God’s Role in Your Fundraising Challenge

by Ron Haas

April 27, 2026

“You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

A vast army was knocking on Jerusalem’s door. Instead of panicking, King Jehoshaphat gathered the people to fast and seek the Lord. He confessed: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (2 Chronicles 20:12). Jahaziel prophesied, “The battle is not yours but God’s… You will not have to fight.” They needed only to take their positions, stand firm, and watch God’s deliverance unfold. From Jehoshaphat’s crisis response, we discover four fundraising principles.

Pray Up
When Martin Luther had much to do, he would spend the first three hours in prayer. How important is prayer in your fundraising efforts? Do you spend more time planning or praying? Do you pray for your major donors by name? Do you pray that God will bless their families, their health, their businesses? Jehoshaphat invited all Israel to pray for their deliverance. You should invite your board, staff, and volunteers to pray for God’s blessing on your fundraising efforts.

Suit Up
Israel was commanded to “take up your positions; stand firm.” Fundraising is spiritual warfare. Satan doesn’t want your ministry partners to give generously because he doesn’t want your ministry to succeed. He will oppose you in every way possible. You’ll schedule the meeting, and your donor will get called away on emergency business. Paul instructs us to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). Your shield of faith reminds you this isn’t about your effort but God’s provision.

Show Up
“Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17). Fundraising isn’t passive, it’s active. You’ve got to pick up the phone and call your donors. You might need to call fifteen times before you finally connect. You’ve got to go see your donors face-to-face and share your vision. You’ve got to listen to their hearts and learn what matters to them. Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” You cannot merely “phone it in” you have to show up.

Look Up
God places you in situations that seem overwhelming so you will learn to rely on him. In this battle, Israel didn’t fight at all. They worshiped their way to victory. When you’ve prayed up, suited up, and shown up, your job is to trust God for the outcome. Judah spent three days collecting abundant plunder. You can’t manufacture generosity. Only the Holy Spirit can move someone’s heart to give sacrificially.

Think About This: Spirit-led fundraising is knowing when to listen and when to speak. Sometimes it’s asking for the gift. Sometimes it’s simply showing up to collect the check God has already prepared.

Response: Lord, help me faithfully pray for my donors. Give me courage to suit up spiritually before every meeting. Help me show up consistently, even when it’s hard. Remind me to look up, trusting you to fight my battles.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

The Art of the Bold Ask

by Ron Haas

April 20, 2026

“What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21).

Every fundraiser faces the moment: it’s time to make the ask. The mother of James and John shows us how, and teaches us what to avoid.

Talk to the Right Person
Mom got the most important thing right. She went directly to Jesus, the only one who could give the final answer. She didn’t ask Peter to put in a good word, that would have been a conflict of interest, and Peter couldn’t give the final word anyway. Don’t take a no from someone who can’t give you a yes. Are you pitching the daughter when her mom controls the purse strings? In fundraising, we sometimes waste months cultivating the wrong person. Make sure you’re talking with the right donor.

Ask Boldly
Mom was fearlessly bold. Why? She believed in her sons! Jesus had already honored them among the inner circle of Peter, James, and John. In her mind, it was the logical next step. When you believe deeply in your cause, boldness comes naturally. If you question your ministry direction or doubt your project’s impact, you’ll struggle to ask with confidence. But when you know your mission inside and out, when you’ve seen lives transformed, when you believe God is in this, you can ask without apology.

Get to the Point
Mom didn’t list her sons’ credentials or justify her request. She just asked. Ian, a successful investor, learned this lesson after 30 years. Every pitch deck he made was 90% wasted effort. He discovered that family offices make investment decisions in three minutes, not from 47 slides but from one page answering three questions: What you’ve done (track record), what you’ll do (clear plan), and what they’ll make (their return). Ian says, “If you can’t explain your deal on one page, you don’t understand it yourself.”

You’re presenting an eternal investment. Can you answer on one page: What have you accomplished? What will you do with this gift? What eternal return will donors see?

Ask for the Right Things
Here’s where mom missed the mark. Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking.” Her enthusiasm was genuine, but she completely misunderstood what she was requesting. We make the same mistake. We get excited about our project and boldly approach a donor, asking the wrong person, at the wrong time, for the wrong amount, for the wrong project. A college president once asked a local bank for a $50 million lead gift. Shocked, they questioned why he thought they had that capacity or interest.

Before you ask, do your research. Understand the donor’s capacity, passions, and giving history. Learn what truly matters to them. Match your request to their interests and capabilities.

