Expert fishing guides spend years learning the water. They know where the fish hang out in every season, which bait produces strikes, and when the conditions are just right. Hire one and they will put you on the fish every time.
The disciples had a tax problem and Jesus offered a simple solution: one line, one fish, one coin. In this miracle, Jesus is the guide. He knew exactly where to fish, what to expect, and what it would provide. It was exactly the right amount at exactly the right time, delivered in a way no one could have planned.
Legendary fundraising consultant Jerry Panas spent decades studying what separates successful major gift asks from unsuccessful ones. His Six Rights of Fundraising states: “Successful fundraising is the right person asking the right prospective donor for the right amount for the right project at the right time in the right way.”
The Right Person. The asker must have a genuine personal connection with the donor or bring someone along who does. Before you ask, build the bridge.
The Right Prospective Donor. Your goal is finding the person who has the capacity and the calling to make a difference. Capacity without passion and passion without capacity both fall short of transformational giving.
The Right Amount. Ask too low and you leave resources on the table. Ask too high without preparation and you damage the relationship. Do your homework and be willing to name a number with confidence.
The Right Project. Some donors love capital projects. Others want to fund programs that change lives directly. Listen well to match their heart to the right opportunity.
The Right Time. Timing in fundraising is not about your calendar. It is about the donor’s life and readiness. Stay in relationship, stay patient, and stay attentive.
The Right Way. The best fundraisers are the best listeners. Listening equips you to craft an ask that feels personal rather than scripted. That kind of ask is hard to say no to.
The Seventh Right: The Right Prayer. Panas set the table beautifully but overlooked the most important element: prayer.
You can execute all six rights flawlessly and still walk away without a gift. Your skill and strategy can put you in the right room at the right moment, but only the Holy Spirit can move a heart to be generous. Before every major ask, pray specifically. Ask the Spirit to identify the right donor, give you wisdom about the right amount, and prepare the donor’s heart before you ever sit down with them. Then release the outcome. Your job is faithfulness. The results belong to God.
Think About This: We share the story. We make the ask. But we cannot manufacture the response. That has always been the work of the Spirit.
Response: Lord, lead me to the donor you have already prepared, give me wisdom for the right ask, and remind me that what I cannot manufacture, you can simply speak into being. Amen.
