Yours for the Asking An Indispensable Guide

Yours For the Asking is a how-to guide for anyone with an instinct to raise funds who has fears, qualms, or hesitancies to do so. It explains in easy to understand language how to reach wealthy people face to face, in writing, in large groups, at special events, and over the Internet. And-once their attention has been gained-how to bring home the bacon. It solves the mystery of fundraising from foundations, those notoriously elusive entities that seem to house experts in closing doors, ignoring solicitations, and, when pressed for an answer, saying no. It also demonstrates how many ways there are to tap the resources of donors-large and small-for the institution that commands your respect, affect, and attention.As President of Lincoln Center, Reynold Levy has led the effort to raise over one billion dollars in five years-among many other notable fundraising distinctions-and he is uniquely qualified to write this book.

Dr. Reynold Levy has been the President of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts since 2002. His leadership at Lincoln Center continues a distinguished career of public service in which he has served as president of the International Rescue Committee; senior officer of AT&T in charge of government relations; president of the AT&T Foundation; executive director of the 92nd Street Y; and staff director of the Task Force on the New York City Fiscal Crisis. He has published two books, Give and Take: A Candid Account of Corporate Philanthropy and Nearing the Crossroads: Contending Approaches to Contemporary American Foreign Policy. He writes and speaks widely about philanthropy, the performing arts, humanitarian causes and issues, and the leadership and management of nonprofit institutions. His most recent of many teaching affiliations has been as Senior Lecturer at the Harvard Business School.

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

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Yours for the Asking An Indispensable Guide to Fundraising and Management

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