Let me state boldly upfront that I do not consider myself the world's greatest fundraiser. In fact, just last week I consulted with a good friend of mine who is excellent at fundraising regarding raising money for the Reverb Network –a non-profit that develops leaders around the world. He gave me several excellent tips and ideas that I'm passing on to you (by the way, this guy has a great track record–let me know if you'd like to connect with him).

First, donors are partners, not assets you own or control. In fact, fundraising is all about building partnerships–"we" versus "me". We're not begging others to help us accomplish our mission, rather, we are inviting them to join us in accomplishing a task we both believe will fulfill mutual goals. Understand that everyone has a calling. If you find those with a similar vision to yours you can provide a tool or means to fulfilling it; they will want to get involved and invested in accomplishing their call. So don't cast a wide net hoping to get everyone on board with your vision; find those who have similar goals to you and develop a partnership based on relationship to accomplish your shared mission.

Second, what is your story? What would you like your potential supporters to think and feel about what you are doing? Consider how you would you like them to define your success. Do you know the scope of impact you're hoping to have? Clarify that vision so it both captivates and inspires buy-in from your audience.

Third, what is the best way to get your story out? While social media may be the easiest and cheapest, it's not exactly effective with many potential donors. So set up face to face meetings and personally interact with those you already have an established relationship. Share real stories and invite them to partner with you. Help them tell a better story by getting involved in a story you both believe in.

Finally, do not forget to thank them for their investment. Make sure they hear how they made a difference and helped change the world.