Stepping Into Your Fundraising Story
Hawaii Life: When the Ocean Calls (But Not in a Good Way)
You might have heard about the tsunami alert we had here in Hawaii after that massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit off Russia's coast. Let me tell you, when those emergency alerts start blaring and officials are telling everyone to evacuate inland, you don't mess around.
I packed up the essentials (basically Oakley and the Instant Pot of chili I had just made) and headed to higher ground. The “higher ground” was my friend Shawn’s place in the neighborhood a few blocks up. A few of us and all our dogs had a disaster party while watching the coverage on our phones. Thankfully, the waves that did reach our shores caused minimal damage. But it was a good reminder that sometimes life throws you curveballs – and being prepared makes all the difference.
Your Fundraising Hero's Journey: The Call to Adventure
Speaking of being prepared for what life throws at you, I've been developing something I call the Fundraising Hero's Journey framework. One piece that I'm really excited about is what I call "The Call to Adventure" – that moment when you realize your organization needs to step up its fundraising game.
Here's the thing: every great fundraising story starts with someone (that's you!) recognizing that the status quo isn't working anymore. Maybe your donor base is aging out. Maybe your usual grant sources are drying up. Maybe you've got big dreams but the same small budget.
That uncomfortable feeling? That's not failure calling – that's adventure calling.
In the classic hero's journey, the hero always wants to refuse the call at first. It's scary! It's unknown! But here's what I've learned from working with hundreds of nonprofit leaders: the organizations that thrive are the ones whose leaders answer that call and step into their role as the fundraising hero their mission deserves.
The best part? You don't have to figure it all out alone. Every hero needs a guide – and that's exactly what the Fundraising Hero's Journey provides.
Want to learn more about how to answer your call to fundraising adventure? I'd love to chat about how this framework can transform your approach to raising funds.
Stay safe, stay inspired, and remember – you're the hero of this story.
