Getting There: Why You Don’t Have to Drive Alone

By Bill Crawford, Consultant

For me, fundraising is a lot like driving to a destination. I have been driving for a long time. I have a lot of experience driving and most would say, save for my wife on occasion, that I am pretty good at it.

I like to drive, especially on long trips that may take a couple of days or require a little bit of planning to pre-book accommodations or secure passage on a ferry. Even though I am in the driver’s seat, I often seek out help to make sure I get to my destination without too much delay or trouble.

A co-pilot or navigator in the passenger seat is often a helpful addition not only to make sure I make the next turn, but also as a companion on the journey making the whole experience that much more enjoyable. A GPS is a valuable tool that most of us use these days to quickly aid us to get from point A to point B.

Even when it indignantly says “Recalculating!”, you still know that it has your best interests in mind. It is only trying to get you to your destination by the quickest and safest route possible despite your missteps. There are even times when I need to let go of the wheel and let someone else drive.

Fundraising is no different. In my thirty years working for nonprofits, I was responsible for much of the fundraising. I wrote countless community grants and foundation requests. Some were simple one page appeals. Others required lengthier responses to multi-page questionnaires.

Some were for a couple of thousand dollars or less. Others were for hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars over multiple years. Some smaller grants just asked for your organizational budget or some other readily available document, while other larger grants had a long list of required documents that sometimes were more difficult to attain than writing the grant.

My point is that it was often a lot of work especially because it was never just one grant but many grants over the course of the year and often multiple grants that needed to get done all at the same time. And the truth is: I didn’t do it all alone. Nor should you.

That’s where DoGood Funding comes in. Whether you need a reliable co-pilot, a helpful navigator, or someone to take the wheel completely, we’re here to help you reach your fundraising goals. We’ll guide you through the process, offer expert feedback, or write the grant for you—so you can focus on your mission.

You don’t have to do it all yourself. Let DoGood Funding help drive your grant writing success.

Reach out today. You’ll be glad you did.

Bill is the former Executive Director of Mississauga-based Eden Food For Change, and a Consultant with DoGood Funding.