One typically busy morning in a charity office, an older woman walked in unannounced and asked to see someone about making a donation. The fundraiser, who was about to start a full day of meetings and activities, came to the reception and asked how he could help The visitor explained that her husband had recently died and that she wished to make a gift in his name. Aware that the clock was ticking, the fundraiser could have simply asked: “How much would you like to give?” or “How would you prefer to pay?” But instead, he invited her to take a seat, arranged for some hot drinks, and said these words: “Tell me about your husband”. The newly widowed woman was glad – indeed, relieved – to be asked this question, and in the course of talking about her late husband, the fundraiser learnt a lot of useful information that helped him to understand why the couple had a connection to the cause, what level of donation was likely, and what sort of recognition would be most suitable. That first chat was the start of a mutually beneficial, lifelong relationship that ended with a generous bequest for the charity.

How do successful fundraisers know the right way to react in these sorts of situations? This book answers that question by shining a light on the hitherto neglected subject of the social characteristics and daily practices of fundraisers. It documents the history and development of fundraising, explores the knowledge contained in ‘how to fundraise’ books, and discusses the everyday reality of raising money for good causes for a living. New data from a large study of UK fundraisers helps to show what kind of people are employed to raise money for good causes, how they go about their work, and the qualities that enable them to successfully meet the needs of both donors and charities. It is written to illuminate fundraisers’ crucial, but usually overlooked, role in enabling charitable work to happen, and as a corrective to the increasingly widespread, though illogical, view that giving is good yet asking is bad. The book discusses all kinds of paid fundraisers, but with a particular focus on those working face-to-face with wealthy donors.