I try to do as much as I can to help advance mental health for all. One of the ways that I have started to do more of this is through fundraising. Fundraising. To a lot of us, this is not a fun word. It can involve uncomfortable conversations, and many people do not like to ask others for help. I am not necessarily worried about the asking part, I just don’t find it all that enjoyable to do. However, the more I learn, the easier it is becoming to make fundraising a more interesting task.
Although it now seems obvious in hindsight, fundraising is a world all of its own. There are people who study to be professional fundraisers, and there is a whole lot you can learn about the process. In fact, the amount of fundraising resources out there is probably overwhelming. So, if you ever want to take a deeper dive into fundraising, that material is available. But, here are the big things I have learned so far – most fundraising comes from individuals, and fundraising is really about relationships instead of money. The idea is that building relationships will lead to generous support. This is more than just a one-time ask, although you can do that. Asking is an important piece, but the relationship is even more important.
When I think about fundraising as building relationships, I get a lot more excited about it. It still takes a lot of work, but I like the idea of making sure relationships come before the money.
How about you? Do you enjoy fundraising? Have you considered fundraising for mental health causes? Do you like the idea of building relationships before asking for money? Does that make fundraising seem like less of a chore? I encourage you to think about ways you can learn more about fundraising.