Your Asking for Money Too Soon

I’m going to give you a fundraising opinion that may seem a little strange coming from a comedian: please take the donation cards off the tables. Actually, if I’m coming to your banquet, I’d love for you to hide them. Put them in a closet. Lock the closet. Give the key to somebody you trust. Whatever you have to do, just don’t let people start deciding how much they’re going to give before you’ve actually made the case for giving.

I know that sounds a little crazy. After all, we’re having a fundraising banquet, and presumably we want people to give money. But I think there’s a big difference between giving someone an opportunity to give and asking someone to make a giving decision before they’ve heard the entire case. If you’re going to ask people to make a significant financial decision, they deserve to hear why their gift matters first.

Think about what happens when someone walks into the room and there’s a donation card sitting right in front of them. They see the blanks for $50, $100, $500, $1,000 and “Other.” Maybe there’s a QR code sitting there too, just in case they’d like to make a donation while they’re waiting for the salad. Congratulations! They have now been invited to make a financial decision before you’ve told them why they should.

And once somebody has mentally decided, “I’m probably going to give $100 tonight,” it can be surprisingly difficult to get them to reconsider that number. You can spend the next hour telling an incredible story, showing an amazing video and explaining how a $1,000 gift could change a life, but they’ve already put themselves in the $100 box. The fundraising case hasn’t even been made, but the donor has already made a decision.

That’s why I like the idea of making it impossible to give until after the financial ask. Let people come in, eat, laugh, hear the stories, learn about the organization and understand the need. Tell them what God is doing through your ministry. Show them the lives that are being changed. Explain what it costs to do the work and what their generosity can accomplish.

Then ask them to give.

There’s a reason I’m particularly passionate about this as a Christian fundraiser. We’re inviting people to participate in something bigger than themselves. Scripture talks repeatedly about generosity, stewardship, caring for the vulnerable and being faithful with what God has entrusted to us. I believe a good fundraising banquet should give people a genuine opportunity to respond to what they’ve heard and prayerfully consider how God might use their generosity.

And yes, emotions are part of fundraising. They should be. If you’re telling me about a child who found a safe home, a woman who chose life, a family that was restored or a person whose life was transformed through your ministry, I hope I feel something. We aren’t robots sitting around a banquet table calculating return on investment while eating chicken. We’re human beings, and God made us with hearts as well as minds.

At the same time, good fundraising involves much more than emotion. You are making a case. You are explaining a problem, presenting a solution, demonstrating impact, building trust and showing people where they can fit into the story. The emotional connection gets their attention, but the complete case gives them the information they need to make a wise decision.

That’s why I think the order of your banquet matters so much. Story. Impact. Vision. Need. Opportunity. Ask. Response. There are obviously different ways to structure an event, but generally speaking, I want the donor to get all the information before I ask them to decide what they’re going to do.

And if you’ve hired me to come perform at your banquet, I really want you to follow this principle. Especially if you’re paying to fly me across the country, put me in a hotel and feed me enough chicken to qualify for frequent flyer miles. Please don’t hand everyone a donation card before I walk on stage.

I’m not saying that because I’m afraid they’ll be distracted by the card. I’m saying it because I want to do my part of the job. When you bring me in, you’re investing in an evening where people can relax, laugh, connect with one another and become more receptive to the message you need them to hear. Let me do that first.

Then let your organization do what it does best. Tell the stories. Share the vision. Explain the need. Show the impact. Have the executive director or development professional stand up and confidently say, “Here’s what we need, here’s what your gift can accomplish, and here’s how you can be part of it.”

Then, and only then, hand them the card.

I actually think there’s something beautiful about that moment. You’ve spent the evening giving them the opportunity to understand your ministry, and now you’re giving them the opportunity to respond. They have heard the stories. They understand the need. They have seen the impact. Now they can decide what role they want to play.

And here’s the funny thing: sometimes giving people less opportunity to give early in the evening gives them a greater opportunity to give generously later.

So try it at your next banquet. Take the donation cards off the tables. Hide the QR codes for a little while. Don’t start talking about giving before you’ve made the case. Give your guests the entire story first, make a clear and compelling financial ask, and then put the decision in their hands.

Because fundraising is about giving people a reason to give, showing them the opportunity to make a difference, and then trusting them to respond generously.

And if you’re going to spend the money to fly a comedian in to help you raise money, at least let the comedian get through his jokes before you start asking people for their wallets.

That seems like the least we can do.