Think About This: “Desire without knowledge is not good, how much more will hasty feet miss the way!” (Proverbs 19:2) This week, research one prospect’s capacity and interests thoroughly. Then answer three questions on one page: what you’ve done, what you’ll do, and what eternal impact their gift will create.

Response: Lord, give me wisdom to know what to ask, from whom, and when.

Two open hands lifted upward in a gesture of offering or prayer against a warm, softly blurred outdoor background, with the text “Urgent Generosity” and 2 Corinthians 8:4 displayed on the left side.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Urgent Generosity

by Ron Haas

March 2, 2026

“They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people” (2 Corinthians 8:4).

The believers in Macedonia are a stunning example of generous giving. Paul was collecting funds to support the Jerusalem church, which was struggling with persecution and poverty. When the Macedonians learned about the situation, they begged Paul to let them give. Think about that. These people were broke and going through their own crisis, yet they pleaded for the chance to help someone else.

Paul was stunned by their response (see 2 Corinthians 8:5). What made them so eager? They saw a real need connected to real people at a specific moment. That combination creates urgent generosity. Here’s how to inspire the same response in your donors.

Shouting “Fire”
If you don’t have a fire, don’t yell fire. Artificial urgency trains donors to ignore you. “We need your gift right now” without context is just noise. And desperation messaging backfires. Donors who care will worry. Donors who don’t will leave. If you face a genuine crisis, say so. But choose carefully. You get one, maybe two, emergency appeals before people stop believing you.

Tell the Story Behind the Need
The Macedonians didn’t give to a budget line. They gave to people in Jerusalem who were hungry. Your donors need the same clarity. “Your gift this week means Maria gets her textbooks before midterms” creates urgency because donors see the consequence of delay. Generic deadlines don’t move people. Specific outcomes do. When you connect the timing to a person or result, urgency stops being about your cash flow and starts being about the people you serve.

Create Natural Milestones
Match your deadlines to events that already matter. “Give before summer camp starts so we can cover scholarships for kids already registered” makes sense because the date matters to the mission, not just your budget. The Macedonians understood why their timing mattered. Paul was leaving soon. The Jerusalem church needed help now. Your donors respond when they understand why the calendar matters to the people you serve.

Use Positive Language
Frame urgency as opportunity, not crisis. “Your gift this month doubles through our matching grant” or “Would you give a lead gift we can announce at the banquet to inspire others?” invites participation instead of demanding rescue. The Macedonians saw giving as a privilege. They wanted in on something significant. Give your donors that same sense of opportunity.

The Opposite of Urgency
The opposite of urgency isn’t calm. It’s complacency. If your team isn’t fired up about the work, your donors won’t be either. Sometimes the problem isn’t your messaging. It’s that you’ve lost touch with why this work matters right now. Get out of the office. Visit the people your ministry serves. Reconnect with the mission. When Paul shared what was happening in Jerusalem, the Macedonians caught his urgency because they saw his passion.

Think About This: Your passion for the mission sets the tone for donor response. If you’re going through the motions, they will too.

Response: Lord, forgive me when I forget why this work matters. Fill me with genuine passion for the people we serve, so my excitement becomes contagious to the donors you’ve entrusted to us.

Wide banner image of a sunlit vineyard with rows of grapevines heavy with dark purple grapes, green leaves filling the foreground, and the text “A Fundraising Pruning Guide” and “John 15:1–2” overlaid on the image.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

A Fundraising Pruning Guide

by Ron Haas

February 9, 2026

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2).

Pruning your apple tree makes everything better. More air and sunlight get into the tree, which means the apples end up sweeter, prettier, and actually ripen properly instead of staying small and sour. It’s like the tree gets to focus its energy on making fewer but way better apples. Jesus used this same principle when talking about spiritual growth, and it applies perfectly to fundraising. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your organization is not to add more programs or events, it’s to cut away what’s not working.

When Events Become Energy Drains
That annual silent auction your board started five years ago? The one that now requires six months of planning, exhausts your volunteers, and barely breaks even after expenses? It might be time for some pruning. Just because something worked once doesn’t mean it deserves to live forever. Good fundraising events should energize your mission, not drain it. If an event isn’t pulling its weight financially or building meaningful relationships with donors, it’s stealing resources from activities that could actually bear fruit.

The SYBUNT Problem
Every nonprofit has donors who gave “Some Year But Unfortunately Not This Year.” They clutter your database like dead branches on a tree, and you keep sending them expensive mailings hoping they’ll give again. But here’s the tough truth: if someone hasn’t given in three years, they’re probably not coming back through your regular appeals. Instead of letting these dormant donors drain your mailing budget, try one targeted re-engagement campaign. If that doesn’t work, move them to an inactive list. Your active donors deserve your full attention and resources.

