I’m going to tell you a secret here that you won’t find any where else. It’s a secret that is well kept within the nonprofit community, and one that you need to understand right up front when you get into this business.

Fundraising sucks.

Believe me, I know what I’m talking about. Some authors I’ve read spend a great deal of time talking about how wonderful fundraising is: it gives you an opportunity to make people happy and for them to feel fulfilled. It’s nothing to be afraid of.

Don’t believe them. Just remember: fundraising sucks.

That said, if you want to be successful in your mission, it has to be done. You can’t pay the rent, staff and run programs without money. How much depends a lot on your willingness to get out there and make a complete ass of yourself asking for money. If you really want to do this, then you must have that willingness to step through your absolute fear of asking others for money. There’s no way around it. It sucks, but has to be done.

I'll be posting shortly some thoughts on how to make it suck less. Even how to be reasonably successful at it. But I have to be honest here -- I hate it. Absolutely hate it.