Yours for the Asking

<p>Acknowledgments xv</p>
<p>About the Author xxi</p>
<p>Introduction xxiii</p>
<p>CHAPTER 1</p>
<p>Fundraising: A Call to Alms, A Call to Action 1</p>
<p>America s Charitable Potential 6</p>
<p>Activating Philanthropy: The 92nd Street Y 9</p>
<p>Galvanizing Giving: The International Rescue Committee 10</p>
<p>Fundraising on Steroids: Lincoln Center 11</p>
<p>A Call to Alms, A Call to Action 15</p>
<p>CHAPTER 2</p>
<p>Soliciting Individual Prospects 17</p>
<p>America s Astonishing Affluence 19</p>
<p>Trustee Engagement and Support 23</p>
<p>Volunteer Service: Beyond the Board 29</p>
<p>Engaging Volunteers: A Management Priority 31</p>
<p>A CEO s Modus Operandi 33</p>
<p>Attitude and Temperament 35</p>
<p>Overcoming Economic Bad News and Psychological Resistance 37</p>
<p>To Ask: Popping the Question 38</p>
<p>Qualities of Excellent Fundraisers 41</p>
<p>Ready, Set, Ask 42</p>
<p>CHAPTER 3</p>
<p>Asking, Face to Face 43</p>
<p>Appointment Secured: Now What? 45</p>
<p>Please and Thank You 46</p>
<p>Donor Recognition: Here to Stay 47</p>
<p>Merit Matters: The Formal Written Request 48</p>
<p>The Lure of the Challenge Grant 49</p>
<p>The Generational Divide 50</p>
<p>Confessions of a CEO 52</p>
<p>The Written Proposal: A Prizewinning Example 54</p>
<p>Obstacles to Overcome 61</p>
<p>Individual Donor Checklist: Some Vital Questions 62</p>
<p>CHAPTER 4</p>
<p>The Institutional Donor: Corporations and Foundations 65</p>
<p>The Corporation and the Small Business 66</p>
<p>The Parlance of Corporate Aid 67</p>
<p>Corporate Support Magnified 69</p>
<p>Small Business, Large Impact 70</p>
<p>The Corporation: Pathway to Affluent Donors 71</p>
<p>Winning Business Support 72</p>
<p>The Lincoln Center Experience 76</p>
<p>Take a Walk, Read Widely 80</p>
<p>The Foundation 81</p>
<p>CHAPTER 5</p>
<p>Technique: Special Events and Direct Mail 85</p>
<p>Special Events 86</p>
<p>Direct Mail Fundraising 94</p>
<p>CHAPTER 6</p>
<p>Tough Questions: Candid Answers 99</p>
<p>Emerging Nonprofits: Newer, Smaller 100</p>
<p>The Philanthropic Postmortem: Critiquing Performance 102</p>
<p>Fundraising in Stormy Weather 104</p>
<p>Fundraising: Who is in Charge and When 106</p>
<p>Fundraising Myths and Realities 108</p>
<p>A CEO s Two Friends: The Watch and the List 111</p>
<p>Four Hall of Fame Fundraisers: My Nominees 113</p>
<p>Donations that can Cost Too Much 118</p>
<p>CHAPTER 7</p>
<p>A Passport to Successful Fundraising: Lessons of a Lifetime 121</p>
<p>1. Diversify Funding Sources 122</p>
<p>2. Diversify Funding Methods 122</p>
<p>3. It s the Board of Directors, Stupid 122</p>
<p>4. Advice and Money: The Relationship 123</p>
<p>5. Fundraising: Anytime, Anywhere, Any Season 123</p>
<p>6. The Solicitor s Magic Words 123</p>
<p>7. The Right Way to Ask 123</p>
<p>8. Shoe Leather Trumps Mail 124</p>
<p>9. No is Not an Answer 124</p>
<p>10. Baseball, Not a College Exam 124</p>
<p>11. Fundraising as Apple Pie 124</p>
<p>12. Fundraising is a Team Effort 125</p>
<p>13. Practice, Practice 125</p>
<p>14. Philanthropy is Biography 125</p>
<p>15. Speed and Agility Matter 125</p>
<p>16. The Corporate/Nonprofit Meeting Place 126</p>
<p>17. The School of Hard Knocks 126</p>
<p>18. Early Money: The Best Kind 126</p>
<p>19. Donors Crave Recognition 126</p>
<p>20. Philanthropists Need Help 127</p>
<p>21. Merit Matters 127</p>
<p>22. Reputation: Hard to Acquire, Easy to Squander 127</p>
<p>23. Communicate, Early and Often 128</p>
<p>24. Roles that Fundraisers Play 128</p>
<p>25. Plan and Prepare 128</p>
<p>26. Spread the Gospel 129</p>
<p>27. Fundraising is All about Tomorrow 130</p>
<p>28. Leaving a Legacy 130</p>
<p>CHAPTER 8</p>
<p>Humor and Fundraising 133</p>
<p>The Relentlessness of Fundraisers 134</p>
<p>The Elusiveness of Prospects 135</p>
<p>Fundraising is Heavy Lifting 135</p>
<p>The Imperative of Donor Recognition 136</p>
<p>The Lore of Frank Bennack, Jr. 137</p>
<p>Politics is Inexpensive 138</p>
<p>Major Prospects Enjoy Healthy Egos 138</p>
<p>Self–Deprecating Humor: It Wears Well 138</p>
<p>A Classic: Many Variations on a Theme 139</p>
<p>She was One of a Kind: Beverly Sills Part A 139</p>
<p>She was One of a Kind: Beverly Sills Part B 140</p>
<p>She was One of a Kind: Beverly Sills Part C 141</p>
<p>An Excusable Lateness 142</p>
<p>Introducing a Gala Honoree 143</p>
<p>The Ask Reduced to its Essentials 143</p>
<p>Intellectual Flight and an Empty Wall No More 145</p>
<p>The Philanthropic Marine Corps 147</p>
<p>CHAPTER 9</p>
<p>Fundraising: Dimensions of the Future 149</p>
<p>The Board of Directors Transformed 150</p>
<p>Willie Sutton goes Global 151</p>
<p>Philanthropic Converts Become Proselytizers 155</p>
<p>Underperforming Businesses 155</p>
<p>E–Philanthropy: Unrealized Potential 158</p>
<p>Think Big: It s a New Millennium 160</p>
<p>CHAPTER 10</p>
<p>Quotations that Matter 163</p>
<p>Bibliography 173</p>
<p>Appendix I. Fundraising on Steroids: Lincoln Center 179</p>
<p>Appendix II. Nonprofit Board of Directors Size: A National Sampler and Lincoln Center 185</p>
<p>Appendix III. Governance at Lincoln Center: 2007 187</p>
<p>Appendix IV. Three Direct Mail Home Runs from the</p>
<p>International Rescue Committee 189</p>
<p>Notes 199</p>
<p>Index 203</p>