you can’t read a donor’s heart to know what might take root, so you need to sow many varieties of seed. Your giving opportunities should include people, property, and programs.

Stalk, Head, Full Kernel
Donors rarely give a seven-figure first-time gift, in fact many initial gifts are $100 or less. Stretch your donors by presenting them with greater opportunities. As your donors’ confidence in you grows, their gifts will increase. An eager major gift officer boldly asked for a $5 million dollar gift from someone who had the ability but no relationship to the ministry. The donor responded, “You need to give me more of an onramp. Ask me for a project that can start our relationship.”

The Harvest
Farming and fundraising are hard work. Both require knowledge of what, when, where, and how to plant, and both require reliance on God’s favor. The fundraising harvest comes after you’ve invested the hard work of relationship building and asking. The hardworking farmer does what he does so he can enjoy the harvest. If you faithfully tell your story and ask, God will bring a bountiful harvest. He is ultimately responsible for providing for your ministry.

Think About This: Mark 4:28 says, “All by itself the soil produces grain.” This phrase uses the Greek word automatē, from which we get the English word “automatically.” It’s divinely automatic. Fundraising is a divine-human cooperative, but mostly divine. Tell your ministry story well, ask boldly, and leave your results to God.

Response: Father, please help me faithfully tell our ministry story, ask for support, and trust you for the outcome.

Ron Haas has served the Lord as a pastor, the vice president of advancement of a Bible college, a Christian foundation director, a board member and a fundraising consultant. He’s authored three books: Ask for a Fish – Bold Faith-Based Fundraising, Simply Share – Bold, Grace-Based Giving, and Keep on Asking – Bold, Spirit-Led Fundraising. He regularly presents fundraising

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Opinionated Major Donors

by Ron Haas

November 6, 2024

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:11)

As commander of the army of the King of Aram, Naaman was a proud man and by human standards he had every reason to be. “He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly-regarded” (2 Kings 5:1). He was rich, famous, and accustomed to telling people what to do. Only one thing held him back—he had leprosy. A servant girl he had captured told his wife Elisha would heal him. So, he made a pilgrimage to see the prophet.

When Naaman’s entourage arrived. Elisha didn’t even come to the door but sent his servant to instruct Naaman to go wash in the Jordan seven times and be healed. Naaman stomped off in a huff and told his servant Elisha should have at least come out to meet him, pray to his God, wave his hands over the leprosy, and cure him. He was convinced he knew more than Elisha about how to heal his leprosy.

Major Opinion
Naaman’s attitude toward Elisha’s instructions is like some major donors who think you are doing ministry all wrong. No doubt you’ve listened patiently to someone who doesn’t understand why you did or did not do something a certain way. You should be eager to listen, learn, and respond, but don’t change something just because a wealthy donor says you should. Stay on mission.

Major Change
A courageous servant spoke truth and changed Naaman’s mind. He went to the Jordon, washed seven times, and was healed physically and spiritually. It may not happen often but occasionally a major donor who has opposed you, may come to their senses, see things differently, and apologize. (see 2 Tim. 2:24-26).

Major Gift
Naaman rushed back to Elisha and offered him extravagant gifts of gold, silver, and clothing. But Elisha did something most ministry leaders would never consider—he refused his gifts. In contrast to false teachers who use religion for financial gain, Elisha wanted Naaman to understand the free gift of salvation. Are you more concerned about a gift or your prospective donor’s spiritual health?

Major Lesson
Naaman asked permission to take some dirt home so he could sacrifice burnt offerings to the Lord. Then he asked if God would forgive him for accompanying his king to the pagan temple as part of his job. Elisha granted both requests told him to go in peace. Elisha showed grace and kindness to this new believer because he knew spiritual growth takes time.

Think About This: Some donors may be tempted to influence your decisions by wielding their checkbooks. It’s easier to refuse a gift when it comes with strings that might pull you off mission. Don’t sacrifice your core values for a short-term gain. Stand for biblical truth. God will bring you like-minded partners who will appreciate your courage.

Response: Father, please help me care more about my donor’s relationship to you than anything else. Please give me discernment to know when I should refuse a gift.

The image shows two hands outstretched, with block letters within them forming the word "give". Text reading "#GivingTuesday" appears to the right of the hands.

Fundraising, Donation Approach

A Simple Guide for a Productive Giving Tuesday – Part 2

by Jon Helder

November 4, 2024

Giving Tuesday is less than a month away but there is still time to pull together a compelling and productive campaign. Last time, in A Simple Guide to Productive Giving Tuesday – Part 1 we covered how to segment to your best target audience and provided tools to leverage your campaign. This time, we’ll lay out a simple communications plan by addressing campaign strategies, incentives, and a framework.

