Good Reads for Greater Impact: Asking
CFA’s quarterly book review guides readers toward sources that will help them get better returns on their fundraising efforts.
Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift
By Jerold Panas
Few books in the fundraising field achieve classic status. Fewer still are as concise, practical, and enduring as Jerold Panas’s Asking: A 59-Minute Guide to Everything Board Members, Volunteers, and Staff Must Know to Secure the Gift. Written in Panas’s signature style—warm, conversational, and sprinkled with memorable stories—this slim volume continues to shape the way fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and board members approach the art of solicitation. Panas (1928-2018) is a co-founder of the Institute for Charitable Giving and author of 17 books, including Mega Gifts and Asking.
From its very first pages, Asking challenges the nervousness and hesitation so many people feel when it comes time to make “the ask.” Panas insists that asking is not something to dread but rather an extraordinary opportunity. “Keep in mind,” he writes, “that men and women don’t want to give money away. They want to invest in great causes, in bold and exciting dreams. They want to feel they’re helping change lives and save lives. It’s your job to help them understand that their money can make that happen.” This simple shift in perspective reframes fundraising as an act of service. When we ask, we are offering people a chance to do something meaningful with their resources.
Panas’s genius lies in his ability to strip the mystery from fundraising while elevating its purpose. He demystifies the process with pragmatic advice, always grounded in human connection. Panas emphasizes that fundraising is not about clever pitches or polished presentations—at its core, it is about relationships, listening, and an authentic invitation to join a mission.
The author underscores the importance of preparation—knowing your case and understanding the donor’s interests. One of the most reassuring aspects of Asking is Panas’s reminder that donors actually want to be asked. This truth is liberating. The ask is not a burden placed on the donor; it is actually an opening to deep satisfaction, fulfillment, and possibly even joy.
Part of the brilliance of Asking lies in its brevity. It is deliberately short, designed to be read in less than an hour, but it can be returned to again and again. Each chapter offers wisdom and encouragement. Many fundraisers keep the book at hand as a source of inspiration. Its enduring popularity speaks to its usefulness; thousands of nonprofit professionals consider it a foundational text.
Ultimately, Panas leaves readers with a vision of fundraising that is motivating and uplifting. “Lucky you,” he concludes, “You are a fundraiser. Some shy away. Some are afraid. Some say they don’t like it. You know better. You are, in your own way, helping change a corner of the world.” Asking, at its best, is about the privilege of connecting generosity with vision and helping donors see the future they can help create.
Leslie Cronin, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications
Leslie Cronin comes to Creative Fundraising Advisors with broad experience in education and nonprofits. Early in her career, she taught English, composition, and creative writing at selective independent schools, colleges, and universities. In 2005, she became Senior Development Writer at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, overseeing all aspects of communication coming out of the museum’s development department including exhibition descriptions, grant applications, correspondence with major donors, acknowledgements, and event invitations.
Leslie later brought her experience in education and fundraising to a new role, serving first as board member and then vice president of the board of an independent school in Houston, Texas. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the formulation of the school’s 20-year plan, including its successful accreditation as an International Baccalaureate institution. She worked closely with a wide variety of consultants on urban planning, architecture, and a fundraising feasibility study. Her insight into the client experience helps her every day in her work for CFA.
As Senior Manager of Strategic Communications, Leslie helps CFA’s clients shape their campaigns for maximum impact and results by leading case development workshops, writing compelling case summaries, and crafting powerfully persuasive campaign collateral. Additionally, Leslie manages CFA’s brand voice by developing content for the firm’s resource library and overseeing the editorial calendar.
Leslie believes nonprofits have the power to change the world. In crafting cases for support, she writes as a committed advocate for each client and their goals. Leslie holds two Masters degrees, one an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the other an MA in English Literature from Temple University. She is mother to two grown children, a voracious reader, and an amateur equestrian. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, author Justin Cronin, and their rescue dog, Lonesome Dove.