Fundraising's freshest thinkers take on the sector's toughest topics

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

Round 4: The Ask
MP: One of the toughest challenges I think that is facing nonprofits is not being clear on the ask. There seems to be a resurgence in the last 18 months that people — I’m not sure if it was the perceived bad economy or what — don’t seem to want to put a dollar amount on major-gifts asks. If you say, “Would you support our cause,” that’s a cop-out. That’s not a solicitation. The person doesn’t know what you expect from that.