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Authentic Rocks

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a01053597f309970c016761301468970b

I'm not certain how this "trackback" thing works, but hopefully if you click on that link, you can read about how Reddit users donated to a Kenyan orphanage. Really powerful stuff. 

I don't have much time but I wanted to throw out this question: when it comes to fundraising for arts organizations, how can we be authentic? How can we strip down our ask to the most basic form, tell the most compelling story, and really connect emotionally with our donors? 

Too often, we ask in a polished, guilt-laden way, because we feel we have to "keep up with the [nonprofit] Jones'". We do our donors, and ourselves, a disservice by trying to be something we're not. 

We're artists, after all. We do things differently, artistically, every day. Why do we approach fundraising by trying to be like everyone else?

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