Pruning Your Team
Not every development staff member is going to thrive in fundraising. You can measure activity all day long: phone calls made, emails sent, events attended, but at the end of the year, the question is simple: did they raise money? Great fundraisers don’t just maintain existing donors; they bring in new ones. If someone consistently struggles to build relationships and secure gifts, they might be better suited for a different role. It’s not mean – it’s honest stewardship.

Your Most Precious Resource: Time
As a leader, your calendar is like a garden plot. Every plant competes for the same limited space. That weekly report that takes three hours to compile? The committee meeting that goes in circles? The administrative tasks that keep you from actually talking to donors? Prune ruthlessly. Your highest and best use of time is identifying, cultivating, and asking major donors. Everything else should be delegated, streamlined, or eliminated.

Think About This: Remember, pruning isn’t punishment – it’s preparation for growth. When you cut away what’s not working, you create space for what could flourish. Your remaining programs become stronger. Your staff becomes more focused. Your donors receive better attention. Sometimes the most loving thing a gardener can do is make the hard cuts that allow for new growth.

Response: Lord, please give me wisdom to prune everything (and everyone) that’s not working to make us more effective.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Honest Fundraising

by Ron Haas

January 26, 2026

“Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative… Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it” (2 Corinthians 8:17, 24 ).

Have you ever avoided telling a donor you’re coming to ask for money when you set up a meeting? Paul didn’t beat around the bush. He told the Corinthians straight up Titus was coming to collect the money they had promised to give. Whether you’re setting up a meeting to ask for a donation or following up on a pledge, tell your donor exactly why you want to meet. Honesty gets great results:

Builds Respect and Trust
When you’re upfront about what you want, you’re treating people like smart adults who can make their own choices. Honesty becomes your strongest tool—one sneaky conversation can mess up relationships for years, but being straight with people builds trust that lasts. Be clear right from your first phone call: “I’d love to meet with you to share what we’re doing and see if you might want to help support us.”

Lets People Get Ready
When donors know why you’re coming, they can think of good questions, figure out what they might be able to give, and maybe bring their spouse or financial advisor into the conversation. This shows you respect their time and see them as partners, not just people with money. Being clear about what you want keeps the relationship strong no matter what they decide about giving.

Creates Real Partnership
Giving benefits the ministry and the donor. Think long-term friendship, not a one-time deal. You’re not just asking for money—you’re giving people a chance to be part of something eternal while helping them reach their giving goals. Focus on what’s important to them: what they care about, what interests them, and their desire to make a difference. This changes how you think about conversations from “I need something from you” to “I’ve got something exciting to share with you.”

Gets Rid of Stress and Works Better
Being honest makes fundraising way less stressful for everyone. You don’t have to worry about finding the “perfect moment” to bring up money. Donors like knowing what to expect, which means they don’t have their guard up and you can have more natural, helpful conversations. This honest approach often leads to bigger gifts because people feel respected and informed instead of tricked. People are more likely to say yes when they’ve had time to think about your request; even when they can’t give, they appreciate the approach.

Think About This: One fundraiser schedules meetings this way: “The best part of my job is meeting with people who care about what we’re doing. I’d love to share the exciting things God is doing through our work and ask if you’d like to join us through prayer and giving. When would be a good time to get together?” This honest, excited approach sets the right tone from the beginning.

Response: Father, help me always be honest when I talk to people about our work. Give me wisdom as I invite people to pray and give generously.

Top-down view of a diverse group of professionals in business attire stacking their hands together, with text reading Fundraising Takes a Team Effort.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Fundraising Takes a Team Effort

by Ron Haas

December 15, 2025

“I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work” (Nehemiah 2:18).

One of the fastest paths to fundraising burnout is the dangerous assumption that you must shoulder every responsibility alone. Perhaps you’re a one-person shop with seemingly no available help. Maybe you believe that delegating means compromising quality or speed. This mindset undermines your personal well-being and organizational effectiveness.

We credit Nehemiah for rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, yet success required the entire community working together. Nehemiah 3 lists every family, their specific responsibilities, and the exact sections they rebuilt. Successful fundraising happens when everyone in your ministry identifies, cultivates, and solicits donors.