What will people be giving to and why does it matter now?
My old boss used to tell me, “Need is not a case; hope is not a strategy.” Your case for support must be more than just covering your organization’s financial needs. Your Giving Tuesday campaign should evoke two “I’s”: Immediacy (why donors need to give now), and Impact (what will result from my gift). If you can make a compelling, concise case for your general operating fund that covers both I’s, then feel free to do so.

Conversely, if your general fund is in good shape as you approach year end, you may want to raise money for special projects or capital assets like new computers for a school, new canoes for a camp, or winter coats for your rescue mission. These projects can provide prospective donors with an easy to understand, tangible outcome for the campaign.

A third option is to take an item from your general fund budget and “projectize” it by turning it into its own campaign. Your organization may already have a $10,000 technology budget but that doesn’t mean that you can’t raise funds for computers. Any funds raised for this campaign would be restricted to that budget line item but the net result to your general fund is the same.

How will you incentivize people to give?
One of the biggest negatives to Giving Tuesday is that thousands of nonprofits are simultaneously vying for donations at the same time. As a result, differentiation and incentives really matter. One of the most common ways to incentivize gifts is to offer a matching fund. While I don’t encourage you to send Giving Tuesday materials to your top donors who give in the last week of the year, donors in this group are keen to the idea of using their gift to incentivize others. Could you ask your board members to pledge a matching gift fund? Is there a champion donor that would love to see you maximize their gift in this way? Creating a matching fund can be as simple as asking some key donors to make their commitments early. If that isn’t an option, you could offer a promo mug or t-shirt for any donor that gives a certain amount or more (ala NPR or PBS). Such promotions can be a great way to on-ramp new donors.

Where should they give?
Does your donation software allow you to make a one-off campaign page (all the good ones do)? If you opt for your ministry’s main donation page, be sure to add something to make the website visit feel a bit more special like adding a banner, making the case for support relevant to the campaign, or highlighting the incentives. Follow through on your campaign importance and immediacy by making a landing page worth giving to.

Communication Calendar
Because Giving Tuesday falls only days after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, etc., your donors will have the holidays on their minds. As a result, communications need to be direct, frequent, and only start when the donors have the capacity to receive them.

Purpose. First, remember that the purpose of your social media campaign is to bring awareness and anticipation for Giving Tuesday. Launch “Countdown to Giving Tuesday.” Starting on Friday, you can post mission-centric stories that convey the impact of your work while “counting down” to Giving Tuesday. Maybe you could have 4 ways that gifts impact your mission or the people you serve? Studies have shown that adding numerals to your subject lines/posts increase engagement (did the “4” above stand out to you?). However, if you need content for a post, you could mention the upcoming match or promo item associated with the campaign.

Emails. Your Giving Tuesday campaign can be done in as little as three emails (four if you include Thanksgiving). Sunday afternoon is a great time to reveal the campaign to your donors who might not be as engaged on social media. Use this time to tell them what Giving Tuesday is, how they can get involved, and why their giving matters. Perhaps counter-intuitively, include a “Give for Giving Tuesday Button” at the bottom of this email in case donors would like to give on Sunday as you hate to have willing donors needlessly wait till Tuesday to give to your campaign.

Communications Framework. While the content for this table could easily become an entirely new article, this simple framework and suggested subject lines provide a good starting point for your campaign:

Remember, the goal is to have a simple, yet productive Giving Tuesday campaign. Taking care of the basics (communications, incentives, and updates to your website) and following this framework will maximize your efforts.

If this article inspires you to launch a Giving Tuesday campaign this year, reach out to us and let us know how you did. What were your expectations vs. results? What did you learn from the experience? The Timothy Group is always excited to learn and share best practices, so we’d love to hear about your experience.

About the Author: Jonathan Helder, CFRE, ECRF, Consultant

With over a decade of proven fundraising experience and a love for data, Jonathan is blessed to serve nonprofits and help bolster their impact on the community. Jon enjoys helping ministries implement data-based strategies and tools to improve fundraising and organizational effectiveness. Jonathan has written articles as well as presented to local and national organizations including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (West Michigan), Do More Good, Nonprofit Hub and the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance.

Donor Relations, Fundraising, Major Donors

Do I Have to be a Donor’s Best Friend to Ask for a Gift?

by The Timothy Group

September 21, 2020

This is a fair question that the men and women of TTG have been asked many times over the past 30+ years. Please allow me to go out on a limb early and give you a simple answer… “NO!” Let me harken back to my high school algebra class where you can give the right answer, but then you must produce the equation to show how you got there, so here goes.

