Basic Question Regarding Proposals

Sherisse Dozier · August 2016

Hi All,

I'm creating a major gifts tracking process and have a seemingly easy question to ask: When entering data on the actual proposal, do you utilize both the Amount Expected and Amount Asked fields, and if so, which do you populate with data first? I'm assuming it's Amount Expected but thought I'd throw it out there.

/S

Jen Claudy · August 2016

We would fill in the Ask Amount as what we plan to ask for and the Expected Amount as what we think we'll actually get. Then the Funded Amount once the gift is in. So we might put together a proposal for ABC Corporation that asks for $30k, but we expect to get $20k. This way, we can do analysis to see if, based on all three numbers, we're planning correctly. Sometimes, the fundraiser will adjust the Expected Amount after making the ask, based on impressions and responses at that time. Then (I hope), a Note would be added to the Proposal (or Note on the Action that the fundraiser is entering) that explains the adjustment; the original figure and reason for adjusting.

shani traum · August 2016

Sherisse Dozier:

Hi All,

I'm creating a major gifts tracking process and have a seemingly easy question to ask: When entering data on the actual proposal, do you utilize both the Amount Expected and Amount Asked fields, and if so, which do you populate with data first? I'm assuming it's Amount Expected but thought I'd throw it out there.

/S

We use amount/date asked as a moving target initially - what we think we'll be asking and when we think the ask will happen (using the start or end of a quarter as the date). Once the ask occurs, the amount and date are what actually happened.

We use amount/date expected ONLY IF the ask has occured and the donor has told the gift officer "I will fund it at such and such amount", but has not signed a a pledge form or sent in a check. It's the amount we're expecting and the date we expect it.

So (since I like to give examples)...

Initially we think we'll ask for $100K sometime in the 2nd quarter, We'd enter it as $100,000 on 3/31/16.

If we then decide the amount is wrong and it's going to take longer to make the ask, we change it to $50,000 on 6/30/16.

We then make the ask, so we change it what really happened - $75,000 on 6/8/16.
When we made the ask, the donor either said "let me thinnk about it" (and so nothing goes into expected fields) or says "This is great, I'm going to request a check from my accountant be sent to you in the amount of $50,000 and you should be getting it in a few weeks" (and so we enter an exptected amount of $50,000 and expected date of 6/29/16.

We used to use expected amount for what we thought we would get from the ask (we're asking for $100K, but really think we'll get $50K), but on the advice of a consultant, stopped doing that.

Lauren Short · April 2017

Hi Sherisse,

I've always thought this field to be a bit repetitive. We ALWAYS use Amount Asked field & only fill in amount expected based on the initial reaction and conversation should the donor be very transparent in either indicating that they will give less or more than the ask amount. We don't fill it out as a rule though, only if it represents intel from the major gift officer.

shani traum · April 2017

Sherisse Dozier:

Hi All,

I'm creating a major gifts tracking process and have a seemingly easy question to ask: When entering data on the actual proposal, do you utilize both the Amount Expected and Amount Asked fields, and if so, which do you populate with data first? I'm assuming it's Amount Expected but thought I'd throw it out there.

/S

Sherisse,

We use Amount Asked to track anticipated ask and then actual ask. We use Expected Ask only when the ask has occurred and the donor has indicate verbally that they will give $X amount.

So, we let's say we have a proposal on Mrs. Kaplan.

At first, we think we will be asking her for $100K in the 2nd quarter.
- We would enter an Ask Amount of $100K and an Ask Date of 3/31/17.
At some point before the actual ask, we decide the amount should be $250K,
- so we update the ask amount. to $250K
On March 1st, we make the ask,
- so we change the Ask Date to 3/1/17.
At the meeting making the ask, Mrs. Kaplan says she would be happy to make the gift, but at $125K and she'll return the pledge paperwork by April 15th.
- So we enter $125K and April 15th in the Expected Amount and Date fields.

Melissa S Graves · April 2017

We use amount asked to record what we anticipate we will ask and change only if we wind up asking for something different - we do not change it however, if we present that number and they scoff and indicate that is way off and we should ask for something else. We asked - it stays that amount.

We use expected amount for the amount we are most confident they will actually give. For a suspect who has never given or never made a major gift - that amount may be $0. But for a donor who typically gives $X amount but this year we are asking for $Y - we put $X into the expected amount. We base our reports mostly off of expected amounts to do our "forecasting" of what we still hope to raise.

Melisa

Basic Question Regarding Proposals

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