Giving to a nonprofit doesn’t just happen.

By Wayne Gurley
President & Creative Director

Most people don’t wake up in the morning thinking about your organization and wanting to send a gift.

The exception would be - as in the case of donors to natural disasters - if they know you provide help to victims of disasters and want to help even before they're asked.

Donors need to be asked.

A post by Claire Axelrad entitled “Do You Assume Donors Don’t Want to Be Asked?”agrees with this idea.

Claire writes…

"Assuming people don’t want to be asked to make a philanthropic gift is one of the biggest misconceptions of what constitutes being donor-centered.

“When you spend all your time on cultivation, assuming folks don’t need a direct ask and will simply give spontaneously as a result of being passively asked, or even outright wooed, everyone loses.

“Donors want to be asked because they’re starved for the love that comes from voluntary giving and receiving.

“Donors have love to give, but don’t always have an object towards which to direct their affection.

“Donors need to be asked because when they’re not, they don’t know how much you need their help.

“Donors want you to honestly tell them when and how and how much to give, so investing their money fills them with confidence it will be appreciated and do the most good.

“Don’t make donors guess whether you truly find them worthy of loving you.”

Don't shortchange your donors or your mission.

If you don’t ask, donors won’t give.

If that happens, both you and your donors will suffer.

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