Finding Money and Raising Funds 91 your conversations, and actual capacity based on research that can be undertaken by your University’s Development Office. Conversa- tion should also have identified areas of interest. If the donor has been quite specific and said she wanted to endow a scholarship supporting international travel, set up a meeting to provide details of what your minimum endowment levels are, draw up draft scholarship guidelines, as well as a draft gift agreement that you can present to the potential donor. Include at the meeting people in your organization who have detailed knowledge about the donor’s area of interest. If the donor has been vague about areas of interest, you could present options based on your assessment of institutional needs, and invite the donor’s response. In examples just cited, significant preparation preceded the ask meeting. Now we should look at the meeting itself. Let’s assume it occurred over lunch or morning or afternoon coffee. There will be some initial pleasantries, but it will be up to you to introduce the reason for the meeting fairly early on in the conversation. If you’ve gone about this the right way, all know why they are present. If you find it awkward to ask for money, as most of us do, to alleviate any jitters, practice what you will say. For example, “Miss Johnson, I want to thank you again for your interest in Noble University and in partic- ular for students in our biology program. I’m thrilled that you are interested in endowing a scholarship. Today, I want to present draft guidelines for the Hilda Johnson Biology Scholarship.” You should not be the first to speak after the ask. Wait for the donor to ask her ques- tions, or respond to the proposal. Do your best to listen more than talk. If permissible, take notes. If the donor has any questions, be sure to answer them promptly. Continue to express gratitude for their interest and consideration. Before your meeting ends, be sure to have identified a point not too far into the future when you will be in contact about the donor’s response to the proposal. Most donors, major or minor, are unlikely to commit immediately to a significant gift upon first receipt of a proposal. “I need to talk this over with my spouse,” or “I’ll have to consult with my financial advisor,” are common and reason- able responses. Try to frame the questions you ask to elicit concrete answers. For example, “By what date do you think you will have come