Everyone Has a Role
From priests and temple gatekeepers to goldsmiths and perfume-makers, from government officials to ordinary merchants, everyone got involved. No role was insignificant. Fundraising is not just the executive director or development professionals’ job. Every team member can and should share your organization’s story. Similarly, every donor matters regardless of giving capacity. Whether someone contributes $100 or $100,000, each gift represents personal sacrifice and builds momentum toward your fundraising goals.

Work Where You Are
Families specifically “repaired the section opposite his house” or adjacent to their neighborhoods (Neh. 3:10,23,28,29,30). They assumed responsibility for areas closest to them. Focus your personal fundraising efforts within your sphere of influence. Coaches should prioritize relationships with dedicated fans and alumni athletes. Professors should cultivate connections with scholarship donors who support their specific programs. Youth workers should engage families whose children have benefited from their ministry. Genuine relationships always outperform generic, impersonal fundraising appeals.

Lead by Example
Eliashib the high priest and his fellow leaders demonstrated servant leadership by getting their hands dirty to build their section rather than merely telling others what to do. Leaders must be committed to fundraising, not just delegating tasks to staff members. When leaders demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for sharing your ministry’s story and personally asking for gifts, others are inspired and confident to get involved.

The Cost of Non-Participation
Nehemiah included an uncomfortable detail: certain nobles “would not put their shoulders to the work” (Neh. 3:5). Are there people in your ministry who sit and watch you do all the work? Pride, apathy, or fear often prevents people from engaging in fundraising. Unfortunately, their lack of participation forces others to pick up the slack.

Complete the Task
Nehemiah’s builders understood that leaving any gaps in their defensive wall would compromise the entire city. Your ministry also needs to fill in all the gaps on your donor giving pyramid: major donors, recurring donors, mid-level donors, first-time donors, foundations, churches, and legacy donors. Employ strategies to reach each segment.

Think About This: “So the wall was completed… in fifty-two days” (Neh. 6:15). The wall wasn’t built by one person working alone for years—it was completed by everyone working together for weeks. Imagine the transformative impact if every person in your organization committed to personally introducing just ten people to your ministry this year.

Response: Lord, forgive me for attempting to accomplish our mission by myself. Give me wisdom to effectively engage others in this significant work.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Major Donor Line Up

by Ron Haas

November 17, 2025

Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” ¹¹So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep” (1 Samuel 16:10-11).

King Saul disqualified himself, so the Lord sent Samuel to Bethlehem to select the next king. Jesse’s seven sons passed by Samuel, but the Lord rejected each one. At the end of the parade, Samuel asked if there was another. David was taking care of the sheep, so Jesse quickly summoned him. When David arrived, Samuel immediately anointed him as the next king of Israel.

Identifying major donors can take a similar path. We look for external indications of wealth—what they do for a living, where they live, what they drive, etc. However, these clues don’t uncover a donor’s heart. Samuel was impressed with Jesse’s good-looking sons, but the Lord warned him, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). What qualities should you identify in a major donor?

Heart
God gave David an amazing descriptor, “I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13:22). Listen carefully to your major donors to discover their passion. Some might have great resources, but they might also have a high appetite for the pleasures of the world. Look for people interested in doing what God wants them to do.

Servant
David was not ashamed to get his hands dirty. Thomas Stanley’s book, The Millionaire Next Door identifies seven common traits of those who accumulate wealth. Most millionaires aren’t flashy but tend to be business owners who work hard, save money, and live middle-class lifestyles like you and me. When searching for your next major donor, look for the guy who has owned your local hardware store for the last 50 years.

Hand
Major donors are skilled at their work. “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them” (Psa. 78:72). Unbelievers are certainly successful. True success is a gift from the Lord and is connected to generosity. “Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to” (Deut. 15:10).

Spirit
“From that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David” (1 Sam. 16:13). David had an impressive resume, “He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.” (1 Sam. 16:18). David’s dependence upon the Spirit set him apart from all the others.

Think About This: David was Israel’s largest major donor. Solomon built the Temple, but David gave generously from his own resources and rallied the Israelites to join him (see 1 Chron. 29:2-9).

Response: Lord, help me look at the hearts of my potential major donors, not their appearance.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Golden Rule Fundraising

by Ron Haas

October 28, 2025

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

The Golden Rule teaches us to actively treat others the way we ourselves would like to be treated. This principle applies directly to fundraising. You want to be treated with kindness and respect, so do your donors. You appreciate good communication, so will your donors. There’s another unspoken golden rule in fundraising—”He who has the gold makes the rules!” Each major donor has individual giving interests and should be approached in a personal way. However, there are some basic principles that apply to every donor. A foundation director shared these four secrets to a successful grant.

