What can small grassroots African NGOs, who are familiar with the challenges facing their communities but are often overlooked due to a lack of experience managing grants, do to earn donors’ trust?
Question was submitted by: Ngual Ding, Peace and Development Organisation, South Sudan
Earning donor trust as a small grassroots NGO is less about having an impressive track record and more about demonstrating that you are serious about accountability, even with limited resources.
Build your systems first.
Donors want to know that their money will be managed responsibly. You don’t need sophisticated software to show this. A consistently updated Google Sheet tracking income, expenses, and activities goes a long way. Simple, accurate, and honest financial records signal that you take stewardship seriously. If you have managed any funds before, whether from a small local grant, community contributions or individual donors, document how you used them and what changed as a result. Beyond finances, put basic governance in place. Even a small advisory board and a habit of documenting decisions show that your organisation is bigger than one person, and that matters to funders.
Your proximity to the community is already a strength. The work is building the structures that make it visible and credible to those outside it.
Start small and sequence deliberately.
Rather than pursuing large, competitive grants immediately, build your track record with smaller, more accessible funding first. Community foundations, diaspora donors, and small family foundations are good starting points. The documented experience you gain there becomes the evidence that larger funders later want to see.
Be honest about your experience, and reframe it.
Don’t hide the fact that you are new to grants. Instead, separate two things that funders sometimes conflate: grant management experience and experience doing the work. You may be new to one and deeply experienced in the other. Say that clearly. Funders who are serious about supporting community-led organisations will respect the honesty, and it sets a stronger foundation for the relationship than overstating your capacity.
Build credibility through association.
Partnerships matter. Working alongside more established NGOs, local government structures, or community institutions signals that others trust you. A letter of support from a respected community leader or partner organisation can carry significant weight with a funder who doesn’t yet know you.
Communicate consistently.
Trust is built over time and between funding cycles. Regular updates, even brief ones, keep donors informed and invested. A donor who feels connected to your work is far more likely to return than one who only hears from you when you need something.
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(This answer was provided by Wanjiru Kinuthia, a Kenyan resource mobilisation and partnerships professional)
