Are you having a hard time knowing where to start when asking your Gustie alumni friends for gifts to the Gustavus Fund?
By following these easy steps, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident in speaking to the importance of support to the Gustavus Fund:
- Remember that this isn’t about you: You are asking money to support the College that you love, so that it and its students can continue to do great things! You aren’t asking for money for yourself!
- Connect: Connect and reminisce about your time at Gustavus or connect about something you may have in common now (kids, grandkids, living in a small town, large town, similar job, same church, etc.). Also, take a look at what the Gustavus Fund supports and connect to that. (i.e. My Gustavus experience wouldn’t have been what is was without what I learned during the Nobel Conference.)
- What’s new at Gustavus?: Let the person know about some of the exciting changes at Gustavus. (i.e. Did you know that all reunions are now going to be the week after graduation in the spring? We actually get to stay in the dorms! And now, Homecoming will be for all classes–keep your eyes open for new events for everyone in the family at Homecoming.)
- Participation (not dollar amount) is KEY: Every gift counts and is vital to the future success of Gustavus because it improves our national rankings and the College’s ability to secure grants from national foundations and corporations. Our participation percentage is key and we are on a mission to improve that.
- Just ask: Confidently ask if the person will give a gift to Gustavus and emphasize that any amount helps.
- Make it easy: Capture their donation pledge and enter the information through the Class Agent app. If they prefer to do it directly online, send a thank you email with a link.
- Have you given yet?: Have you given for the current fiscal year? If not, do so now, as that will make asking others a lot easier!
“Never think you need to apologize for asking someone to give to a worthy object, any more than as though you were giving him an opportunity to participate in a high-grade investment. The duty of giving is as much his as is the duty of asking yours. Of supreme importance is to make a pleasant, friendly contact with the prospective giver.”
– John D. Rockefeller, Jr. (1933)