Speaking of Fundraising: The Anatomy of a Major-Gifts Ask
Finally, never take the process of asking for a gift too personally or for granted. You have the honor of representing your institution to many prospective donors, and this relationship is completely institutionally driven. Your ultimate goal over time is to seek an annual, major and planned gift from the same donor. View the prospective donor as one who could do a variety of wonderful things for your organization! Always note that you are an educator, first and foremost, but you also must communicate the message. For many fundraising professionals, the ability to make and secure a successful ask is the most important determinate of success in one’s fundraising career. Remember that your ultimate goal is to determine the variety of ways you can get the ball into the end zone and score a touchdown while giving others the credit.
Duke Haddad, Ed.D., CFRE, is currently associate director of development, director of capital campaigns and director of corporate development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division in Indianapolis. He also serves as president of Duke Haddad and Associates LLC and is a freelance instructor for Nonprofit Web Advisor.
He has been a contributing author to NonProfit PRO since 2008.
He received his doctorate degree from West Virginia University with an emphasis on education administration plus a dissertation on donor characteristics. He received a master’s degree from Marshall University with an emphasis on public administration plus a thesis on annual fund analysis. He secured a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) with an emphasis on marketing/management. He has done post graduate work at the University of Louisville.
Duke has received the Fundraising Executive of the Year Award, from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. He also was given the Outstanding West Virginian Award, Kentucky Colonel Award and Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the governors of West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, for his many career contributions in the field of philanthropy. He has maintained a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation for three decades.
