"Help us raise money!"  That's the plea we at the Society for Nonprofit Organizations hear most often. We receive dozens of calls every day from nonprofit personnel who feel that if we would just give them the key to raising funds, everything would be fine.  Sadly, it's not quite that easy. There is no magic funding fairy!

On the other hand, many nonprofits are sitting on a gold mine without realizing it.  They need to dig out their hidden assets and match them to proven fundraising strategies.  This guide shows you how to do just that. If you follow the steps and do the exercises, you will end up with a powerful tool to mine your organization's resources.  The inspiration for this guide comes from past issues of the Society's journal - Nonprofit World. Each issue of Nonprofit World contains departments addressing fundraising.

Since the inception of the Society for Nonprofit Organizations in 1983, we've seen many nonprofits come and go. All had worthwhile causes and devoted personnel. Yet some did not survive, because they didn't build the proper fundraising foundation.  No matter how worthy your cause, you won't automatically attract funds. Successful fundraising demands a broad view, an understanding of why people give and what you can offer in return for their support.

Make the commitment now to start the eight steps in this guide. Put aside an hour a day to work on the exercises. Before you know it, you will be raising the funds you need.  Begin your journey today.