What is“Development?” 15 Finding the right strategy to bring in a donor is part of the effort; deciding the amount to ask for is the other. Prospects often emerge from screening, also known as wealth screening, in which information on whole groups of alumni or other individuals is “screened,” without their knowledge, in order to estimate their wealth. Much more can be found in the public record than one might imagine. The first rule of making the ask is to ask for money. If no one asks, no one is likely to give. It is true that one can ask too early, but the more common fault is not asking. Cultivation should be used to determine the right amount to ask. If prospects who are ready and able to give to Arts and Sciences $100,000 are asked to give $50,000, they usually give $50,000. Do not leave money on the table. Arrive at your best estimate of what is the right number to ask and then go a little higher. Most pros- pects are flattered that you thought that they might be able to give more than they can. Some will seriously consider giving a higher amount, simply because you asked. If the first ask fails, after a suitable interval, ask again. Cultivation typically is a lengthy process. Although I once asked a donor for a million dollars on my first meeting and got a commitment for $500,000, that’s rare. It only happened because in advance of my visit, Univer- sity Development had done extensive research on the individual, and a prominent alumnus who had professional ties with the individual had met with him and talked to him about making a gift. As many as seven visits or substantive contacts may be needed before a gift results. As a busy dean, you should not be making first visits with pros- pects. After extensive research has been done, MGO’s or your Arts and Sciences development officer should be contacting prospects, visiting those that appear to be promising in terms of capacity and interest, and only arranging to have you visit those who are seriously interested. If you are visiting a prospect for the first time, likely he or she has been visited before by someone at the University, so you will want to read all the contact reports. The bane of many a Vice President for Development and dean is the MGO who puts every possible detail about a prospect into contact reports—pet names, favorite hobbies of children, prospects’ proclivities in decorating—but misses crucial clues about