Soliciting a gift is a performance, isn’t it? Why not prepare the way a performer does? Pragmatic suggestions from this opera-singer-turned-major-gift-fundraiser will help you be your best self at a solicitation meeting.

We’ve all done something – given in just enough – to get someone to stop doing something – to stop “bugging us” about something and go away. Perhaps it’s the dog begging for human food – you might toss fido just a bit, to get him to go away. Or your child begs for another hour on the swings – you might give her 10 more minutes, just to stop the badgering. And you might give a “go-away gift.” A gift that is just enough to get the solicitor to go away. That is a transactional gift.

Angry donors can make for a hard day, but listening to them is worth it! Read about what you can do when faced with an angry call, and why you should welcome it as an opportunity.

In this unprecedented moment in time, we are all thinking the same thing: “How will we recover and come back from the many changes we have faced these past few months?” In my conversations with clients and associates, the question I am most frequently asked is, “What do you recommend I do differently?”

It’s like that old joke, “When does a joke become a ‘dad’ joke? When the punchline is _a parent_.” Here’s my variation: “When does a gift agreement become stewardship? When it’s written down.” Ok it’s not really funny. But it IS true - if it is written correctly. Let’s break that down.