How can start-up NGOs obtain funding when a history of previous funding is required?
Question submitted by: Solomon Pandadzai Mwacheza, Zimbabwe
Many start-up NGOs face a frustrating reality: Some funders ask for previous funding history, audited accounts or proof of managing grants before they will fund any project. This is a common requirement, especially for large grants, and rightfully so, because funders want confidence that NGOs will manage resources responsibly and deliver results. In many ways, it mirrors an employment scenario where experience is often required before opportunities are given.
However, this does not mean that start-up NGOs are locked out of funding. It simply means they must be strategic in how they build credibility and target funding.
First, start-up NGOs can use fiscal hosts. This is where an emerging organisation operates under the legal and financial umbrella of an established organisation that already has compliance systems and donor trust. It allows them to access funding while building an independent track record.
Second, NGOs can pursue sub-granting opportunities. Many international donors fund larger NGOs, which then re-grant certain amounts to emerging organisations. These are often excellent entry points because they combine funding with mentorship and capacity building while building a track record.
Third, not every funding opportunity requires years of funding history. Start-up NGOs can actively target small grants, such as embassy calls, which often have less stringent requirements.
Fourth, NGOs can also secure Corporate Social Responsibility support by engaging companies whose social investment priorities align with their mission. In this give-and-take model, communities benefit from needed services while companies strengthen brand reputation, employee engagement, and social impact commitments. CSR support can come through direct grants, which are often valuable because they are unrestricted.
Fundraising events can also be organised, such as dinners, sports tournaments and wellness campaigns that companies sponsor and actively participate in. Such involvement increases NGOs’ visibility, attracts wider audiences, creates networking opportunities, and builds long-term collaboration between corporates and NGOs.
Individual giving campaigns and philanthropy also remain powerful funding sources. NGOs can identify philanthropists who believe in their cause, including high-net-worth individuals. Over time, loyal individual donors can become recurring givers of the organisation, which is also unrestricted.
From my over a decade of experience conducting resource mobilisation trainings and engaging NGOs across Africa, I have learned that while funding history helps, start-ups can begin where they can, perform well, and gradually position themselves for larger opportunities.
(This answer was provided by Barcos Mbakhwa, a Botswana fundraising and resource mobilisation expert, and Founder & Director of Supreme Global Solutions Consulting)