Define the problem.
What problem are you trying to solve? Donors want to make an eternal difference, but they must first understand the need. Are you raising money to help an underprivileged child receive a Christian education? Are you helping a family rise from poverty? Are you facing a budget shortfall that will severely impact your programs? Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, the former lead engineer at Lockheed Skunk Works responsible for the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane, coined the phrase “keep it simple, stupid.” Your job is to communicate a complex problem in a way your donors can grasp.

Share your solution.
Your problem needs to be solvable. Donors respond when you present a problem that can be solved today. Reaching the remaining five billion unreached people is an incredible vision but a complex problem. A donor will see their gift as just a drop in the bucket that won’t make a meaningful difference. If you frame your solution in small achievable steps, their gift becomes relevant. Both your problem and your solution must be easy to understand.

Show data to prove your plan works.
Great storytelling creates donor empathy, but storytelling is not enough, you must share relevant data to support your plan. Foundations are particularly interested in outcomes. Like your high school algebra teacher, they want you to “prove your work.” A major donor responded to a feasibility study by saying, “I don’t know what you accomplished with my last gift.” He was not interested in the new facility but wanted to know how many lives were impacted by the programs because of the new facility.

Ask for a specific gift.
Your donors don’t know as much about the problem as you do because you’ve been studying it for years. Don’t make the mistake of saying, “How much would you like to give to solve this problem?” A foundation board chair shared, “You are the expert, not me. Don’t make me guess what my gift should be to help solve your problem. We may or may not give that amount, but we want a number.” Asking for a specific gift is a kindness because it lets your donor know what level of support they should consider.

Think About This: Ask yourself how you would like to be asked and apply those standards to your fundraising. Share the problem, your solution, the supporting data, and a specific gift amount.

Response: Father, please show me how to improve my storytelling with compelling data that will inspire generosity in my ministry partners.

Fundraising Verse of the Week

Keys to Campaign Success

by Ron Haas

October 13, 2025

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said “We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.” (1 Chronicles 12:18).

Non-profit organizations launch capital campaigns to turn their dreams into reality. Unfortunately, some campaigns fall short of the goal. How do you know if you’re ready for a campaign? Should you order confetti and balloons? 1 Chronicles 12:38-40 details seven keys to David’s success that apply to your next capital campaign.

Volunteers
“All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks” (v. 38). As David came to power, he was joined by many valiant men who were willing to serve. Fundraising is a team effort. You may think you can tackle a capital campaign all by yourself, but you will be much more successful if you recruit a team of committed volunteers.

Buy-In
“They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel” (v. 38). Donor buy-in is critical for your campaign success. Your board and major donors must be fully committed to your campaign. Here’s where many campaigns falter. If your leaders are unsure, your campaign will be in jeopardy.

Alignment
“All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king” (v. 38). One key reason for conducting a feasibility study is to test your assumptions. You want to believe that your constituency supports your direction, but you don’t really know until you ask. Test your case for support with your closest supporters and listen to their feedback.

Internal Support
“…their families had supplied provisions for them” (v. 39). Leadership gifts start everything moving. Those closest to David believed in his leadership and those closest to your ministry must believe in your direction. You know your donors’ hearts by how they invest their treasure (see Matt. 6:21). Don’t start your campaign without support from your key donors. The top ten gifts will set the pace for your whole campaign.

External Support
“Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food…” (v. 40). News about David’s coronation spread like wildfire. People came from near and far to join the celebration. A capital campaign gives you the opportunity to rally your constituency to accomplish something of eternal significance.

Generosity
“There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle, and sheep…” (v. 40). The people emptied their storehouses to bring their abundance. Be prepared to receive gifts of cash, multi-year pledges, gifts of appreciated assets, estate gifts, and even grain if you live in ag country.

Joy
“…there was joy in Israel” (v.40). One of the great outcomes of a successful campaign is the joy it brings to everyone in your constituency especially to those who participate. Generous people find great joy in giving because “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).

Think About This: You can make all the right preparations but don’t forget—success comes when “God helps you” (1 Chron. 12:18).

Response: Father, please give me wisdom to prepare well for our next capital campaign. Help us succeed for your glory.

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!”

God’s Role in Your Fundraising Challenge

The Art of the Bold Ask

Urgent Generosity

A Fundraising Pruning Guide

Honest Fundraising

Fundraising Takes a Team Effort

Major Donor Line Up

Golden Rule Fundraising

Keys to Campaign Success

When Your Donor Says No

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2450 44th St SESte 106Grand Rapids, MI 49512

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

Quick Link

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

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