Some Reflections On Shaping Your Fundraising Strategy This Year
By Lucy Njue
Choose Fewer Paths, Build Stronger Systems, and Learn Deeply
As I sat down to think through my own strategy at the start of this year, one thing became very clear: I wanted to do less – but do it more deeply. That’s not an easy choice to make, especially when there are so many opportunities, ideas, and conversations constantly pulling us in different directions. But from experience, I’ve learned that trying to do too much at once often leaves us exhausted – and not necessarily with better results.
I know many non-profits are in a similar place right now: trying to figure out how fundraising should take shape this year, feeling pulled in many directions, and unsure where to focus.
If there’s one thing I’d gently remind you of, it’s this:
There are many ways to fundraise – but you don’t need to pursue all of them at once. Choosing a few paths to focus on can make all the difference.
One thing I’ve learned through practice is that there is no single “right” fundraising model. I have worked with organisations that depend almost entirely on digital campaigns – and they are doing well. Not because digital fundraising is inherently superior, but because they have mastered it. They understand their audiences, invest in storytelling, analyse what works, and improve with every campaign.
Over time, digital fundraising has become a reliable system for them, not an experiment.
I have also seen organisations that rely primarily on community-based support, or corporate partnerships, or a small number of well-aligned grants – and they, too, are doing fine. What these organisations have in common is not the strategy they chose, but how deliberately they chose it. They didn’t try to do everything. They picked a path and learned how to walk it well.
And this is where many of us go wrong.
In contrast, some organisations are trying to run campaigns, apply for grants, explore corporate partnerships, and test enterprise ideas – all at the same time, often with very small teams. This usually doesn’t come from poor judgment. It comes from uncertainty.
When funding feels unpredictable, it feels safer to try many things at once. But in practice, what often happens is that each strategy is pursued lightly. Campaigns are run without follow-up. Grant proposals are written without readiness. Corporate outreach happens without a clear value proposition. Over time, teams feel busy – but not effective.
What’s missing is not effort. It’s focus and learning depth.
Fundraising Improves When It Becomes a System
Another pattern I see consistently is this: fundraising works better when organisations stop treating it as a series of activities and start seeing it as a system. For example:
- Digital fundraising works when there is a system for content, engagement, testing, and learning.
- Campaigns work when there is a system for planning, mobilising people, and stewarding relationships.
- Grant fundraising works when there are systems for donor research, positioning, documentation, financial management, and donor engagement.
When these systems are weak, organisations compensate by doing more activities. When systems are strong, fewer activities produce better results. This is why two organisations can run “the same” campaign or write “similar” proposals – and have very different outcomes.
Choosing Focus Is Not About Playing Small
Something I say often, especially to grassroots organisations, is that choosing focus is not a sign of limited ambition. It is a recognition of reality. Every fundraising approach has a learning curve. Organisations that do well are usually those that give themselves time to learn – not those that move on quickly when results don’t come immediately.
I’ve seen organisations decide, quite intentionally, to focus on just one or two fundraising strategies for a full year. They use that time to understand what works, what doesn’t, and what needs strengthening internally. By the end of the year, they are not necessarily richer – but they are clearer, more confident, and better positioned.
And that clarity matters.
Some Things That Help Across All Strategies
Regardless of which fundraising path an organisation chooses, there are practices that consistently strengthen outcomes:
- Sharing stories regularly, not only when funding is needed.
- Building relationships long before making an ask.
- Collaborating with others rather than working in isolation.
- Staying close to the mission, especially when money pressures rise.
These are not tactics; they are habits. And over time, they shape how an organisation is perceived and trusted.
A Final Reflection
Fundraising is often presented as a race – faster, bigger, more innovative each year. But from what I’ve seen, the organisations that sustain themselves are usually those that slow down enough to make intentional choices.
As we (non-profits) begin to shape our fundraising strategies this year, my hope is not that you adopt a particular model, but that you give yourselves permission to choose fewer paths, build stronger systems, and learn deeply.
It’s also important to remember that the strategy you choose needs to be grounded in the stage your organisation is in. What works for a well-established organisation may not work for one that is just starting out. For example, jumping straight into grant writing can be frustrating and ineffective for early-stage organisations that are still building their foundations.
Sometimes, the most strategic move is not to add something new – but to commit fully to what you are already capable of doing well.
(Lucy Njue is a Kenyan fundraising and sustainability strategist, and Founder and Executive Director of Realtime Insights)
