Asking people for money is one of those common fears that rank right up there with asking the boss for a raise, speaking in public and going to the dentist. We tend to avoid such acts whenever possible. Yet arts organizations' budgets rely on anywhere from 30%-70% of all expenses to be funded by contributed income.

So how can we avoid this uncomfortable necessity? One way to overcome the unease is to stop thinking about fundraising in terms of asking for money.

Why? Because it's not about asking for money.