A meeting with a major donor can go just swimmingly until crunch time: closing the deal by asking for a donation.
Doing it right can pay off big-time. Doing it wrong can, well…
Speaking during the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ international conference, Patty Lonsbary of Bob Carter Companies and Louise Aspin of Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation gave their suggestions for helpful phrases for the ask. Patty’s helpful phrases:
- I hope you will set an example for others by considering a significant gift of $___.
- The campaign needs $___ for success. I hope we can count on you.
- Our goal is to raise $___ for ___. Is $___ where you see your gift?
- We hope you will consider a gift of $___. Others will stretch to higher levels only if leaders like you will stretch first.
- To achieve our goals, we need a number of gifts in the range of $___. Will you consider making one of them?
Louise’s helpful phrases:
- Consider this gift as a way to honor (a loved one, physician, country).
- We need to get to the next stage in (medical research), and we cannot achieve this without your help.
- Join with (name influential individuals) to help us achieve this goal.
