Stop Asking Donors for Money. Start Offering

The best fundraisers don’t ask for money. They make an offer. Benefit auctioneer, event fundraising consultant, and PledgePal founder Emily Quinn sits down with Trevor to break down the mindset and language shifts that help nonprofits raise more, and where the sector keeps getting in its own way. Emily’s central idea is simple and immediately usable: fundraising is never a yes or no question, it’s always an either/or. “How many tickets, one or two?” beats “Would you like a ticket?” because it removes the mind’s path to no. From there she makes the case for killing the “big ask” and the word “stewardship” in favor of offers and invitations, and for removing every bit of friction between a willing donor and the act of giving. She gets candid about burnout, hitting a growth ceiling in 2020, and why asking for help and making her first hire changed everything. That leads into the heart of the conversation: the scarcity mindset baked into nonprofit work, the race to the bottom that pressures people (often women) to choose between making money and doing good, and her insistence that it is not a zero-sum game. There is more than enough. She also shares how healing her personal relationship with money directly changed how she consults and fundraises, because you can’t comfortably invite someone into a major gift if you’re projecting your own money baggage onto them. On the tactical side: being intentional with projections instead of guessing next year’s number, knowing which of the hundred knobs to actually turn, why your event should be paid for before guests arrive, and why you should never assume what a sponsor wants. Ask them. Emily also introduces PledgePal, the fund-a-need intelligence platform she built to give auctioneers real-time data on stage and comparative analysis afterward, built on the belief that shared data lifts the whole industry. Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:33 Meet Emily Quinn and the Ignite talk origin 01:28 The bachelor firefighter auction that started it all 06:35 Can money buy happiness? The happy money hat trick 09:24 Burnout, asking for help, and her first hire 13:06 The scarcity mindset and the race to the bottom 17:42 Healing your own relationship with money 22:36 Stop asking. Make it an either/or offer 24:42 Killing "the big ask" and "stewardship" 27:32 Being intentional with projections and goals 29:40 Why your event should be paid for before guests arrive 32:46 Don't assume what your sponsors want 35:19 PledgePal and the Fund-in-Need Performance Lab 39:48 Where to find Emily 🔗 CONNECT WITH US 🔗 Connect with Emily on LinkedIn:   / emilyquinninc   Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn:   / trevor-nelson-b8922a167   Follow Hey Nonprofits! on LinkedIn:   / hey-non-profits-raise-more-money   💙 ABOUT HGA FUNDRAISING 💙 This episode was brought to you by HGA Fundraising. The team at HGA helps event fundraisers create auction success with the most profitable (and mission focused) auction items in the space. Trips and experiences that excite donors, ignite bidding, and help your organization RAISE MORE MONEY. To learn more about HGA Fundraising click here: https://hgafundraising.com/trips-and-... Easiest way to raise more money in your next event: https://hgafundraising.com/golden-tic... Feeling stuck with your fundraising? No matter where you are at in your journey, HGA offers FREE coaching for fundraisers: https://hgafundraising.com/nonprofit-... Need an auctioneer for your next event: https://charityauctioneerswelove.com