<aside> <img src="/icons/token_blue.svg" alt="/icons/token_blue.svg" width="40px" /> **You’re looking for…**a way to make fundraising feel natural and energizing by building on your organization's authentic strengths and connecting with supporters in ways that match your team's genuine talents.

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TL;DR: Feeling stuck? Don't go it alone. Whether you're reaching out to old colleagues or making new connections, there are simple ways to ask for help that build lasting relationships and get you the insights you need.

What's in it for you (WIIFY):

• You want to build authentic professional relationships that go beyond networking
• You're looking for practical ways to reach out that feel natural, not forced
• You want to learn how to make it easy for others to help you
• You're ready to create meaningful connections that benefit everyone involved

You’re feeling stuck - whether because you’ve tried everything OR you have no idea what to try!  Our advice over and over again is to  phone a friend, text a colleague, email your network. There’s beauty and power in not figuring it all out alone and sharing + learning from others.

For those of you that speed dial with the best of them, AMAZING!  Please share how you got so good and what your secret is.

For those of you who feel unsure where to start and get clammy hands (aka how I feel when I think about posting on LinkedIn!), here’s a quick how-to guide that will hopefully help spark some of these beautiful conversations.

What this Looks Like?

Key things/What actually works

When reaching out to others, what matters most is being YOU while also making it easy for people to help. The best outreach often comes from a place of genuine curiosity and specific needs. Whether you're connecting with someone you've known for years or reaching out cold, having a clear ask and showing appreciation goes a long way. Here's how to make these connections happen:

1. Who to Ask?

Take a minute, close your eyes, and imagine who in your perfect world would help you out. Then:

• If you know them → Reach out immediately, whether you talked yesterday or three years ago! People are flattered to be asked for advice.
• If you don't know them → Start imagining why they came to mind and what they might say. This often leads you to someone in your network OR gives you great content for finding the right person.

2. How to Connect

Choose what works for you.  Love conversations? Set up a call. Want multiple perspectives? Try an email chain (or LinkedIn if it doesn’t stress you out quite like it does me).  Need quick input? Texting works too!

One friend I know wrote up her Theory of Change + Strategic Plan and shared it out with a ton of partners, advisers, funders and colleagues for a collective review, inviting everyone to add comments and ideas together.  It was brilliant - and brought SO many of us in to what she was thinking and what might be possible together (especially for those of us who might now want to have a lot of 1:1 convos and love the written word…!).

Make this yours - there’s no right or wrong way (ah, what a beautiful concept!).

3. Making the Ask