The F word

Funding.
That's right I just went and said it.. It is the dreaded subject of money.  Everyone wants to know where their hard earned donation is going.  People tend to be skeptical of contributing because often we(yes me too) assume its paying someone's wage or buying their starbucks.  In the meantime the organizations on the flip side are constantly budgeting, saving, planning, executing to make sure they reaching their goals.

Having worked on a volunteer level with a few groups, to me fundraising is done by people like us.. The working class folk who want to save the world one bake sale, one steak night at a time.  As we go forward in this course I am learning more and more how complex the dreaded subject of funding really is.  Currently we are working on proposal writing which I am learning is incredibly daunting from the outside looking in. Pages of work sheets and data gathering...

While organizations do receive donations quite simply from some, there is a lot of auditioning for those grants and donations.  The most startling aspect for me as I am writing proposals is just how much you have to know about what you are selling so to speak.  You have to know your cause inside and out. The Who, What, Where, When, Why, How.. And then some! You need to know your project budget(that word alone makes one want to bolt or in my case procrastinate!), yes you have to talk money.. ALOT. I consider myself a fairly bold person when it comes to work and getting the job done but the idea of going to a person or group and saying "Hey! Give me $30,000!" is overwhelming.

In some cases programs or wages are funding by the government or health region such as I learned while talking to AidsSaskatoon.  In other cases organizations are approached with potential proposals or they have to keep their ear to the ground for Calls for Proposals.  Fundraising is exhausting even at its most basic level of planning an event, getting people to actually come to it, to constantly sell sell sell your cause(because lets be honest in a way we are sales staff!), and to keep a smile while you do it.

Now proposals and partnerships are the big guns.  As you can see in the link I provided below, there is ALOT to prepare:
http://www.international.gc.ca/development-developpement/partners-partenaires/calls-appels/psmnch-prsmne.aspx?lang=eng

Okay so after all my rambling, whats my point?  There is a lot.. A LOT, more to keeping afloat as an organization than calling or knocking and asking for funds but don't cut those organizations short.  If someone is taking the time to come to you and ask for help, hear them out, ask for more information because it is exhausting and sometimes intimidating to repetitively fight for that cause and ask for help. And for those out there fighting the battle, keep it at it, if you believe in what you're doing, then you've got this!