Nervous About The Work

I have been a professional, nonprofit fundraiser for 10 years now. I have fundraised for a youth development organization. I have worked to meet the financial goals of a permanent supportive housing provider on Skid Row. I have helped build a fundraising program for a nonprofit working to end isolation for homeless neighbors in Hollywood. Now, I am working to amplify the reach of a senior center in West Seattle.

Throughout each of these experiences, a certain personal truth has remained constant. For 10 years, I have been nervous about the work. I have raised millions of dollars, built entire departments, grown donor databases, and created robust outreach systems, yet I have never been able to shake that nervousness that grabs hold of you when you first begin a job.

Why? In this instance, this is a profound question and one I ask myself often. Fundraising was never the plan. I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2007 with a degree in Broadcast Communications. Once upon a time, I wanted to be a reporter for a local television station. Then, I fell into work in higher education. From there, I discovered the nonprofit sector. Looking for an entry point, I applied for countless jobs in Oklahoma and Seattle. I didn’t possess a degree in social work. I wasn’t a project manager. I wasn’t ready to lead. Fundraising and communications work was my entry point.