Lately I’ve been getting a few messages from people with big-hearted social impact ideas asking me to fund them privately.

I love that people want to help the world. That is beautiful. But I want to share a few things that might help you make better, more respectful asks of anyone you see as “resourced” or “connected” (including me).

If you’re asking someone you barely know for thousands of dollars, here’s what most of us are quietly thinking:

🌟 We don’t know you, your track record, or your follow-through.

🌟 There’s no plan, no proof of concept, and no clear impact story.

🌟 You’re not putting in your own money, but you’re asking for ours.

🌟 There’s no clarity on whether this is a gift, a loan, or an investment.

🌟 It’s not a nonprofit, so it’s not even a tax-deductible donation. It’s just a personal gift.
That combination feels less like “I’m serious about this” and more like “I had an idea and want someone else to pay for it.” For many people, that’s an immediate no.

A few things to consider before you ask anyone for money for your project:

🥰 Put real skin in the game.
If you’re not willing to take a loan, save, or invest your own money or serious time, yet you’re willing to ask others to risk theirs, that’s a mismatch. People feel that. It signals, “I want you to bet on something I’m not fully betting on myself.”

🥰Get clear on what you’re asking for.
Is it a gift, a loan, or an investment? What are you offering in return (impact, learning, visibility, updates)? Why are you asking this specific person instead of a stranger on the internet?

🥰 Start with proof of concept, not branding.
You do not need an expensive custom site or massive professional funnels to start a movement. You can buy a simple template for under $20 and have something live in an hour. What you actually need is evidence that your idea works with real humans. Run small gatherings. Host conversations. Facilitate the thing you say you want to create. Collect stories, feedback, and outcomes.

🥰 Build relational equity.
Most meaningful funding flows through trust and relationship. Comment on people’s work, show up for what they’re already doing, share your own work consistently, and let people experience your integrity over time. Then, if you do ask, it’s in the context of mutual respect, not a cold knock on the door.

🥰 Respect the other person’s mission and bandwidth.
Just because someone appears well-resourced doesn’t mean their money/time is “extra” or available. Many of us have very specific containers through which we support people and projects. If your idea isn’t aligned with that, the answer will be no, and that’s not personal.

If you genuinely want to bring a positive project into the world and you’re at the “I have an idea” stage, here’s what I am excited to see once I launch my fund (which isn't launched yet):

✨ A one-page summary of what it is, who it serves, and what a pilot looks like.

✨ Evidence you’ve talked to the people you want to serve and they actually want it.

✨ A few small experiments you’ve already run, and what you learned.

✨ A clear sense of what you’re willing to invest yourself.

Then, if you still want to ask someone like me for feedback or support, you can come from a grounded place:

“I’ve run three small pilots, here’s what happened, here’s what I’m investing, and here’s the specific support I’m seeking. If it’s not aligned, no worries.”

It’s not about perfection. It’s about respect: for your idea, for other people’s resources, and for the kind of world you say you want to help build.