Major Gift Fundraising: Relationship Building and How To Ask For The Gift Floyd Akins Executive Director of Development Henry B. Tippie College of Business University of Iowa Foundation Iowa City, Iowa

Plan On Each Prospect Requiring at Least One Initiative a Quarter, More if You can Manage it Foreground and Background Initiatives The types of initiatives that advance a person’s awareness, knowledge, interest, involvement, and commitment fall into two categories.

Foreground Initiatives are Conceived, Planned, and Executed with a Specific Individual in Mind.  Meeting with the president  Report on the impact of a gift  Visit by a trustee  Use of home for a reception recognizing major donors  Message of congratulations over a business promotion  Naming opportunity for a building, program, or scholarship  Presenting a distinguished alumni award or honorary degree

Background Initiatives are conceived, planned, and executed with a group in mind that may include one or more prospective givers.  Giving club activities  Campus tours  Annual reports  Promotional brochures for planned giving and stock transfers  Promotional tapes and slide shows  Admission volunteer work, class fund directors, and reunion planning  Regional alumni advisory boards  Campaign news letters

Interest or Potential Interest  Academic programs  Scholarships, internships, or fellowships  Athletics  Endowed chairs/professorships  New buildings with naming opportunity  Research opportunities

Donor’s Needs  The need to honor oneself or other loved ones  The need to honor a person who has had an impact on the institution  The need to promote values or opinions  Recognition or status

Charitable Nature  According to the CASE publication Major Gifts, By Richard Matheny, people tend to give for the following reasons: People give to people People give to peers People give to a vision rather than a need

Listening—The Four Levels 1. Ignoring—Not listening at all (“Hmmm, I wonder if the airlines found my bag yet”) or thinking about personal matters. 2. Pretending—”Uh huh, sure, yeah, outstanding, terrific, great, WOW” (all words used to camouflage pretend listening).

Listening—The Four Levels (continued) 3. Selective Listening—Only listening to certain parts of a conversation (chatter of a preschool child or an older person’s “repeated” stories). 4. Alternative Listening—Paying attention and focusing energy on the words and not the substance of what is being said.

Empathic Listening— The Fifth Level  Listening with intent to understand.  Get “inside the other person’s perspective.”  See the world as they see it.

Empathic listening is not sympathetic listening (in sympathy you agree and judge; in empathy you seek to fully and truly understand the other individual). (Ex., Friends often give sympathy; trained professionals understand empathy.) Empathic Listening continued….

Who Organization  Development Officer  V.P. for Development  President of Institution or Organization  Volunteer  Trustee

Who continued…. Prospective Donor  Alum and her/his spouse  Alum and Family or executor  Alum and legal council or financial advisory

What Before an “ask” is made, the prospect and organization should be clear on the initiative  Building  Scholarship  Program  Chair or Professorship

When Time period that has lapsed between the first meeting until ask  Number of meetings before the “ask”  Use campaign if it’s convenient

Where  During meal at a restaurant  In the home  At the office  On campus

Why  If you don’t know why you are asking for a gift, then change jobs!

How  Cash Outright  Cash over time  Securities  Deferred Gift  Trust  Property

Making the Ask  When you make the ask, state your purpose and the amount for which you are asking for the gift. Then stay silent.  Ask for a specific amount, not a range

The Five “Nos”  No—This is not the right project  No—This is not the right amount  No—This is not the right time  No—You are not the right person to ask  No!

Top Attributes, Skills, and Talents of a Fund Raiser  Impeccable integrity  Strong communication skills  Ability to motivate  Be creative  Be a good listener  A self ‑ starter  Able to see the big picture  Have perseverance  Ability to inspire action  A people person  Well organized