Get the Majority of Donors to Say "Yes!

Tom Iselin
Aug 24, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Dec 12, 2025

Grants, galas, and emails are all good sources of raising money when done well . . . but this video and article shows why face-to-face fundraising can increase your chances of getting a "Yes" to your ask by 70% -- and you'll learn one simple tactic to make it all happen.

Get the Majority of Donors to Say "Yes!

Do you want to raise more money to fund your worthy mission? Of course you do—who doesn’t?

The irony is that most nonprofits, especially smaller ones, spend the bulk of their fundraising time writing time-consuming grants, pouring hundreds (or thousands) of hours into lackluster galas, or sending out low-yield email solicitations.

Grants, galas, and email campaigns can work—and I’ll cover how to make them more effective elsewhere—but today I want to give you one simple principle that will dramatically improve your fundraising results:

Set up more face-to-face meetings with donors.

Why Face-to-Face Fundraising Works

Face-to-face fundraising isn’t just a “nice idea.” It is the most effective, efficient, and relationship-building fundraising tactic available to nonprofits.

Here’s why.

Face-to-Face Meetings Dramatically Increase Giving

Research consistently shows that asking for a gift in a face-to-face setting is the most effective communication method for securing donations.

If you meet with a donor who already values your mission, there is roughly a 70% chance they will say yes to your ask. If that donor has volunteered or has a personal connection to your work, the likelihood jumps to 90%.

Those are extraordinary odds—far higher than grants, emails, or event appeals.

Face-to-Face Fundraising Is an Efficient Use of Time

Have you ever spent dozens of hours writing a grant that wasn’t funded?

Have you ever spent hundreds—or even thousands—of hours organizing a gala that produced underwhelming results?

I have. And it’s painful.

Face-to-face fundraising is remarkably efficient. A meaningful donor meeting takes about one hour—coffee, lunch, or a casual meeting.

Let’s say your gala takes 3,000 hours to plan and execute. If you improved efficiency and saved just 1,000 of those hours, imagine reallocating that time to donor meetings. You could meet with 500 donors for two hours each.

Few fundraising strategies offer that level of return on time invested.

Face-to-Face Meetings Build Trust and Credibility

Donors give to organizations they trust—and to people they like.

There is no better way to build trust than sitting across the table from someone. In a face-to-face meeting, donors experience your passion firsthand, engage in real conversation, ask questions, and begin to form a relationship rooted in shared values.

This level of trust and connection cannot be replicated through letters, emails, videos, or even large events.

Face-to-Face Meetings Create a Dynamic Ask

Grants, emails, and letters are static fundraising tools. A donor reads the ask and decides yes or no—end of story.

Face-to-face meetings are different.

They create a dynamic asking environment where you can read the donor, respond to cues, answer questions, address objections, share timely updates, and adjust the conversation in real time. Even live gala appeals rarely offer this level of flexibility.

This dynamic interaction dramatically increases the likelihood of a meaningful gift.

Key Takeaways

Face-to-face fundraising delivers higher success rates than any other fundraising method. It uses time more efficiently, builds genuine trust, and allows for dynamic, two-way conversations that lead to stronger donor relationships.

If your organization is spending the majority of its fundraising energy on grants, galas, and mass emails, you are leaving significant money—and momentum—on the table. Rebalancing your efforts toward in-person donor engagement can transform your results.

Summary

Get the Majority of Donors to Say "Yes! . . . Here’s my challenge to you.

First, take an honest look at how your organization currently spends its fundraising time. Many nonprofits spend as little as 5% of their fundraising effort in face-to-face donor meetings.

Over the next several months, increase that number to 40–50%—or at the very least, triple the amount of time you spend meeting with donors in person.

If you do, I’m confident you’ll be amazed by the results. Face-to-face fundraising works—and it works exceptionally well.

Tom Iselin

Rated One of America’s Best Board Retreat

and Strategic Planning Facilitators

About the Author

Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.

Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.

Board Retreats & Strategic Planning

If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!

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