Join me on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip How to Shake Up the Status Quo and Raise Funds for Your Nonprofit I talk with a lot of nonprofits each week, and of course they all have one thing in common they need: more funding! That’s why I like to bring in experts in other types of fundraising too. We need to understand the bigger picture of how the strategies fit together.  Today I’m talking with another nonprofit expert who is fantastic at what she does. Sherry Quam Taylor is good at shaking up the status quo and challenging people to think bigger, better, and with excellence to raise funds to serve your nonprofit fully.   Listen as Sherry and I do some myth-busting about fundraising. We also discuss advice on scaling nonprofits.  Transparency and the Gift of Asking, "Why?" Sherry and I discuss the importance of bringing creativity to work. Design and creativity not only help us take care of ourselves, but they also help our organizations grow and build. This can insulate us from becoming stagnant.  The experience Sherry brought from the for-profit world to the nonprofit world helped her tremendously, and that transition helped her learn a lot by simply asking, “Why?” “Why can’t we say that?” Why can’t we spend that?” These questions challenged Sherry and the teams she worked with to look at “why” they were doing things a certain way, and build toward securing donors' best gifts. Giving the Gift of Time in Nonprofit Relationship Building Relationships take time. Rushing relationships does not build strong foundations. As board members, development teams, or even grant writers, relationships are at our heart.  Sherry also shares tools we can use to build those relationships, specifically with investment-level donors. First of all, we need to ask questions and listen with interest. Sherry suggests this gem, “How did you become so generous?” As I share in my TEDx Talk, building relationships means being conversational and getting to know the person, not just the dollar. Slowing down and being relational with donors can lead them to their best gift. That process can take 12-24 months or more, and that's okay. To read today's full episode: How Design, Creativity and Relationships Intersect With Budget Transparency    Challenge Question: What five people can you start building relationships with now? Make that list today.    Connect with Teresa Huff:  Website: www.teresahuff.com Watch the TEDx: The Real ROI of Grant Writing Take the Quiz: Do you have what it takes to be a grant writer? Social: LinkedIn Community LinkedIn Instagram Pinterest YouTube Get on the Fast Track to Grant Writer: www.teresahuff.com/vip