Researches and user studies show that Twitter users raise much more funds online than those NGOs who don’t use Twitter. Apart from fundraising, it can also result in increased awareness about a cause, more active volunteer engagement, brand-building, and so much more. So here are the steps to get started with Twitter and make the best use of this platform:Define who you are:The first thing to do after opening an account on Twitter is to customize your account. Your account will define who you … [Read more...] about How to get started with Twitter?

When you contact or meet a donor for the first time, what are easiest ways to ruin your shot at getting funded? First impressions count, and avoiding these mistakes will help you put your best foot forward.Mistake #1: Not introducing yourselfDo not send an email to a donor without any introduction. Donors see many emails that only contain a funding request similar to this one:“Can you fund our work with children in Uganda?”Without so much as an introduction or explanation.Explaining who you are … [Read more...] about How to Impress a Donor?

Here are some tips on how to manage fundraising.1. Building TrustIn all aspects of grant management, problems can be avoided with clear and regular communications with grants officers. Put everything in writing!2. Observe project start and end dates for spendingDon’t make payments or enter into commitments before the agreed contract start date. All invoices must be dated between the official start and end dates. It is OK to spend right up to the of the end of contract date as long as the invoice … [Read more...] about How can small NGOs manage their fundraising?

Core funding is usually defined as financial support that covers basic “core” organizational and administrative costs of an NGO, including salaries of non-project staff, rent, equipment, utilities, and communications.Core funding is sometimes called indirect funding, cost recovery, administrative cost, overhead, or unrestricted funding. Core funding should be understood as covering expenses that are required to keep the NGO functioning independent of any projects being implemented.Why is core … [Read more...] about What is Core Funding and How to Get it?

The First Steps towards developing a Proper Concept NoteIf you have a project idea in mind and you know the right donor agency to apply, then it is fairly easy to come up with a proper concept note. So the first step here is your project idea!You should then start searching for your donor agencies that can possibly fund your idea. It is easier to write the concept note after you have identified your donors because there are vast differences in their systems of accepting your project idea. Like … [Read more...] about How to Write Concept Notes?

Non-profits need resources to run themselves. These resources are not limited to financial resources. If properly planned and sought, non-financial resources can also play a crucial role in the growth and development of a non-profit organization. What are these non-financial resources that NGOs must look out for? How can they raise these resources? Some of these questions are answered here:What are non-financial resources?There are many. Some examples are:In-kind gifts and … [Read more...] about How NGOs can raise non-financial support for their cause?

Many-a-times, nonprofits need to make a lot of efforts to reach out to a corporate, to make them listen to what they have to ask for, and to tell them why they stand out by the good work they do.Being able to schedule a meeting with them is a good indication for the potential collaborations or seeking corporate funding or sponsorship for your organization.So here are a few tips to help you prepare for the face-to-face meeting.AppointmentsYour first meeting with a corporate can make you nervous. … [Read more...] about How to make a first contact with corporate donors?

5 Steps to Fundraising Success for Small and Grassroots NGOsStep 1: Know your organization’s needs Step 2. Research donors that are a match for your NGOStep 3. Network and reach out to these donors before sending a proposalStep 4. Develop a great applicationStep 5. Follow up and persist … [Read more...] about How to raise fund for an NGO?

Peer-to-peer fundraising or P2P fundraising is getting a lot of attention by nonprofits these days. Although crowdfunding and P2P are being used interchangeably, it is important to note that the two are different. P2P fundraising is a specific type of crowdfunding, wherein you can leverage your supporters and advocates to raise funds for your non-profit. It helps you reach a large number of audiences and donors, with added advantage of increased network, as it is the network of your supporters … [Read more...] about Is the Peer-to-peer Fundraising is beneficial in Nonprofit World?

Many small, grassroots, and start-up NGOs eagerly look for their first grant to grow their program. But after sending out dozens of request for funding by post and email to scores of donors they either never hear back or are rejected.Here are some of the main reasons you get ignored or rejected:Donors get a high volume of applications and can only fund a fraction even of those who meet all their requirements.When we researched funding by the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF), we found that in 2015 they … [Read more...] about Why Do Donors Hate Me?

Here are some ways in which volunteers can help you in raising funds for your organization:1. Bringing in passion and enthusiasm:Volunteers are passionate people who are contributing their time towards a cause. This makes them special. They like to associate with your organization because of their passion, now it is up to you how you channel and tap their energies. They usually bring a lot of new ideas to the table. Make sure you are able to put these to use. You might have a fundraising map or … [Read more...] about How can Volunteers helps in raising funds?

Multilateral agencies like the UN, the World Bank and others provide multilateral aid to developing countries. The significance of this type of aid is the very large scale under which it operates and provides support for addressing issues related to poverty, economic development, human rights, healthcare, peace and development and other areas.According to the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “Working with multilateral organisations can bring…benefits” such as … [Read more...] about How to get involved with Multilateral Donors?

Bilateral donor funding refers to the donor country’s Government aid to recipient country in a Government-to-Government or a Government-to-NGO/Civil Society partnership. It is part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) policies of the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which are working towards economic progress and trade. They play a major role in providing development funding to Governments and Civil Society mostly in developing … [Read more...] about How can NGOs apply and get grants from Bilateral Donor Agencies?

There are several sources for you to avail funding for your organization, and to make the most of this opportunity, you will have to understand the various types of donors, their priorities and their core values. Most donors can be classified in to the following categories:Foundations: Foundations are non-governmental entities that are established to provide grants to smaller organization, research institutions and NGOs. Most NGOs rely heavily on foundations mainly because they provide grants … [Read more...] about What are the different types of donors supporting NGOs around the world?

A high donor retention rate means less resources spent, and more received. So, NGOs need to work on donor acquisition and retention strategies too. Here are some simple but very effective tips for NGO to achieve good retention rates.Know your donors:Knowing the donors and their intent towards investing in social causes is the first step for true engagement. Some donors might want to engage themselves, my means of volunteers, and participation in the various events of the NGO; while others might … [Read more...] about What kind of tricks can be done for donor retention?