In this episode we talk about something most people hate as much as having teeth pulled - fundraising! How do you get over that terror and effectively, confidently raise money for your charity, church, ministry, mission, or project? How do you raise money without exploiting those you hope to serve? How can you turn donors into true, long-term partners? Find out as I share my top 5 lessons learned while raising fund for OnRamp these last ten years.

Outline:

How to fundraise effectively without losing your soul

• You’ve got to be passionate about the mission
• You are pitching an investment, not panhandling 
  • We are not beggars looking for handouts - we are visionaries showing people how they can make the greatest possible impact with their lives
• Your clients’ dignity infinitely outweighs any donation
  • Your clients should be the owners of their stories and the heroes of their stories
  • Be careful about exaggeration - bending the truth will cost your organization in the long run
• Your donors are people, not prospects
  • DO NOT view them as bank accounts, see them as unique individuals whose lives matter as much as your clients’ lives
  • Care about their journey and their growth
• Stories outperform events