Appeal letters work best when their design is subtle. For example, black letters on a white background instead of white letters reversed out of colored backgrounds. Photographs are completely unnecessary – they distract readers from the “please give” message because they do not convey the...
People give because they believe their contribution will make a difference – because they have an opportunity to make a difference. People give because the organization’s values are aligned with their own....
If your goal is to raise a specific amount of money, ask for more money. With some practical upper limitations, the more you ask for, the more you will make. Asking for $50 will result in more money raised than asking for $35. Asking for...
15 September 2026 By David Allen, Development for Conservation Ask for MORE this week. Conversations about how much to ask for always interest me. I’ve been raising money for most of 40 years, and in nearly every other sense, the fiscal fences have moved. $10,000 cars are now...
I regularly hear two things related to follow-up appeal letters. The first is that “we can’t send a follow-up because we can’t afford it. It’s not in the budget.” When I think about this too long, my head hurts. If you send an appeal letter...
People give stuff and do stuff around every one of us all the time that is neither earned nor necessarily deserved on our part. They do it because, in some way, it makes them happy....
Every donor who responds with a gift – regardless of size – represents a win, because you are not only raising money for this year. You are making it more likely that they will give again next year, and again and again....
Save the impact specifics for a mid-term report to your donors. Reports back all the great things – from loppers to newsletters, to educational workshops, to easements and direct land conservation – that they did with their money. You will engender loyalty. You will improve...
But inevitably, you won’t be able to get or keep meetings with everyone on your list. Some you’ll just miss. Others will have other priorities – usually meaning well but somehow never getting back to you. And some will dodge you intentionally. Don’t let them...
They are completely different decisions. Individual donors make annual or “renewable” general support decisions, major gift or project decisions, and end-of-life or planned giving decisions. These decisions operate independently of each other, and most everybody understands the differences....