The 10 Best Ways to Raise More Money for Your Non-Profit

At many non-profits, “fundraising” is a dirty word. Sure, every non-profit knows that it needs to raise money in order to carry out its programs… but for many board members, executive directors, program officers and even development directors, fundraising remains a “necessary evil,” something that they have to slog through in order to get to the real work of the non-profit.

After decades of work in non-profit development, the author has a different view. He believes that, far from being a necessary evil, fundraising is the single most important thing you do at your non-profit. Think about it…

• Your non-profit has a mission that matters.
• Your non-profit does good work— work that changes the world and makes a real impact on people’s lives.
• Nearly everything your non-profit does costs money
• Fundraising allows your organi­zation to have the money it needs to carry out its mission.

Fundraising matters for your non-profit. Without fundraising, you would have no staff, no office, no programs, no ability to help those who need you the most. Without fundraising, soup kitchens would have no food to offer, churches would have no place to meet, schools would have no scholarships to grant. Without fundraising, your non-profit organization would cease to exist.

That’s why fundraising matters. Fund­raising isn’t a necessary evil. It’s not something that’s beneath you, underhanded, or “kind of icky,” as one non-profit board member recently told us. If your non-profit is doing great work and if your mission and vision and projects matter, then fundraising is the most important thing your organization does, because it allows you to fund your projects and implement your vision.