I was recently asked by one of my respected colleagues, Jim, to talk with his board on how to ask for a gift--we both felt that going boldly into this was warranted.
What could make one feel more bold than to view the Parthenon?
Boldness is an attitude of strong confidence. Clearly the Greeks must have been imbued with a sense of boldness and determination when they built such a magnificent structure high on a hill...over time the Parthenon was a temple, a treasury, a Byzantine church, a Roman Catholic cathedral, a mosque and now a major tourist destination. It is many centuries old, always representing the rich life and rhythmic power of Athens. The Parthenon is dedicated to the ancient goddess Athena, a symbol of wisdom.
Setting the Stage:
Back to my colleague, Jim. Jim has always been one of the most dedicated, respected colleagues with whom I have worked--a team player, always concerned about the other person, donor centric. Loved by his peers, Jim is working for an organization that cares for some of the most vulnerable people in the community. This organization sees family homelessness as a very serious problem in their community and they provide services and solutions so the community can address it.
The demand for services is such that they need to relocate and expand their facility to respond to community needs and provide uninterrupted service to their clients. The executive director of the organization is most competent, relatable and has excellent community ties. The facility expansion necessitated a capital campaign of $5.5 million and a generous community. The board members and campaign volunteers have an extraordinary record of dedication and determination and have already raised 60% of the goal--now they are in the last stages of their work. They know that with such a vulnerable population they don't have a moment to spare in completing the campaign and the construction project.
I told the board members that over the years of my career I have requested gifts about a thousand times. I have made every mistake possible, but after each solicitation I analyzed how I thought it went, what I would keep in my repertoire of asking and what I would change. And after so much analysis, I came to the fact that when you ask someone for a gift there are two things to do:
Keep it simple: so simple that anyone could understand it.
Keep it lively: for all the mistakes I made over time, I made up for it with my sincerity and my passion for the program.
So, what about asking?
Boldly asking on behalf of your organization is the most important thing that a board member or a staff member can do and I consider it one of the simplest things in fundraising.
Everything I do I do so that I can get to engage one of the prospects in a conversation about a gift. I have always felt that I functioned at the very top of my game--150%--during those brief moments. Being bold is the only way to approach fundraising--not bold in the sense of annoying someone with brashness, but bold in having the courage to ask someone to join in to a campaign.
And all development officers (whether they will admit it or not), all executives, and all board members have a fear of asking. But don't waste time on your fears...I got over that issue when I worked with one of the wealthiest people in our city. He was chairing the capital campaign for an organization with which I was working...it was a long time ago, he was 60 and I was just 28 and getting started in the fundraising field. He gave me what he considered to be the most important piece of advice...and he told the story with a twinkle in his eye and a far-off look into the past.
A local university had asked him when he was just 25 years old to solicit a very wealthy woman--he was to ask her for a $10 million gift to support a particular project. He relayed to me that he was very nervous. He laughed and said that his knees were literally knocking. He also realized that he was going to be late for the meeting and, because he was running, he actually arrived sweating through his suit.
He choked out the request for $10 million to the wealthy woman and she said, "Dear, I will not be giving $10 million for that reason, it's not interesting to me, but I will give you $14 million for this particular project," which she went on to describe. He stuttered and said, "Well, I will have to ask the Chancellor about this..." and she interrupted him and said, "Oh, just take the money. I don't think anyone will object." And, of course, the university was thrilled.
But he learned something important that day. In his very gravely voice, he said, "Gayle, when you are asking for a gift, remember, you are not asking for yourself or your family or your salary, you are asking for the mission of your organization. They are counting on you. So don't hesitate, just be bold. You are doing your job--that's why we hired you." I had so much respect for this gentleman that I have always remembered what he taught me.
So whatever you are asking for--if it is $1,000 or $1,000,000, don't hesitate, just make a solid request. It is very important business for the mission, something in which you believe. I also admitted that even today--many years later--I never ask for a gift without thinking that this gentleman is just sitting right there on my shoulder, giving me confidence.
So, who should go to the meeting with a prospect?
For me, when talking about a board member who will be the solicitor, it should be one or both of these people:
The person who has the best relationship and/or
The person who the prospect will have the most difficult time saying "no" to.
In addition, I believe strongly that a staff member should be present. They can answer any questions, fill in any gaps, and remember everything about next steps that need to be taken. At that time they meet a prospect for the first time and begin to establish a relationship. That's so important because these relationships are all about the long-term...an organization wants to be able to steward all of these people and cultivate them, ensuring that they are very happy to be part of this initiative. An organization wants to be sure that they feel good and reinforced about their investment. And a solid development officer can really make that happen.
Of course, next steps begin with what happens to secure a meeting and what are the important elements to consider during your request. I will tackle this in the next post. (Part 2 of this posting will be next Monday).
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Eleanor Roosevelt: "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really look fear in the face. You are able to say...'I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing that you think you cannot do."
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