Guide

How to ask for donations without feeling pushy.

Most asks fail for the same reason: they're vague. Here are the four parts of an ask that works, the exact wording for email, text, and in-person conversations, and what to do after someone says no.

One person, one problem

"Support our mission" asks for nothing. "Forty-two kids need cleats before the season starts" asks for something. Name a specific need with a number and a date.

Show the gift working

Tie an amount to an outcome: $35 buys a pair of cleats. $150 outfits a family. Donors give to results, not to budgets — and the tie-in raises average gift size on its own.

Ask plainly, once

"Will you give $50 today?" Not "anything helps," which reliably produces the smallest possible gift. Name an amount, then stop talking.

Give a deadline and a reason for it

"Before Friday, when the equipment order goes in." Urgency without a reason reads as manipulation; urgency with a reason reads as information.

Copy this

An email and a text you can send today.

Email

Subject: 42 kids, 11 days Hi [First name], Season starts on the 14th and 42 of our players still don't have cleats. A pair costs $35. Twelve people covering three pairs each closes the whole gap. Will you give $35 today? [Donate link] Whatever you can do, thank you — and if you'd rather help another way, just reply to this email. [Your name] [Organization]

Text message

[Org] — we're $1,200 from getting every player on the field by the 14th. $35 covers one pair of cleats. Give here: [link]. Reply STOP to opt out.

Keep texts under 160 characters, send between 10am and 8pm local time, and always include an opt-out.

Bigger gifts

Asking face to face.

Ask in person when the gift is large

Anything above roughly ten times your average gift deserves a conversation, not an email. In-person asks convert several times better at that level.

Open with why you thought of them

"You've supported the arts program for six years" tells someone they're known, not harvested from a list.

State the amount and then be quiet

The silence after a specific ask is uncomfortable and necessary. Filling it with hedges is what talks donors down.

Bring one page, not a deck

The need, the number, the deadline, and how to give. Anything longer gets taken home and forgotten.

After the ask

What separates one gift from ten years of gifts.

Thank within 48 hours, by a human, naming the amount and what it does.
Report back within 90 days with a photo and the outcome — this is what makes a second gift possible.
Treat a 'not right now' as a date, not a refusal. Ask when to come back, then actually come back.
Never remove someone from the list for saying no. Repeat donors frequently declined the first ask.

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FAQ

Questions people ask.

How do you ask someone for a donation?

Name the specific outcome, say what the gift buys, ask for a defined amount, and give one clear way to respond. Vague general-fund appeals underperform named asks every time.

How much should you ask for?

Suggest a specific figure tied to a unit of impact - $50 covers one kit, $250 covers a week. Giving people a number to react to outperforms an open field.

What do you do when someone says no?

Thank them, ask nothing else in that moment, and keep them on your update list. A no today is usually a timing answer, and many later become donors.

How often should you follow up?

Two follow-ups on a three-to-four week campaign - one mid-campaign and one in the final 48 hours. Most gifts arrive after a reminder, not after the first email.

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In Play writes and sends the campaign for you. See also nonprofit fundraising ideas and how to plan a school fundraiser.

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