| In the fundraising profession, the act of requesting | | | | - specific need that you are presenting to the donor |
| funds from a donor is called "the ask." When you are | | | | - size of your donor base |
| writing a fundraising letter and you arrive at the place | | | | - donor's capacity to give (assuming you know it) |
| where you must actually, ahem, request a donation, | | | | - donor's affiliation with your organization (is the |
| you have arrived at the ask. And the ask, as you | | | | donor a brand new supporter or one of your board |
| probably know, is one of the toughest things to get | | | | of directors?) |
| right in fundraising. | | | | - length of time the donor has supported you (is it |
| Where in the letter should you mention money? | | | | one year or ten?) |
| Early on in your letter you should let your reader | | | | As you can see, the amount of money that you |
| know why you are writing. Somewhere "above the | | | | request in your direct mail fundraising letters depends |
| fold," usually in the second or third paragraph, | | | | on too many variables for me to give you an |
| describe the reason for your letter. Here is an | | | | average figure to aim for in every appeal. |
| example: | | | | How many times should you request a donation? |
| "The people of Afghanistan have already suffered 20 | | | | Ask for a gift more than once in your letter. At a |
| years of conflict and three years without rain. One | | | | minimum, bring up the topic early on, and ask again |
| and a half million are dead. Two million are disabled. | | | | for a donation in your conclusion. Another good place |
| And now this: the UN is predicting that "the number | | | | to request funds is in your postscript (your P.S.). |
| of Afghans facing hunger and deprivation will soon | | | | Some of your asks can be hard asks ("Give today") |
| reach 7.5 million." | | | | and others can be soft asks ("Your gift will make a |
| "Something has to give. Or someone has to give. | | | | difference."). |
| That's why I'm writing to you during this crisis. Will | | | | What's the best way to actually ask for the gift? |
| you give? You can save lives and avert disaster by | | | | Here we come to the topic of this Handbook. As you |
| sending a donation to Doctors Without Borders right | | | | will discover, there are at least one-hundred and one |
| now." | | | | ways to make your ask on paper. Some are forceful, |
| How much should you ask for? | | | | others are subtle. Some are for capital campaigns, |
| Ah, the perennial question. As fundraising letter | | | | others for endowment campaigns and still others for |
| expert Mal Warwick would say, "that depends." How | | | | year-end appeals. I recommend that you read all of |
| much money you request of each donor depends on | | | | the asks, putting a checkmark in the margin next to |
| many variables, including: | | | | the ones that will work for your unique organization, |
| - size of the donor's last gift | | | | your unique donors, your unique case for support and |
| - size of the donor's average gift | | | | your unique writing style. |
| - amount that most organizations like yours ask for | | | | |