What are emerging fundraising strategies for NGOs?
Question submitted by: Tule Sebastian, Coordinator of Health Programmes, NABOCADO, Ghana
I see several areas with real potential for NGOs, but I would be careful not to treat any of them as a universal solution. The more important question is not simply what is emerging in fundraising, but what is emerging that makes sense for your organisation.
Local philanthropy and diaspora giving are particularly encouraging. Across Africa, interest is growing in community giving, local individual donors, local philanthropists, and diaspora engagement. We are not yet where we need to be, but these sources can offer something institutional grants often cannot: stronger local ownership, flexibility and potentially greater resilience.
Private-sector partnerships are another area of opportunity. Encouraging examples exist across the continent, although sustained corporate funding remains difficult for many NGOs. The shift required here is important. Instead of approaching companies only with what our communities need, we need to understand what the company is trying to achieve and identify where it genuinely intersects with our mission. That is a partnership conversation, rather than simply a sponsorship request.
Social enterprise and earned income are also receiving significant attention. They can be useful for some organisations, but they are not automatically appropriate simply because grant funding is difficult. The model needs to make commercial sense and remain aligned with the mission. The growth of impact investing and blended finance makes this space worth watching.
Donor-advised funds are another area I would keep an eye on. Philanthropic capital sits within these structures globally, and some is beginning to flow towards Africa. Local infrastructure is still developing, but the potential is there.
My caution is against adopting a new strategy because it is fashionable. Every fundraising pathway has a cost in money, time, skills and relationships.
So start with your organisation. What assets do you already have? Which relationships can you build on? What capabilities would you need to develop? What kind of funding fits your mission and operating model?
Then pick one area, study it properly and test it.
A new fundraising strategy only becomes useful when an organisation has the capacity and commitment to make it work.
(This answer was provided by Lucy Njue, a Kenyan fundraising and sustainability strategist, and Founder and Executive Director of Realtime Insights)
