Ep. 67 | Why Your Nonprofit Fundraising Feels Messy (And How to Build a Clear Plan That Works)
Struggling to fundraise?
This FREE & LIVE workshop will help you break free from the guilt and discomfort around asking for money — and confidently invite people into the mission God gave you.
Get ready to:
Stop Feeling Embarrassed About Asking for Money
Know Exactly How to Start the Conversation
Invite Support with Confidence
Have you ever felt like your fundraising is just… all over the place?
Like you’re doing all the things—you’re sending emails, posting updates, having conversations—but it still feels messy. Scattered. Like there’s not really a plan behind it.
You’re just doing what you think you’re supposed to do.
But deep down, you know… if there was something that made it all more cohesive, more clear—it would help so much.
If that’s you, you’re not alone.
Why Fundraising Can Feel So Heavy
I had this moment not long ago where I was trying to rename my podcast.
And the word fundraising came to mind.
And my immediate reaction was just… ugh.
Do you relate to that?
That feeling when you think about fundraising, or asking for support, or having to talk about money—and it just feels heavy. Awkward. Like you’re stepping into this role you don’t want.
You don’t want to be pushy.
You don’t want to feel like a salesperson.
You don’t want to bother people.
And at the same time… you still have to fundraise.
Your ministry depends on it.
That tension is real.
But what I’ve seen—and what I truly believe—is that it doesn’t have to feel that way.
What a Kids Ministry Taught Me About This
I saw this really clearly in our kids ministry recently.
We had started something new. A different kind of program. And a few months in, I started noticing little decisions being made that felt… off.
Not wrong. Just not aligned.
And I realized—it wasn’t really about the decisions.
It was that we had never clearly built the foundation.
We hadn’t fully come together and said:
This is why we’re doing what we’re doing
This is what matters most
This is how we stay aligned
So things started drifting.
And the only way to fix it wasn’t to tweak little things here and there.
We have to go back to the root and build the foundation first.
Once we do that, everything else gets easier. Decisions are clearer. The direction stays consistent. It won’t feel like we’re constantly fixing things after the fact.
This Is Exactly What’s Missing in Your Fundraising
It’s the same thing.
Your fundraising doesn’t need more effort.
It needs a foundation.
When I say that, I’m not talking about a one-time message or something you say at an event.
I’m talking about your core message—the story that everything else flows from.
Step 1: Build Your Core Message
This is where everything starts.
It’s where you get really clear on:
Who your ideal donor actually is
What they care about
What problem or need they’re connected to
What role they play in the story
What it looks like when they say yes
Not everyone is your donor.
And when you try to talk to everyone, your message ends up connecting with no one.
This is the work I do with my coaching clients—helping them actually build this out so it’s clear, solid, and something they can come back to again and again.
Because once this is in place, everything changes.
Step 2: Let That Message Guide Everything
Once your core message is built, you stop guessing.
You’re not sitting down to write a newsletter thinking, what do I say this time?
You’re not going into a conversation trying to figure it out on the spot.
You already know the structure.
You know where to start.
You know the problem to lead with.
You know how to connect it back to your mission.
It’s not a script.
You’re not memorizing lines.
But you have something solid guiding you.
And that makes everything feel clearer—and honestly, so much lighter.
Step 3: Build Everything Else on Top of It
Then, everything else becomes support.
Your emails.
Your social posts.
Your campaigns.
Your stories.
They’re not random anymore.
They’re all pointing back to the same core message.
Which means your donors aren’t confused.
They’re not trying to piece together what you do or why it matters.
They see it clearly.
And when they see it clearly—they care.
When This Clicks, Fundraising Feels Different
This is where fundraising starts to shift.
It stops feeling like something you have to push through.
And starts feeling like something you can actually step into with confidence.
You’re not trying to convince people.
You’re inviting them into something meaningful.
And your donors don’t feel like ATMs.
They feel like they actually have a role to play.
If You Want Help Building This
If you’re tired of trying to piece this together on your own…
And you know you need that foundation—
👉 Go to irisstorytelling.com/coaching
I’ll help you build your core message so everything in your fundraising starts working together.
And if you’re still in that place where fundraising just feels heavy or awkward—
👉 Go to irisstorytelling.com/fundraising
There’s a free workshop that will help you completely reframe it.
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