You’ve probably heard fundraising consultants say that when you’re conducting a face-to-face solicitation you should “ask for a specific amount.” I know. It’s really annoying when we say that.
The truth is, a specific ask will usually result in a larger gift than if you just say, “give what you can.” And, for the most part, donors appreciate knowing what you’re hoping for.
But, how do you determine how much to request for an annual fund gift? (We’ll deal with campaign asks in a future blog.) And, if you genuinely have no idea how much to ask for, what’s your fallback language?
Four key indicators will help you determine an ask amount:
1. How much has the prospect given to your organization before? If you’re asking for an annual gift, consider asking your donor to increase their gift by X amount to help fill a specific programmatic need. Or maybe an increase that will enable them to enjoy particular kinds of recognition, like an invitation to a VIP event. If they’ve never given, you’’ll obviously need to move on to #2!
2. What are their peers giving to your organization? If you’re a volunteer fundraiser, you might just want to ask the donor to give what you’re already giving this year. Or maybe you have a giving club that they could join. Donors do like to “cluster” and they appreciate knowing what other donors are doing.
3. How much is the prospect giving to other organizations? Do a little research to see how much your prospect is giving elsewhere. There’s a fabulous website called NOZA (it’s not cheap, but it is very useful!) that compiles annual report information from the Internet and can give you a quick snapshot of people’s giving habits. A quick Google search can help, too. Remember, donors give the most to the organizations they love the most, so just because someone gave a huge gift to their alma mater doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for you to expect that much. On the other hand, if you know they adore your work and you’ve done a great job of making them feel appreciated, you can aim for the higher levels within their giving history.
4. What is the need? The worst possible thing to do is give a donor the sense that you’d like them to give X amount because you think they can afford it. You must frame your ask in the context of what their dollars will actually make happen. That doesn’t mean you have to restrict their gift, but it’s great to say things like, “It costs us $1,000 per night to run our shelter for 300 homeless people. Would you consider supporting a week of services?”
OK, you say, but what if I really have no idea about their capacity? They haven’t given to your organization, they’re not showing up on NOZA or Google and no one can even begin to guess whether they’re generous or not. You can’t afford a wealth screening and so you’re feeling stuck.
Here’s some sample language to help you create an annual fund ask when you’ve got very little to go on:
“Meghan, I know this will be a first-time gift for you to this organization. I want you to know that of all the contributions I make each year, I make the largest one here because I know it is such a great investment. Will you consider joining me by making a gift of $X?”
“Meghan, I know you share the same passion as I do for this cause. A gift of $X will enable ten kids to participate in a life-changing experience. Would you consider that amount?”
If you have a giving club, it’s even easier. You can just say: “Meghan, my partner and I are members of the President’s Club. Won’t you join us?”
And then hand them a piece of paper that shows the President’s Club benefits and price. You don’t even have to say an amount! Leslie wrote a great blog on giving clubs a while back. This is a strategy we highly recommend!
In the end, you don’t want to say, “I hope you’ll give.”
You do want to say, “I hope you’ll have an impact and here’s how much it’s going to take.”
