News & Insight

21st November 2015

Making the ask and when to do it?

Welcome to the fourth in our series of Blogs on ‘Making the Ask’

The ask should be made after a process of engagement. Significant gifts can take between 24-36 months of careful cultivation. On occasion, especially if there is an element of self solicitation, then you can ask more quickly. But as a general rule, there should be at least three opportunities to engage with the work, leadership and impact of the organisation.

Much of the timing is down to intuition. The decision about when to ask is an emotional one. Often a prospect may signal that they are ready. It will simply feel right; that they have got to stage at which they are very engaged and will be quite relieved when you finally get to it.

With some forms of giving – direct mail, regular gifts, crowd funding, subscriptions, door to door, and face to face – there is no prior relationship (and there is rarely any significant little ongoing relationship). There is little opportunity for any engagement.

In the next Blog in our Making the Ask series, we look at what to say – the script.

Making the Ask is a core part of our Foundations in Philanthropy course. For further details click here or call Alistair on 07884 196423