Donor Plaques, Suggested Amounts, And Other Advice On How To Ask For A Donation

Any non-profit organization, whether it be to shelter the homeless, provide homes for abandoned animals, send a high school gymnastic teams to Regional's, or anything and everything in-between, is going to rely heavily on receiving donations. And as anyone who has ever been involved in a non-profit organization is undoubtedly aware, no foundation is going to have even a limited amount of success without a steady stream of financial donations.

Of course, the more basic way of saying the word "donate" is the phrase "give away for free." And for some, asking an individual, or even a group of individuals, to part with their hard-earned cash is no walk in the park. It takes gall, a strong personality, and a deep belief in whatever the cause you're fighting for is. So, for those who feel awkward asking total strangers to give them free money, here's a little bit of advice we've accumulated in our experience assisting non-profit organizations:

It's often advised that, as a means of getting the potential-donator to feel a connection to your cause, you tell some sort of story (We suggest you choose a true story, since if you're already having trouble asking, you'll probably have even more trouble lying). Everybody loves a good story, especially a feel-good human interest piece that warms the heart like a can of Campbells chunky Soup donated at a canned-food drive. The thing to remember is, people are much more interested in the WHO rather than the WHAT. In other words, while a potential-donator will be interested to know what you intend to use his or her money on, they will be doubly interested in learning who that money is going to. If you're representing a homeless shelter, speak of a specific person who found themselves without a roof over their heads. If you're representing an animal shelter, tell the story of a future pet owner. There is nothing easier for a person to relate to than other people.

Also, it's sometimes easier for people to ask for money when they are actually offering something back in return. We're talking about donor-recognition items, such as donor walls, cast bronze plaques, or certificates of appreciation that will be visually displayed somewhere prominent as a means of thanking, respecting, and honoring those who have made donations.

Obviously if your foundation is already struggling financially, spending money on bronze plaques and donor walls probably isn't the best investment. But if the means are there, the idea of honoring your donors with donor plaques of some kind is highly recommended, as it will not just make your donors feel good, it will also make it a little easier for you to ask in the first place.

Also, as awkward as this may be, it is always recommended that you offer a suggested financial amount. No one really knows what is too much or too little, but unfortunately when they don't know, they tend to go towards the lower end.

By taking this advice when you make your big push for donations, we can't guarantee the amount of money donated to your cause will increase. However, we do guarantee you'll feel a little less uncomfortable, and look a lot more professional, when you do so.