Your staff and volunteers are your greatest assets. They care deeply about your organization and will do anything to further your mission. Notwithstanding their commitment to your organization, many frequently need to overcome barriers to becoming effective and passionate solicitors.

Mersky, Jaffe & Associates provides hands-on, nonprofit solicitor training to teach staff and volunteers how to:

  • overcome the anxiety of asking;
  • cultivate donors as well as steward these relationships;
  • master the art of face-to-face engagement; and
  • overcome donors’ objections and close ever larger gifts.

During solicitor training, we help your volunteers (and staff) to:

  • understand and explain the case for giving:
  • listen to your prospects and donors;
  • respond to objections with a positive outcome;
  • follow up after a meeting;
  • acknowledge donors with appreciation; and
  • steward donors at every opportunity.

We do this by providing theory as well as role-playing opportunities.  We will accompany volunteers or staff on actual solicitations, and encourage continued learning in group and individualized settings. We help you overcome your fear of asking for money.

Because of our extensive experience, we can help almost anyone become comfortable making an ask.

Client Success Stories

Our 600 member synagogue, which did not have a fundraising culture and had not had a capital campaign in over a generation, needed to raise at least $9,000,000 to fund its building goals. Mersky & Jaffe were our partners in the planning and organizing of our campaign, the drafting of fund raising materials, the training of our capital campaign committee members, and on numerous solicitations. They supported our efforts through challenging times and were in no small measure responsible for exceeding our original goal. Thank you Michael, Lori, & David.

— STEVE J. ADLER, Past President, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester