Cambridge Business Association
The Ask
Book

The Ask

How to Ask Anyone for Any Amount for Any Purpose

Laura Fredricks
Jossey-Bass, 2006
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Recommendation

You have just accepted a staff or volunteer position with a prominent local nonprofit organization. One small problem: up until this point, you never have asked anyone for a dime for charity. Fund-raising is a brand new field for you, and now you must routinely solicit large donations and other vital financial assistance from local community and business leaders. Asking for money does not come naturally to most people. Well, here’s some good news: As with any other established area of expertise, you can learn this skill. You can put proven methodologies to work to persuade people to make major financial contributions to your organization. getAbstract recommends this intelligent, informative manual on valuable fund-raising procedures and techniques. Laura Fredricks is a true expert on the subject and she details all her hard-won knowledge in this book. You can’t ask for much more than that. Or then again, according to Fredricks, you can. Indeed, she will teach you how to ask for everything that your organization needs.

Summary

Fund-raisers Are Made, Not Born

Everyone fears rejection. Therefore, asking for money is never easy. But for charitable groups and other nonprofits, failure to ask for needed funds can mean eventual extinction. Fund-raisers for nonprofits must rise above their natural fears, and be prepared and willing to ask others for financial gifts. This will require courage. But take heart, you readily can learn the skills you need to excel in this important endeavor. This is true for nonprofit directors, board members, and other staffers and volunteers who must routinely ask potential donors for money. Remember: Fund-raisers are made, not born.

Mastering the “Ask”

The ask describes that all-important meeting when you personally request money from others. To be effective, always prepare for the ask. First, learn everything you can about the prospective donor. This includes how he or she feels about the subject of money. People raised during hard economic times probably have far different attitudes concerning this topic than individuals who came of age during boom periods. Second, always encourage or “cultivate” them. Failure to do so will mean failure in securing a gift...

About the Author

Laura Fredricks is the fund-raising director at Pace University. This is her second book on how to raise philanthropic funds for nonprofit organizations.

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