Which approaches have proven most effective for creating lasting, trust-based partnerships with donors whose values align with our mission?
Question was submitted by: Womba Wanki, Generation Alive, Zambia
There is something in fundraising called “research and dissemination”, which most NGOs do. As an NGO, identify at least 20 donors whose values align with yours. Map them, what they do, their priorities, and past funded programmes. Identify the key programmes and the targeted value that the organisation or donor associates with. That gives you the authority to frame your fundraising document.
For new NGOs, visibility remains a key asset. What we advise NGOs to do is to forcefully elevate their visibility. If, for example, you do health projects, conduct periodic studies, or research specific health issues in your community and publish the findings (you can do reviews, inexpensive KII, etc. to give your data credibility). Share these findings with 20 donors. Where possible, do a presentation to explain your findings. This positions your NGO to have a lived experience in social gaps and project implementation rather than abstract interpretation. This process is known to gradually build trust with donors. As we have seen, whenever these donors engage stakeholders, they always invite NGOs that provide periodic research and findings.
Additionally, whenever you complete any project, share the results with past donors to show the change you are making in the community, follow their activities on social media and attend their events. Regularly propagate results-based engagement – where you are, what you have achieved, what you want to address, the existing gaps, and a call for partnerships. This strategy works all the time and is the main reason why organisations in the Global North can come to Africa and establish a flourishing NGO against the already established local NGOs. Value your data and engage meaningfully.
(This answer was provided by Wycliffe Nyafuanga, a Kenyan resource mobilisation expert and grant funding strategist)
