Fund raising 19
measured. The structure of moves management is used as a method for determining if
the fund raiser should begin the process, continue the process, or terminate the process.
These terms under gird much of the language of fund raisers; It is part of their shared
vocabulary. One fund raiser talked specifically about knowing when to make an “ask.”
She said, “It just really depends on a donor’s readiness.” She made the determination of
a donor’s readiness based on the number of visits and the apparent comfort level of the
donor. Even this co-optation of the “ask” suggests the corporatization of a relational
element. Asking questions is a natural and fluid part of human interactions and
relationships. However, within the fund raising process, the verb “ask” has been captured
and transformed into a noun, an instrumental step— “the ask.” Thus, we turn to
investigating how relationships and particularly friendships are constructed and
corporatized in fund raising.
Friendships of utility in fund raising
While fund raisers focus on strategic methods like moves management for raising
money, they also emphasize generating and cultivating friendships with potential donors.
In seeming contrast to the technical nature of tracking and assessing a donor’s interest
and capacity, fund raisers are taught the importance of establishing, building, and
maintaining relationships. One fund raiser discussed his goals for a first visit, saying, “I
just want to find out what they are like. What their relationship to [the university] was or
still is. And start to find areas that we have in common and trying [sic] to find areas
where we can build a relationship.” Yet, building the relationship serves a purpose; “Not
that I feel like I have to have control of the relationship, but sometimes you may be able
to steer things along a path to where you are leading up to asking for a larger gift.” While
Convention