doing the asking. People give to people they know. And remember, the more people you ask, the more donations you are likely to receive. Getting over the fear of asking for money partly lies in understanding that it is fine if people say no. Another way to feel more comfortable about asking for money is recognizing that you are not asking for something for nothing, nor are you asking for something for yourself. You are simply asking the person to support the work you are doing to fight hunger in your community.
Above: Community Action Board, Flatbush, Brooklyn.
Personal Phone Calls Almost as effective as a face-to-face appeal is a personal phone call from a person to a prospective donor whom he or she knows. The strength of this method is that it is a very quick and easy process. You can speak to a lot more people in a lot less time. The weakness of this method is that since you are not face-to-face with someone, you have to hope that they actually write the check. You can improve the return rate by sending a follow-up letter with a response card for them to return with their check. This letter should be sent immediately after the call. You can also use the personal phone call to set up a meeting where you can make a face-to-face appeal. This will dramatically improve your chances of getting a gift. Personal Letters This method involves a letter written by a person fundraising for your organization (friend, board member, clergy, other community leader) to a prospective donor whom he or she knows. This method tends to be easier for those who are afraid to talk to their contacts and ask them for money. (But
you should try your best to overcome this fear if you hope to become a successful fundraiser.) The effectiveness of this approach can be improved by following the letter with a phone call or, even better, with a face-to-face appeal. Special Events When people think about raising money from individuals, they often decide to throw a party or gala event. Unfortunately, with the substantial amount of money that must be paid up front for these events, an organization might end up losing money or just breaking even. Special events, however, can be a good “point of entry” for people into your donor circle. You can also keep the events cheap. For example, a tour of your soup kitchen for prospective donors followed by a picture tour of all the work your program has done or a wine-and-cheese hosted by one of your board members can be quite effective. Two things should happen at any event: •
Someone should provide the basic facts about what your program does.
•
There should be an emotional hook (such as live or written testimony from your clients).
Be as imaginative as possible and you can do special events without spending much money. Follow up with people who attended to ask for their feedback and financial support. Direct Mail Nonprofit groups who use direct mail do it with the knowledge that it is not very lucrative, but is an effective way to educate donors and find a few regular ones who can then be asked for more money. Large groups like the Red Cross
Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry Best Practices Guide
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