How Many Major Gift Asks Should You Be Making Each Year?

Fifteen years ago, I published my first book, 50 Asks in 50 Weeks. Seven years later, I released Major Gift Fundraising for Small Shops. That means I’ve been writing and speaking about major gifts fundraising and the art of asking for a solid 15 years.

Last week, I received a great question:

How many asks should fundraisers be making each month or year?

It’s a smart question and one I’ve thought about many times over the years. While there isn’t one perfect number, there are some practical guidelines to help you measure your fundraising performance.

First, What Counts as a Fundraising Ask?

When I talk about an ask, I mean a clear, specific request for a gift amount from a particular donor (or donor couple / family).

A Straight-Forward Example:

Asking Joan and Joe Smith to support your after-school program with a gift in the range of $25,000.

That’s a fundraising ask.

3 Essential Guidelines for Fundraising Asks

Here are three essential principles to guide how often (and how boldly) you should be making your major gift asks.

1. Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity

If you’re making 100 asks but only receiving three gifts, you’re rushing the process. That often means you’re skipping donor cultivation or not doing enough research. Effective major gift fundraising requires time and intentional relationship-building.

2. If You Get Every Gift, You’re Playing It Too Safe

On the other hand, if you ask for 10 gifts and receive all of them exactly as requested, you are probably aiming too low. Stretch goals matter. If you never hear “no” (or even “not now”), you’re probably underestimating your donors’ capacity.

3. There’s No “Magic Number” of Asks

Every organization is different, and so is every development role.

A major gift officer at a large, established nonprofit with long-term donors might make 100+ asks a year. That same officer, if working with lapsed or first-time major donors, will likely make fewer asks. A one-person development shop, balancing multiple fundraising responsibilities, may make fewer than 10 major asks per year.

The goal is to track what you’re doing and make improvements every year.

Evaluating Your Fundraising Performance

When I assess a fundraiser’s performance, I look at two things:

Number of asks vs. number of gifts secured
Dollars requested vs. dollars received

For example, let’s say you make 20 asks this year, each for $10,000, totaling $200,000:

10 donors say yes at $10,000 each → $100,000
7 donors say yes, but give less (around $7,500) → $50,000+
3 donors decline

That results in 17 gifts from 20 asks, raising $150,000 out of $200,000 requested. That’s success!

Why? Because you were bold, intentional, and strategic. You didn’t play it so safe that you only asked for what you knew you’d get, and you also weren’t careless.

The Bottom Line: How Many Asks Should Fundraisers Make?

There isn’t one universal answer. The right number depends on your organization, your role, and your donor base. What matters most is that you:

Build strong donor relationships.
Ask with courage and strategy.
Track your performance in both gifts and dollars.

If you’re consistently making thoughtful fundraising asks and seeing progress over time, you’ve found your number.

So, how many asks will you make this year? And more importantly, how intentional will they be? Share your comment below — I’d love to know your thinking.