Oh, isn’t it true. As a lot of us experience, we love your love, but we need your money too.

 

And you do. You need that money to do the work you do.

 

I thought I would start by acknowleding the taboo on money. The taboo on money works in the same way as the taboo on sex, on being queer, on talking about racism; it works to keep us silent and it prevents us from creating the change we need. If we can’t talk about it we can’t change it. So if you think there is anything wrong with how money gets distributed in our societies and communities, then you should be invested in talking about money.

 

Sometimes when I mention that there is a taboo on money, people are a bit surprised to hear the association. We just don’t always realize that there can be such a negative association about talking about money.

 

Think about this…would you feel more comfortable asking someone to volunteer their time for two hours at your organization? How would you feel about asking them for $25 for your organization? If you notice a difference, that is the taboo on money operating. If you feel squeamish about fundraising, it’s not just you, you’ve likely been taught to feel badly about asking for money.

 

Part of what I do to get over the fear is to talk about money and ask about it as often as possible, and if I feel weird about asking for money, that I know it’s not my fault, but that through practice I will feel better about it. Besides, talking about money creates social change. Sweet!

 

So in my experience a great way to get money is to ask for it. 

 

I say this, because sometimes we think and hope that if we are just so amazing in the work we do that they money will just pour down on us from above. People will just come to us with their wallets open and stuff our pockets. But, they won’t if you don’t ask them. Even if you feel like you have heard an anecdote about someone doing great work, and then some wealthy person from their community heard about it and offered up money without anyone asking, you need to know this is not how it’s going to work for you. If it does happen, it happens rarely. So if you want your community to know that you are raising money, and that you want them to give money, you'll have to ask them.

 

 

 

Fundraising is also about relationship building. It’s about creating connections with people you know, who think that your work is important and asking them to be part of your work. If you are asking someone for money to do the work that is important in your community, you are empowering them to take part in this process. It’s not charity; it’s an investment in social change.  And, if you build a relationship, they are more likely to give again and again. This means its easier to ask the next time. They already know you and your work.

 

 

 

 

 If you are trying to think of a list of people to ask to donate, think through the people you know (all of them) and suss out who digs your work, and has money they could let go of. As my friend says, you don’t have to ask everyone, so if you really don’t want to ask some folks, skip them and move on.

 

It’s ok to hear ‘no.’ My friend L. also let me know that the formula to fundraising is that if you ask 4 people, one will say no, one will say yes, one will give less than you ask, one will give more. So the success rate in fundraising is very high, but it’s not %100. You will hear ‘no.’ It’s okay to hear no! And if you aren’t hearing no, you aren’t asking enough people.

Often we worry that we have to have a big thing, like an event or a fundraiser to ask for money, but often these events are just another way to spark relationships. So if you want to do something fancy, thats great! But just make sure you stay focused on building the relationship, and asking for a donation.

 

Also,  back about a year ago Bitch magazine needed donors so they made this super simple youtube video that you can do without fancy equipment. You could probably do something similar if you are trying to reach people across distance:

 

 

You can’t do this alone...Get the help of your staff, board, friends and family, and get fundraising resources and training in fundraising. There is lots out there.

 

Check out Girls Action's resource centre and our new publication Start Something Fierce, and look to the website Feb 14th for the new Amplify Manual which tells you some of its own fundraising ABCs.

 

Also, I love the the Grassroots Institute on Fundraising Training (GIFT) for their knowledge and approach. They believe in fundraising for social change, and they have a really smart way of thinking about fundraising while advancing your work. Much of what I have learned in fundraising originally came from these folks. So read up (and donate to them generously!). Serrrrriously.