Gifted Asking

Our Directors share several decades of fundraising experience. Still, one of the most frequent challenges we face is how best to equip volunteer and institutional leaders with the skills they need to ask for major gifts. No matter how wonderful the charity or how valid a cause, the fear of offending and losing friendships often plays heavy on the minds of those leading fundraising campaigns. We’ve seen CEOs of multinational companies fall apart at the thought of asking for money and conversely, witnessed shy and introverted individuals excel at securing substantial gifts.

There are no hard and fast rules about how to ask for a gift but we hope the reflections in this concise new book, will provide a helpful guide to achieving success.

Reigniting your confidence

In just under 70 pages, Gifted Asking sets out a framework for discovering who your prospects are and how to make sure that when you ask them for support, you give yourself the best chance of success. From understanding someone’s possible motivations for giving, to cultivating relationships and learning how to ask with confidence, each section walks you through the methodology of major gifts fundraising.

At the end of every chapter, our Directors also share some personal examples to illustrate how sticking to best fundraising practice can deliver positive and sometimes unexpected results. ‘We wanted this book to reassure charity and volunteer leaders that whilst events in the last couple of years have challenged fundraisers on many levels, the fundamentals of successful asking haven’t changed,’ says Gifted’s Chief Executive, Amy Stevens. ‘After an extended period of uncertainty, it’s right to question our way of doing things and look to adapt our strategies. It’s also important, though, to recognise what continues to be the lifeblood of charities – asking well.’