6 Steps to Fundraising Success

Fundraising for Sustainability

Six things you ALWAYS need to consider when building your fundraising strategy.

1. Know your audience – what are they interested in?

Not everyone is interested in what you do – and that’s fine! Don’t waste your time trying to persuade people to catch your vision. Focus on those where there is already common ground – and work from a basis of shared values, ideas, aims and concerns.

2. Explain the need your project is addressing and why you started it.

There can be a tendency to jump in and tell people what you do. But hold up. Take a step back and remember why you started your project in the first place. What is the big problem that you are helping to address and start there.

3. Know your project model and understand why it’s effective.

Think about the various stages in your work and how you journey with those you support. What makes what you do so successful? This is what makes you unique and others will what to know what sets your work apart.

4. Know the difference your project makes – think of outcomes and not just outputs.

Just how do you change lives? Think of the before and after. What are the situations of those who come to you for support and how are they transformed with your help? This is tricky to quantify in numbers, but quotes, testimonies and case studies from those you work with can help to demonstrate your impact.

5. Make your story personal – talk about the changed lives and communities.

The key here is show don’t tell. Don’t tell your funder how great you are – show them! Better still, get others to show them. Stories, case studies and testimonies are a great way to make your work personal and truly demonstrate the impact you are making.

6. Clearly communicate your vision for the future of the project.

There is always tomorrow – what will that look like for you? While it’s hard to predict or anticipate exactly what will happen, funders want to work with projects who have an eye on the future and know where they want to go.

They don’t want to fund initiatives that will become dated or stagnate over time. Dream BIG, but be realistic too. Look at your budget and make sure any plans are costed out. Funders love a well-planned project.

Need a bit of help? We’ve got a couple of training sessions coming up in June 2024. We’d love to see you there.