CHAPTER 3: NOT JUST FOUNDATIONS:
WHERE TO FIND MONEY
There is not a single right way to raise money for your
organization. Some NGOs get most of their money from
government or foundation grants, but others find ways to
earn income by charging for their services or selling products
they make in their programs. Successful fundraisers are
creative and responsive to their local environment.
board, and volunteers. Even in the poorest communities,
there may be a few people who can afford to give small
donations to support your work. Those who cannot
afford to give money may be willing to contribute their
time and skills for a cause that is close to their hearts.
Create your own map or chart that includes those who
already give and those who may be good prospects.
Often the best way to start is by surveying your
community to discover opportunities for raising money
that exist close to your home. If you provide needed
services within your community, you have a potential
built-in base of support from the people who live there.
These people may be a good place to start, as they
are most likely to be committed to improving their
community and making sure vital social services and
opportunities are available to its residents.
Having a strong local base of financial support is a great
way to build a movement for social change. Being able
to show prospective foundation or corporate funders that
you have a solid local base of support will strengthen
any grant applications you write. You can also show your
organization’s strength by calculating the monetary value of
your volunteers’ efforts, which are “in-kind contributions”
(discussed in more detail below). Fundraising is not
separate from community building, but is an integral
part of it. Look for ways to integrate fundraising into
the networking and community building activities your
organization already does. This will be a real sustainable
strength for your organization now and in the future.
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Sources of Direct Funding:
Start from the Inside
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You should build your network of support from the
inside out; start with those closest to you and your
organization and move outward from there (see chart
below). Support for your organization begins with
you, your coworkers, your board of directors, advisory
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Organization Members/Key Stakeholders
leadership, staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries
Revenue-Generation/Income Generation
income generating activities (IGA), sale of
organization’s products, services, and skills/expertise
The Local Community
individual donors, businesses, government, churches,
community funds/foundations, and philanthropic networks
(women’s professional networks, Rotary clubs, Zonta, etc.)
Locally-Based International NGOs and
Aid Agencies, International Corporations
with Operations in Your Community
International Women’s Funds and Foundations,
Online Networks Like Kiva and Global Giving
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