Smart ideas from Hartsook Companies, Inc.

January 27, 2009

Keep Asking . . . Gifts Will Come In

The economic downturn and how it might be affecting your fundraising efforts seems to be the hottest topic in too many board rooms. Raise your hand if you've heard enough gloom and doom!

Hopefully your board is raising its collective hand and is willing to help you do something about it. Many organizations received significant six- and seven-figure gifts as 2008 drew to a close. Does that sound like no one is giving to organizations they care about? Of course not! The tips below will help keep gifts coming in.

Solicit Gifts Now
The gifts that came in recently are very likely gifts that were solicited months ago. Like most gifts, they came in the donors' time, not yours. Many organizations have immediate needs and want donors to adhere to their schedules. This brings to mind the phrase we've all heard: "poor planning on your part doesn't constitute an emergency on mine."

Always Ask
Whether the economy is good or bad, whether you need it now or later - ask for the gifts. You should always have a long list of solicitations in the pipeline, or on your "asks on the table" spreadsheet. As each gift comes in, you should be adding new asks to the list.

Keep moving forward in the good times or hard times. While the talkers and naysayers sit around the board room doing what they do best, your organization will be moving ahead.

Another Smart Idea...From the Hartsook Best Practices Collection^SM

"Don't be afraid to ask the Board for money. Go face-to-face with the Board." - Victor Levitt, CFRE, Jewish Home (New Haven, Conn.)

If you are interested in Best Practices and smart ideas, see these additional resources from Hartsook Companies:

• Getting Your Ducks in a Row! . . . Proven Strategies for Exceeding Your Capital, Endowment and Operating Campaign Goals
  No development officer should be without this book. Bob Hartsook's guide brings together outstanding authors and sources providing a tool box of strategies for effective campaign fundraising. Each page is filled with ideas, concepts, plans, strategies, approaches and suggestions that result in success. Available for $19.95 (plus $3 S&H) through ASR Philanthropic Publishing or by calling toll-free 1-877-7GIVING.

• On the Money! by Bob Hartsook, JD, EdD, Chairman and CEO of Hartsook Companies, Inc., is an enlightening collection of success stories and lessons learned from 25 nonprofit fundraising campaigns nationwide. An early review called On the Money! ". . . a celebration of well-earned victories, smart thinking and ideas that make sense." For more information, or to order a copy, visit www.asrpublishing.com.

• "Best Practices Coast to CoastSM," a compilation of best practices from every state in the union.

• "Hartsook Best Practices CollectionSM," our original collection of 250 best practices and great ideas.

For a free copy of "Best Practices Coast to Coast" or the "Hartsook Best Practices Collection", please email Cathy Rutz, cathy@hartsookcompanies.com, or visit our web site at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com. We also invite you to contribute your own best practice by emailing Shelly Chinberg, shelly@hartsookcompanies.com.

Visit the Hartsook Companies web site for:

• Educational opportunities
• Books/reference articles
• Conference/workshop speakers

Strategies for Success explores smart ideas, connecting with more than 1,500 fundraising professionals bi-weekly. We welcome your contributions or comments. Send to Strategies for Success and eHartsook Editor Karin Cox, MFA, Senior Vice President (Wilmington, NC), kcox@hartsookcompanies.com. If you'd like a free subscription to Strategies for Success - or its monthly companion, eHartsook on Philanthropy - contact Tammy Weinman, tammy@hartsookcompanies.com. You also can reach her at 316.630.9992.

Our web site is located at http://www.hartsookcompanies.com.