Ask High
I just finished another Ask Without Fear!® Essentials training. This one for The Nonprofit Academy.
In the training, I give an overview of all aspects of major gift fundraising. One of my favorite tips: ask high.
“High” as in the bigger dollar amount…not whatever else you might have been thinking. 😁
If you use my Gift Range Calculator, you’ll see the top ask is 25% of the total goal. Research indicates that the top gift is typically between 10% and 15% of the goal. So why do I ask for 25%?
Because donors negotiate down.
If you’re trying to raise $100,000, the top gift should be between $25,000 and $10,000. If you ask a donor for $25,000, they may say yes. But if they don’t, they will likely negotiate down. Maybe to $20,000. Maybe to $15,000. Maybe even to $10,000.
But if you ask the donor for $10,000, they won’t ask, “Could I give $25,000?”
Asking respectfully but asking high allows your donor to think through what they can give and what they want to give to your cause. And with bigger gifts, you’ll find you have to do less asking.
If you want the entire Ask Without Fear!® Essentials training, head over to The Nonprofit Academy. Joining at just $19/month gives you access to over 140 CFRE accredited trainings. And you can stop your membership anytime.
And if you want to try the Gift Range Calculator yourself, just click the link to it at the top of this website!