We have been conducting executive searches for more than 25 years. One of the questions we ask development directors, major gift officers, vice presidents, and presidents is, “If you began your new position on November 1^st, how long would it take you to schedule a donor appointment and make an ask?” Are you ready for some of their answers? Two years, eighteen months, twelve months, six months, three months—we too, are baffled by these responses. These candidates assume that they must be the donor’s friend and, in some instances, their BFF to make a gift request. Can you imagine how long donor acquisition, cultivation, education, inspiration, and solicitation would take if you had to become everyone’s best friend to ask for a gift? Apparently, according to some people, it would require at least a year and perhaps two.

A few years ago, in a search for a major gift officer for a well-known ministry, I asked that question and received an absolutely refreshing answer. My candidate responded that he would be ready to make an ask the first week on the job. What? How could that possibly work? Here’s how he envisioned his first week as a new fundraiser/relationship officer:

· Day 1 – Orientation and paperwork.

· Day 2 – Find my desk and begin reviewing the solicitation materials and the giving history of his donor portfolio.

· Day 3 – Meet with his immediate supervisor and other team members to hear their presentation/pitch.

· Day 4 – Visit the president to hear his mission, vision, and core values of the organization.

· Day 5 – Call close friends and schedule personal appointments to share the ministry and make a request.

In addition, all week this new major gift officer spent time in the dining commons having breakfast, lunch, and sometime dinner with students asking them why they attended this institution. He listened to what God was calling them to do now and in the future, because he wanted to share their stories as part of his presentation.

We helped him with the phone script for scheduling appointments, but much of his donor engagement strategy was just his innate, God-given relational skills. The script went like this:

Bill and Mary, this is John. I wanted to tell you about a wonderful new opportunity God has given me. I have the unique privilege of sharing the incredible work God is accomplishing though ABC Ministry and inviting people to partner with us. Don’t feel under any obligation to our friendship; I just want to share with you this unique organization and ask for your prayer and financial support. Could we meet Tuesday evening in your home? I will update you on the ministry and bring along a personalized proposal for you to consider and invite you to give. I only need an hour of your time so we can both plan our other Tuesday evening activities.”

He included this phrase in the presentation to those who were already donors:

“Jim and Joan, the president would like to visit with you personally, but time and his travel schedule will not allow it. So, he asked me to meet with you on his behalf and invite you to consider a generous year-end gift. Would you be available next Tuesday evening?”

As a fundraiser, it’s not your relationship with the donor that’s the most important. It’s the donor’s relationship with your ministry they have known, loved, and supported with their prayers and dollars for many years.

Back to answering our question; No, you do not have to be everyone or anyone’s best friend to ask for a gift. The real issue is connecting with the donor’s passion for your ministry. When you tell them you are bringing along a proposal, you open the door to ask on the first visit, if the opportunity is right.

OK, OK, I hear you, “but what about building relationships?” We encourage our clients to “date your donors.” You may not be ready to ask your donor on the first date, it may require a second date. But it certainly doesn’t take five or six dates to reintroduce yourself and make a request. Overcome your FUD—Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Pick up the phone, text, write a hand-written note, and schedule a personal visit (in a mask, of course), or a Zoom call. This step of faith will impact your bottom line the next 90 days as we head toward calendar year-end.

A few years ago, I evaluated a chief development officer’s performance. We visited a donor couple in early October. While driving there, he informed me this would be his sixth visit. Count them, six! My role was only to observe and evaluate. Twice during the presentation, the couple mentioned they had some funds still available to give yet that fall. This was the ultimate donor research information. They were screaming, “ASK US!”

My friend never missed a beat, he just kept talking. He ignored all their giving signs. No ask… no close… no money. It was very apparent that he was attempting to become their best friend or even their BFF before he could make an ask. It will come as no surprise that this former gift officer is now pastoring a small church on the west coast. Allow me to say it again, “No, you don’t need to be your donor’s best friend to invite them to upgrade their giving or consider a new gift to your organization.” Be bold! Ask!

Author: Pat McLaughlin, President and Founding Partner

Managing Donor Expectations

When Your Donor Says No

Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Fundraising Employee of the Month

Training Your Team to Ask

Spinning Straw into Gold

Growing Major Gifts

Opinionated Major Donors

Do I Have to be a Donor’s Best Friend to Ask for a Gift?

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2450 44th St SE
Ste 106
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060
Email [email protected]

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Recent Posts

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2450 44th St SESte 106Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060Email [email protected]

Quick Link

Social Media

2450 44th St SE
Ste 106
Grand Rapids, MI 49512

Phone (616) 224-4060
Email [email protected]