There’s a long-held belief in fundraising that major donors, especially new major donors, do not give large unrestricted amounts of cash to organizations. Why?

Perhaps it is because major gift fundraising professionals do not ask for unrestricted support. Instead, we ask for what we think we can get first and never truly make the case for what we need. We opt for the easiest path because fundraisers are ultimately evaluated on the amount of dollars raised and not the direction. This means you could potentially raise restricted dollars and, in the end, still have a financially struggling organization.

But could there be a way to shift this paradigm in advancement?

Let me tell you the story of Ted—which illustrates how fundraisers can make the case (and make the ask) for unrestricted giving.