“Asking Matters is like a good mentor that we can turn to for advice and counsel culminating in the mindset of asking without fear, anxiety or hesitation for the gifts we need and deserve.”

James Eskin
Executive Director
Alamo Colleges Foundation

“When I took a leap of faith and joined Asking Matters I had no idea what a mother lode of fundraising wisdom and inspiration I’d stumbled upon. Better than any consultant!”

Esther Landau
Director of Development
The Walden School

Thanks so much Andrea – I am looking forward to everything I can learn about how to be a great Kindred Spirit fundraiser. Your materials have already given me a huge boost in confidence! Identifying my style and realizing there are specific tools naturally at my disposal that I can use to be successful, without having to try and take on someone else’s style, is such a relief. I’m so appreciative and wish I had learned about this about 12 months ago!

Lisa Rhodes
Operations & Development Director
DFW Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy

I want to let you know that your Asking Styles presentation gave me the confidence (the thing I struggle with most) to ask yesterday, face-to-face, a $50 donor that hadn’t given in 6 years for $25,000… successfully!!! Of course, I had done my homework to give me reason to think it was a possibility, but I thought you’d like to hear that I think you put me over the edge .

Amanda Swan
Gifts Officer
SUNY New Paltz Foundation

Asking Matters is an essential companion to my consulting work with clients. I ask everyone to become a member so that we will share a set of concepts and tools. Recently, I arrived for a fundraising strategy session with an all-volunteer group and a very-busy executive director. They work in a complex environment for fundraising and have worried about whether they could succeed. To my delight, I discovered that everyone had just read Inspire Your Board to Give! People were all charged up and ready to rock n’ roll!

Mary Sylvester
Sylvester Strategies
Auburn, Maine

In identifying my asking style and others’ in the office, we are now more aware of our strengths and weaknesses and adjust accordingly when visiting a donor. Novice or expert, Asking Matters is truly a great tool for anyone in the fundraising world.

Gina Rindfleisch
Program Officer
EcoLogic Development Fund

“I liked the different styles. It’s like learning what your staff and volunteers are really good at and what are red lights for them. Asking in a ‘straight, scripted style’ was a red light for me – the intuitive style gives me a green light. Now, I just have to put my foot on the gas and go!”

Sue Smith, Executive Director
Cornerstone Women’s Resource Center
Salem, New Jersey

Our development staff uses the Asking Matters webinars to stimulate our thinking. Each month a group of us join the webinar and then have a great, productive conversation afterwards. The sessions are interesting, engaging and thought provoking.

Cory Jacobs
Senior Director of Major Gifts at Binghamton University

Uncanny. The profile nailed me. Furthermore, it did it in a flattering way, highlighting my strengths instead of telling me things I should work on.

Paul Jolly, Lead Consultant,
Jump Start Growth, Inc.,
Washington, DC

All I can say is “duh” You pegged me perfectly. I think you thought “mmm Go-Getter with Kindred Spirit rising? What is Mary Hedahl like?” Then filled in the blanks. The profile was spot on. I love it.

Mary Hedahl,
Director of Development,
New York ACLU

This gave me a good laugh. Not because it was incorrect, but because when you recognize part of yourself in a process like this it is kind of funny

Xan Blake,
Executive Director,
Planned Parenthood of the Mercer Areas

You and your test are brilliant!

Patty Byers,
Planned Parenthood of the Mercer Area

Love it! Totally fits!

Keiren Havens,
Planned Parenthood of Maryland

The quiz is surprisingly accurate!… the assessment characterized me as “Go-Getter,” with some pretty compelling descriptions to back it up!

Skip Bates, Business Banking Officer,
Bangor Savings Bank,
Portland

Understanding my asking style makes asking something I’ll do, not just think about doing.

Nancy Swanberg, MS, LMHC,
Executive Director,
The Friendship Network for Children, Inc.,
Boston

Just a quick note to say how superb and focused I find the information and links that are coming from you and Asking Matters. The next step is to get my Board actively involved; with this guidance I have high hopes. Thank you!

Jeannie Costello, Executive Director,
Brooklyn Bar Association
Volunteer Lawyers Project

I think your site is a strikingly brilliant — not to mention, wonderfully demystifying — addition to the educational and professional development needs of current and potential fundraisers everywhere.

Duff Batchelder,
Management Solutions for
Nonprofit Organizations, New York

In these early stages of using Asking Matters, we’re understanding ourselves better as a fundraising team. We’re learning that everybody’s Asking Style works for them. We’re also becoming more purposeful — and having fun at the same time!

Theresa W. Shuman, Director of Development,
Lancaster County Conservancy, Lancaster

“Asking Matters” is just what I needed, an inexpensive tool that will give board and development committee members the confidence to ask. Thank you for “Asking Matters.”

Joanne Gambino-Morehouse,
Director of Development,
St. Catherine’s Center for Children,
Albany

“Our staff is very impressed with the Asking Mattersâ„¢ tools and resources. We all have completed our own Asking Style Assessment and have begun utilizing it with several of our campaign clients in the Northeast. Already, we find the Asking Style Assessment to be a refreshing and engaging alternative to other training tools; the veteran askers are thinking twice before making their calls, and the newcomers are buoyed to know there is not one right way to do an effective ask.” – Bob Demont, President Demont Associates

demontassociates.com