Yours for the Asking

Praise for Yours for the Asking: An Indispensable Guide to Fundraising and Management "Reynold Levy is a master at persuading people to give money—lots of money—to worthy causes. Now he shares his wisdom with us all—and at a bargain price!" —Tom Brokaw "Ren Levy is the master of his trade. He can squeeze big dollars out of a stone and he tells here just how to do it. Anyone raising money for a good cause must read this book!" —John C. Whitehead, former Co-Chairman and Senior Partner of Goldman Sachs and former United States Deputy Secretary of State "Ren Levy has written the definitive handbook on fundraising. It should be required reading for boards of directors and senior staff of nonprofit organizations. The lessons learned from Ren's broad experience are equally relevant to corporate executives as they endeavor to establish and strengthen customer relationships." —Indra Nooyi, Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo "I have raised money for a living for several decades. But I could not articulate better than Reynold Levy has done in Yours for the Asking the many secrets to successfully acquiring investors. If you wish to learn how to politely and effectively ask for contributions to a favorite organization or cause, you really need to purchase this highly readable, enjoyable and useful book." —David Rubenstein, Co-founder and Managing Director, The Carlyle Group

Acknowledgments xv About the Author xxi Introduction xxiii CHAPTER 1 Fundraising: A Call to Alms, a Call to Action 1 America’s Charitable Potential 6 Activating Philanthropy: The 92nd Street Y 9 Galvanizing Giving: The International Rescue Committee 10 Fundraising on Steroids: Lincoln Center 11 A Call to Alms, A Call to Action 15 CHAPTER 2 Soliciting Individual Prospects 17 America’s Astonishing Affluence 19 Trustee Engagement and Support 23 Volunteer Service: Beyond the Board 29 Engaging Volunteers: A Management Priority 31 A CEO’s Modus Operandi 33 Attitude and Temperament 35 Overcoming Economic Bad News and Psychological Resistance 37 To Ask: Popping the Question 38 Qualities of Excellent Fundraisers 41 Ready, Set, Ask 42 CHAPTER 3 Asking, Face to Face 43 Appointment Secured: Now What? 45 Please and Thank You 46 Donor Recognition: Here to Stay 47 Merit Matters: The Formal Written Request 48 The Lure of the Challenge Grant 49 The Generational Divide 50 Confessions of a CEO 52 The Written Proposal: A Prizewinning Example 54 Obstacles to Overcome 61 Individual Donor Checklist: Some Vital Questions 62 CHAPTER 4 The Institutional Donor: Corporations and Foundations 65 The Corporation and the Small Business 66 The Parlance of Corporate Aid 67 Corporate Support Magnified 69 Small Business, Large Impact 70 The Corporation: Pathway to Affluent Donors 71 Winning Business Support 72 The Lincoln Center Experience 76 Take a Walk, Read Widely 80 The Foundation 81 CHAPTER 5 Technique: Special Events and Direct Mail 85 Special Events 86 Direct Mail Fundraising 94 CHAPTER 6 Tough Questions: Candid Answers 99 Emerging Nonprofits: Newer, Smaller 100 The Philanthropic Postmortem: Critiquing Performance 102 Fundraising In Stormy Weather 104 Fundraising: Who Is in Charge and When 106 Fundraising Myths and Realities 108 A CEO’s Two Friends: The Watch and the List 111 Four Hall of Fame Fundraisers: My Nominees 113 Donations that Can Cost Too Much 118 CHAPTER 7 A Passport to Successful Fundraising: Lessons of a Lifetime 121 1. Diversify Funding Sources 122 2. Diversify Funding Methods 122 3. It’s the Board of Directors, Stupid 122 4. Advice and Money: The Relationship 123 5. Fundraising: Anytime, Anywhere, Any Season 123 6. The Solicitor’s Magic Words 123 7. The Right Way to Ask 123 8. Shoe Leather Trumps Mail 124 9. No Is Not an Answer 124 10. Baseball, Not a College Exam 124 11. Fundraising as Apple Pie 124 12. Fundraising Is a Team Effort 125 13. Practice, Practice 125 14. Philanthropy Is Biography 125 15. Speed and Agility Matter 125 16. The Corporate/Nonprofit Meeting Place 126 17. The School of Hard Knocks 126 18. Early Money: The Best Kind 126 19. Donors Crave Recognition 126 20. Philanthropists Need Help 127 21. Merit Matters 127 22. Reputation: Hard to Acquire, Easy to Squander 127 23. Communicate, Early and Often 128 24. Roles that Fundraisers Play 128 25. Plan and Prepare 128 26. Spread the Gospel 129 27. Fundraising Is All about Tomorrow 130 28. Leaving a Legacy 130 CHAPTER 8 Humor and Fundraising 133 The Relentlessness of Fundraisers 134 The Elusiveness of Prospects 135 Fundraising Is Heavy Lifting 135 The Imperative of Donor Recognition 136 The Lore of Frank Bennack, Jr. 137 Politics Is Inexpensive 138 Major Prospects Enjoy Healthy Egos 138 Self-Deprecating Humor: It Wears Well 138 A Classic: Many Variations on a Theme 139 She Was One of a Kind: Beverly Sills—Part A 139 She Was One of a Kind: Beverly Sills—Part B 140 She Was One Of A Kind: Beverly Sills—Part C 141 An Excusable Lateness 142 Introducing a Gala Honoree 143 The Ask Reduced to Its Essentials 143 Intellectual Flight and an Empty Wall No More 145 The Philanthropic Marine Corps 147 CHAPTER 9 Fundraising: Dimensions of the Future 149 The Board of Directors Transformed 150 Willie Sutton Goes Global 151 Philanthropic Converts Become Proselytizers 155 Underperforming Businesses 155 E-Philanthropy: Unrealized Potential 158 Think Big: It’s a New Millennium 160 CHAPTER 10 Quotations that Matter 163 Epilogue. The Great Recession: A Farewell to Alms? 173 Bibliography 183 Appendix I. Fundraising on Steroids: Lincoln Center 189 Appendix II. Nonprofit Board of Directors Size: A National Sampler and Lincoln Center 195 Appendix III. Governance at Lincoln Center: 2007 197 Appendix IV. Three Direct Mail Home Runs from the International Rescue Committee 199 Notes 209 Index 213