Are you going to fundraise all your life?

This is a big question that I have to pause when I heard somebody say that they don’t want to be fundraising for the rest of their life.

In a traditional NGO lifecycle, there is fundraising, and fundraising, and fundraising. It is the starting point (never-ending point) of an organization’s life and there is no end in sight.

Maybe unless you hit a jackpot- a billionaire just pledged their whole wealth on your program. Then, you are freed from raising monies.

If one is not fundraising, where is the money going to come from?

Is there a way to detach fundraising from our work and let some platform do it for us? And how about the fees for service?

Is there a machine/robot that can just do a lot of crowdsourcing for a small fee?

Is there a way to run a social enterprise /income generation part of the organization to get the revenue coming?

Is there a way to leverage existing partnerships to create new business opportunities?

Is there a way to remove parts of the organization that have become stagnant and source of burden all the time?

Is there a way to form a network for the sole purpose of fundraising for the projects?

Is there a way to tell donors to stop funding those that have not shown impact/proof of impact so we can get a bigger pie?

Is there a way to teach newer NGOs/non-profits to become market-driven and do not emulate the traditional ones that just ask for monies all the time?

Is there a way to elevate the conversation about fundraising to fulfilling your need to give before you die?

Is there a way to match money per impact, i.e. how many communities did get out from poverty? How many girls went to complete tertiary education?  This is happening I know.

Is there a way to create an Uber-like project from the communities in need and then get it funded by people all over the world? When the communities get back on its feet, they get to return the monies.

​We need more imagination to deconstruct fundraising for the future. 

I have many more questions than answers. I think you get the drift. 

​
What do you think about this question? Share your thoughts.

If this article resonates with you, please share this with your colleagues and networks. You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter to be the first to know of resources available for you. Contact us to resolve your challenges.