Fund-a-Need Ask Strategies

The success of your fund-a-need depends upon having donors prepared to lead the way, especially at your highest levels. The goal is to start strong and build momentum from the very first moment your auctioneer begins asking for donations. If you have any levels without a donation it puts a damper on your fundraising. But how do you secure those donations? What strategies do we recommend to get donors to commit to your fund-a-need in advance?

You should have at least one donor lined up for the top two or three levels of your fund-a-need. The higher you are starting your appeal, the more levels you will need to secure lead donations for. If you are starting at $10,000  we recommend securing donors at the top two levels. If you are starting at $100,000 get commitments for at least the top four levels, preferably five. This is because the higher you start, the more levels you need to cover before you reach what can be considered “impulse levels.”

We recommend you start by making asks well in advance of your event. Do not wait until the night of your event and hope to convert potential into action with a few drinks and a good meal. Engage potential donors four to eight weeks before your event. Where the data exists, reach out to donors who have previously donated to your fund-a-need and engage them for the current year. Reference the work they’ve helped you achieve in conjunction with their generous donation. Be positive, assertive and respectful.

“Hey, Linda, we are so excited that you are attending our gala again this year. Last year you generously helped us send four students off to college with your donation of $20,000. Can our students rely on you again this year?”

Where appropriate, include major donors early in the planning process. If you are trying to define this year’s fund-a-need, and having a difficult time deciding between two options, ask last year’s biggest donors what they would be most compelled to support, and at what level. The best development professionals treat donor cultivation as a year-round conversation, not just a night-of engagement.

 If you’ve never done a fund-a-need before, it is especially important to get donor buy-in before the event, and to secure gifts at those top levels. I’ve been put in the position of needing to secure a lead donation, and I simply told the potential donor, “I need your help. We are starting something new tonight, and we need someone to be the first hand in the air. It is going to be the push that gets the snowball rolling. Can I count on you to do $2,500? $5,000? Or higher…?”

 How you ask is nowhere near as important as the act of making the ask. I’ve done numerous fund-a-needs where I was told, “This will be great, [Billionaire] is in the room, start at $50,000!” Only to have said billionaire sit on his paddle, because no one asked him to be the lead.

The cultivation work in advance of your gala is crucial to the success of your fund-a-need. Remember: your biggest donors want you to succeed, and it is your job to enable them to make that possible.

Out on a Limb

One of the challenges of fundraising is knowing when to take a risk and when to play it safe. In the fund-a-need, for example, the longstanding wisdom was to start at the highest level where you have a known donor waiting to give.

 Over time, however, that thinking has changed. Now it is common practice to acknowledge the first donor, and to fish for contributions at higher levels. If you choose to go out on a limb and see if anyone wants to donate a higher amount, follow these guidelines.

 Never go out on a limb higher than one level above your known first donation. It is OK to go out on a limb and get no donations at one level, as long as we can immediately drop to a level where there are known donors. As soon as you have two or three levels of crickets, your fund-a-need is doomed. What we are doing onstage is emotion management, and if the crowd starts to feel like this is a failure, it ripples.

Always check with your pre-committed donor to make sure they are on board with the plan. Most donors will be supportive of the idea of trying to find someone to give more. Occasionally, however, a lead donor really wants to be the lead donor and will be offended if you try to go over their head.

Be sure you can justify the ask. If you have a lead donor at $10,000 and want to go out on a limb at $25,000 you better need the extra money, and be able to explain to the crowd in real-time why.

Just because someone has wealth does not mean they are committed to giving it to you, even if they are attending your event. Cultivate donors, engage them in conversations, and empower them to support your cause. Whatever you do, don’t make gambling part of your donor development strategy, and never confuse capacity with commitment. And if you choose to go out on a limb, remember that It’s a valid strategy, as long as you know you won’t fall too far if it breaks.

Personalize your paddle raise

The paddle raise is the most important component of most fundraising auctions, often raising more than the rest of the auction combined. The way it is introduced is crucial to engaging the crowd and ensuring success.

A good paddle raise pitch tells stories that connect your audience to your mission on a personal level. It doesn't have to be long, it doesn't have to be overly dramatic, it just needs to be honest and engaging. Like this video of Trent Yaconelli, associate executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St Helena and Calistoga, at their BIG Night gala.

Trent Yaconelli of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St Helena and Calistoga makes a compelling case for supporting the Club's fund-a-need at the annual BIG Night gala.