What is this blog for?

My name is Dan Smith and with my wife Alicia, I lead the “Team Sam” Great Strides fundraising team. Our mission is singular, in that we want to raise money and awareness in the fight against cystic fibrosis. So what is this blog about? Well, we've learned some things in our fundraising adventures, and we hope to learn more things from you about fundraising.

The simple fact is, there are plenty of books out there about non-profit fundraising. Not only can we not compete with those books, but we don't want to. Most books are written from the mindset of the organizer or the non-profit executive.

Because I am simply a father, and I assume that many of you are simply the parents or loved ones of those affected by this disease (or another), I needed something that would offer me grass-roots ideas for raising money and awareness for my cause. Therefore, I hope that this blog will do for us what many books do not. I want this to be a place where we can exchange information, where we can develop ideas for raising funds, awareness, and hope.

Whether you are in the fight against cystic fibrosis, cycle-cell anemia, or some other disease or disorder, we hope you will find a home here at our blog. We value your positive suggestions and hope to see you often!