Stop, Collaborate and Listen!

Cheesy as all get-out, but I couldn't help myself.  Besides, who says it better than Vanilla Ice?  Let's talk about everyone's favorite subject: fundraising!  

1.STOP making more work for yourself than there already is.  Fundraising isn't what you do, it's how you afford to do what it is you realllly do.  So keep the main thing the main thing, and stop making it such a big part of your day to day.

2. COLLABORATE with other organizations.  Find someone out there who's doing something complimentary to what you do.  Recently, I partnered with a musician who was doing an album launch, and asked if we could make it a fundraiser for an organization I work with.  Two half hour meetings and no output cost to us later, we had raised money for a great cause, and made a lot of great contacts. 

3. LISTEN to what's going on around you.  Pay attention to what other organizations and individuals are saying, you might just pick up some good ideas, leads on funding, or find a potential COLLABORATION opportunity.

Just remember, when it comes to fundraising (and life in general), work smart, not hard, and you'll have more time to focus on what's really important.