Fundraising May Be Changing, But It’s Still About People

Fundraising can feel tougher than ever for churches and Christian charities. Yet there are still real reasons for confidence. Drawing on more than a decade of experience, Cinnamon Network’s Liam Jagger reflects on what has shifted and why relationships remain central.

When you talk to fundraisers these days, one question keeps coming up in conversations: is fundraising harder now than it used to be?

The honest answer? Both yes—and no.

A Changed Landscape, With New Opportunities

The pandemic undoubtedly marked a turning point for churches and Christian organisations. During COVID, unprecedented levels of funding flowed into communities. New projects launched, organisations grew quickly, and innovation thrived.

Now, several years on, we’re living with the consequences. Many organisations that grew dramatically during that time are now finding that the public bodies, trusts, and foundations that funded them are tightening budgets.

However, the need isn’t going away. In fact, the ongoing cost of living crisis is driving demand up. It’s a seemingly impossible situation, and there are concerning statistics from xxx to show that more charities than ever are closing their doors.

Reasons to be Positive

But I don’t want to scare you off. In fact, there are a number of reasons why church-led initiatives are actually in a stronger position than many.

If one legacy of the pandemic was an unsustainable bulge in charity activity, another, more positive one, was the change in perception of faith-based social action.

The pandemic highlighted what many funders now value deeply: local presence, long-term commitment, volunteer capacity, and trust within communities.

That doesn’t mean funding is guaranteed. Competition is fierce, and confidence must still be earned. But the door is open wider than many realise.

Why Relationships Make the Difference

If I had to sum up years of fundraising experience in one line, it would be this: money follows trust—and trust grows through communication.

Funders, whether individuals within your congregation, local councils, trusts or corporations,  aren’t anonymous institutions. They’re people trying to make wise decisions with limited resources, guided by values, priorities, and personal motivations.

The task isn’t to persuade everyone to support you, but to find those whose vision and values already align with yours and

A few lessons that consistently prove their worth:

• Find funders whose aims fit well with your work
  Before investing time in an application, be absolutely clear on eligibility. If the project doesn’t match the criteria, even the best-written proposal won’t succeed.
• Have a conversation first.
  A short phone call or email exchange can transform an application from a cold submission into a continuation of dialogue.
• Be upfront about faith.
  If your work is explicitly Christian, say so. If some activities are faith-based and others are broadly community-focused, connect each element with appropriate funders.
• Communicate when plans shift.
  Change is inevitable. Funders are far more likely to be flexible when organisations are transparent and proactive. Silence erodes trust; openness builds it.

From my time sitting on a grants panel, I can say this with confidence: honesty and reflection matter more than perfection. Funders understand the challenges, the need to adapt accordingly, so just be honest if something shifts.

Building Resilience Through Diverse Income

Over-dependence on one funding source is an issue for all sorts of reasons and can actually make it harder to attract other funders. Long-term health comes from diversification in funding and also creativity in how you deliver your work:

• Can volunteers help reduce delivery costs?
• Are there other organisations you can partner with to deliver work?
• Do you have premises you cold rent out?
• Can you charge for some services?
• Could you offer paid training to support others in the sector?
• Are you planning for long-term sustainability, or just the next deadline?

At Primetime, when our income rose sharply during COVID we had to be realistic. This was not the result of sustained growth over a significant period, but rather a spike in response to an extra ordinary moment, so we had to be cautious.

In response, we invested in training volunteers, restricted our team, looked at how we’re using our building and who we were partnering with. As a result, when the income did drop, as anticipated, we were able to maintain the same increased levels of output.

We were challenged about our ‘lack of faith’, but I believe pragmatism isn’t a lack of faith, it’s good stewardship.

Making Fundraising Part of the Mission

One of the most important lessons I learned was that fundraising can’t be squeezed into spare moments or tagged on as an after-thought. Giving it proper time and attention isn’t indulgent, it’s responsible leadership.

Healthy organisations regularly ask themselves:

• What funding bids are in progress?
• Which relationships need nurturing?
• Who on our board or network can open doors?
• How are we sharing progress and impact?

This is all part of the fundraising pipeline, which helps you keep an eye on what’s coming round the corner, so you can plan sensibly to support those you serve and your teams.

Yes, you have to make challenging decisions, but you’ll be doing that in an informed way and not as a knee-jerk reaction.

And let’s remember, at its core, fundraising is ministry.