There are a LOT of reasons not to ask for money.
At a conference earlier this year, we asked people to share what their biggest challenge in fundraising was. The following list is just a small sample of the resistance that many fundraisers must overcome in order to ask for support…
- “I’ve worked from age 10 to pay my way in life so it’s hard to ask for money”
- “Being very new and not knowing where to start and expecting people to say no”
- “My boss and his ideas”
- “Fear about making a direct ask”
- “Knowing how much to share due to the traumatic nature of our work”
- “We have a private community that doesn’t want their photos taken or their story touted due to cultural tradition”
- “Being too timid or just being intimidated by asking”
- “Being new and don’t want to do something wrong”
- “Managing all the tasks grants, major gifts, events etc. all by myself”
- “Amount of permission / reviewers of fundraising pieces”
- “I am a quiet person”
- “Having the courage to talk about emotional stakes of children dying”
- “Lack of any personal connection with our audience”
- “My organization has a general unspoken theory of don’t ask”
There’s a lot that holds people and organizations back from asking for support.
So if you and your organization sent out fundraising this year-end, you overcame the resistance. You overcame the fears, the bosses, and the hurdles.
You showed vulnerability and courage.
You served your beneficiaries or cause, and you served your donors.
Thank you.
