In a recent email, the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy recently included three reviews of Ask Without Fear!:
Ask without Fear can be read in a short period of time and is well worth the effort. Although much of the content may not be “news” to seasoned fund raising professionals, a quick review is always beneficial. I found myself underlining phrases and making a few notes in the margin. There is sound wisdom here as well as making us stop and think about what is the most important facet of our jobs—people.
— Marilyn Parker, Operations and Planned Giving Director
Benefis Healthcare Foundation
This primer offers helpful acronyms, charts and stories to guide the novice development director along the path to fundraising success. The book is not for trustees or donors but for the early-career fundraiser. Perhaps the most valuable element of the book is the author’s stories, which like every good fundraiser, Pitman has in abundance and uses to good effect. One would hope that future editions include information missing here. Pitman is one of the few fundraiser-cognoscenti of the new social media, such as Twitter. A discussion of this topic and its relevance to fundraising would make a helpful addition to the book.
— Gary Jaworski, Executive Director
American Hospital of Paris Foundation
This 90 page book is quick, easy to read and engaging; a good read for volunteers or development professionals. It has a number of myth busters, tips and addresses to useful tools on the web; however not all the websites listed were still available. The last chapter introduced the use of personality profiles in fund raising and this topic is difficult to cover fully in a short chapter. The book does an effective job of outlining the research and strategies that should be employed in all types of fund raising.
— Mark Larkin, CFRE, Executive Director
Centracare Health Foundation
