1. You have everything you need in your bones to make the ask.
Erin Dale Byrd
Blueprint NC

2. Agenda Welcome and Grounding Introductions
What I want to know most about is….
Fundraising Philosophy/ Worldview
Fundraising Tips

3. Have a plan and a tracking system
A goal without a plan is just a wish.

4. People give to people
They or someone close to them has been touched by a specific cause, i.e., a family member has cancer, a child with a disability, graduated from a particular college. For fundraisers, this means that if you don't know why people give it is very difficult to understand what will interest a particular donor or group in your mission, or what will motivate them to make a gift. Take the time to identify what interests particular donors in your organization specifically.
People don't give to organizations, they give to the people your mission serves. For fundraisers, this means don't talk about how great your organization is, talk about the change you make in people's lives and in the community. Link them directly to your mission.
People give to help, to build, to change, to care for, or to invest. They don't make a decision to give because of a tax receipt; however, this can determine the size of some gifts.

5. A Closed Mouth Doesn’t Get Fed
People give because they are asked and if you don't ask, the answer will always be "no."
For fundraisers, this means don't make the mistake of not asking because "you think they will know what you want." Make sure your staff, your board members, and your volunteers make direct and specific asks.
Racial Justice: You are working to move funds from where it is to where it can make more of a difference in the world.

6. The working class gives more as a percent of their income than the wealthy
Much comes from few. The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, can be applied to just about anything: 20 percent of the people in a business make 80 percent of the decisions; 20 percent of the work consumes 80 percent of your time; and so on. A successful fund development program will receive 80 percent of its donations from 20 percent of its donors.

7. Diversify your list of potential donors
Wealth is not always obvious nor is it necessarily interested in your cause. Too many organizations spend too much time trying to secure donations from the "usual suspects," i.e., the high-profile community leaders who do good works for many organizations. The same ones every other organization in your community is pursuing. You need to take a broader view that includes the many individuals with less, or less obvious, wealth 

8. Its about the relationships
It's not about the money--it's about building the relationship. Donors are your people too. They put their pants/skirts on one leg at a time, just like you. They want to be involved and they want to Get to know them, engage them, listen to them. Don't waste their time and they won't waste yours.

9. Thanks Erin Dale Byrd Blueprint NC erin@blueprintnc.org Fb: erindale
@liberaytor