The Courage to Ask: Rethinking Sales & Your Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy

Sales makes many people sick to their stomachs.

For nonprofit leaders—especially those in food, agriculture, conservation, and social impact spaces—the very idea of “selling” can feel out of place. You didn’t get into this work to pitch or close deals. You’re here to serve. To steward. To solve problems that actually matter.

And yet, here you are, staring down the realities of funding. Grant cycles. Operating budgets. Program expansion. All of it requiring some form of sales.

It feels a bit like eating your vegetables. You know it’s good for you. But man, it doesn’t taste great.

Here’s the truth: Sales doesn’t have to be sleazy. It doesn’t have to feel like compromising your values. It doesn’t have to be evil.

All it takes is the courage to ask.

Sales Is Service, Not Surrender

Let’s reframe the concept of sales—not just for your comfort, but for your effectiveness.

When we talk about “nonprofit fundraising strategy” or “nonprofit business development,” we’re not talking about high-pressure tactics. We’re talking about building genuine, mission-driven donor engagement. We’re talking about inviting others into your story.

Sales is simply a tool for connection. It's about aligning your organization’s purpose with a potential partner’s passion.

That shift in mindset is critical. It’s not about manipulation. It’s about clarity and courage.

I’m Not a Natural Salesperson, Either

Before founding my own consulting firm, I served as a vice president in the corporate world. I’ve led teams. Built programs. Managed strategy. But when it came time to run my own business—one dedicated to helping nonprofits tell their stories—I had to face a humbling reality:

I needed to learn how to sell.

And I’ll be honest: I’m still learning. I like to think I’m getting better.

You don’t need to be a sales expert to build meaningful relationships with funders and partners. You just need the courage to ask.

What You’re Really Asking For in Your Nonprofit Fundraising Strategy

Yes, technically, fundraising involves asking for money. But that’s not the deeper goal.

You’re asking for so much more:

• An authentic, human-to-human connection with someone who cares about your cause

• The resilience to sustain and grow your programs with confidence

• Impact that ripples through the lives of the communities you serve

That’s the real work of nonprofit fundraising strategy: cultivating relationships that outlast a single grant cycle.

And if you believe in your mission—and I know you do—you already have what it takes to make the ask.

The Book That Shifted My Thinking

One resource that helped me reframe my mindset is Selling Boldly by Alex Goldfayn. More than any other book, it reminded me that selling is about helping people—and that when you believe in what you offer, asking becomes an act of generosity, not obligation.

3 Takeaways from Selling Boldly Nonprofits Can Use Today:

• Confidence is contagious. Believe in your work, and others will, too.

• Don’t wait. Action beats perfection every time.

• Selling is a service—especially when your mission has life-changing impact.

Check out Selling Boldly on Amazon

So, What Will You Ask For Today?

If you believe in your mission, you have the courage to ask.

If you know your work changes lives, you have the courage to ask.

If you can speak with another human being about why your cause matters, you have the courage to ask.

You don’t have to become a fundraising wizard overnight. You don’t need to memorize a pitch. You just need to start the conversation.

So—what will you ask for today?