Many nonprofit leaders dread fundraising, because they think it’s all about “the ask”. But fundraising is much more like building a fire.

Most people treat fundraising like a series of transactions: grant applications, a year-end appeal, and, of course, a gala every fall. But creating a sustainable fundraising model isn’t just a bunch of tasks.

Many nonprofits make the mistake of hiring someone passionate about the mission, assuming they will “figure out” how to fundraise.