The unfortunate truth is that feeding the hungry, protecting the environment or assisting those in need isn’t enough to attract funders most of the time. Your NFP should be attracting more support than it is. I am sure of that.
This guide will show you exactly how to do it.
Start With Story, Not Statistics
Here's a scenario I see much too often: A non-profit needs funding. They gather all their best impressive statistics. They create detailed presentations showing the scope of the problem they're trying to solve, leading with big numbers and big impact.
And it fails to connect.
Human minds aren't wired for statistics. We're wired for stories.
When I worked with an aged care charity, our donation page simply asked for general contributions to help seniors in need. The response was lukewarm at best.
Then we changed the approach. Instead of asking for generic donations, we tied specific amounts to tangible outcomes:
- $10 provided a transport trip for a senior to visit their doctor
- $50 enabled a social outing to combat loneliness
- $100 delivered a house cleaning service to maintain dignity and independence
Donations increased by 47%.
We weren't just asking for money - we were creating a story in the minds of our funders about the impact their donation was making.
The Good News and the Bad News
Here’s the good news.
Many studies have indicated that humans are hardwired for generosity.
Here’s the bad news.
The larger the scale of a problem, the less humans are able to empathise with those affected and the less generous we are.
This is another important concept to understand about how the human mind works. It’s why charities like World Vision ask you to sponsor a child, with a name, and a story rather than ask for donations for an amorphous problem of hunger and famine. In fact, one study showed that the average amount of donations someone contributed to a child in need was significantly less when they introduced just one more person - the child’s sibling.
But here’s how we overcome it.
If you say "30,000 people in our community need mental health support," it becomes an abstract statistic. But, if you tell the story of Sarah, a young mother struggling with postpartum depression who couldn't access help when she needed it most, it will connect.
A Compelling Vision
The most successful non-profits don't just solve problems - they paint a picture of a better world that others want to help create.
Your vision needs to be:
- Bold enough to inspire
- Specific enough to understand
- Achievable enough to believe in
- Different enough to stand out
Many NFPs are too scared to be ambitious. But ambition is attractive to people. Now, I want to preface this by saying, there is a balance here. Too ambitious and you can sometimes leave people feeling that the task is impossible, and therefore not worth contributing to. But not ambitious enough, and there’s nothing to inspire people to act.
For example, ‘we’re going to solve world hunger’ might be seen as impossible, even if that’s not true. But ‘our mission is to feed one million people’ is something people can get behind.
Big Fish
When someone donates money, they want or expect change. They’re not giving money to maintain the status quo. Especially when they’re giving large sums of money. As a charity or NFP organisation, in addition to seeking funding from your community, to really transform the impact you can have, you’ll also want to seek funding from very wealthy, passionate individuals. These major donors want to fund specific, ambitious initiatives that will fundamentally shift the landscape of the problem you're trying to solve.
Instead of: "Support our mental health programs"
Present: "Help us build Australia's first integrated youth mental health hub that could become the blueprint for national reform"
Instead of: "Fund our environmental initiatives"
Present: "Partner with us to create a revolutionary community-led conservation model that could reshape how we protect our ecosystems nationwide"
The key is to match the scale of your ask with the scale of their ambition. Show them exactly how their significant investment will create lasting, measurable change. Tell the story of the potential possible impact of their contribution. Make them believe in your mission as much as you do.
Be Different
A NFP or charity is still a business. And that means you have competition. Whether you're fighting hunger, supporting mental health, or protecting the environment, others are working toward similar goals. This isn't a bad thing - big problems need many solvers. But it does mean you need to clearly articulate what makes your approach different.
Ask yourself:
- What unique perspective do you bring to this challenge?
- How is your solution innovative or different?
- What specific gap are you filling that others aren't?
- What makes your approach more effective?
Making Your $1M Goal Happen
Let's break down a realistic, strategic pathway to $1M that combines multiple funding streams. The key is understanding that different funders are motivated by different things:
Regular Givers ($150K)
Target: 250 regular givers at $50/month
Strategy:
- Connect through stories
- Offer specific, tangible impact options for donations
- Create opportunities to meaningfully engage such as volunteering
- Update them on the impact and results of their support
- Build a compelling monthly giving program
- Use social proof to drive growth
Government Grants ($300K)
Target: 2-3 substantial grants
Strategy:
- Focus on alignment with policy objectives
- Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency! (Govt loves efficiency)
- Prioritise measurable outcomes
- Demonstrate the community's need and support
- Build relationships with key departments or individuals
- Show your proven track record of delivery
- When possible, partner with other organisations to strengthen your application
Corporate Partnerships ($50K)
Target: 5 businesses at $10,000 each
Strategy:
- Highlight opportunities for mutual benefit
- Show brand alignment (you’ll need to have done your brand strategy work)
- Present clear ROI (return on investment)
- Focus on long-term relationships
Major Donor or Philanthropic Foundations ($500K)
Target: One visionary donor
Strategy:
- Identify and cultivate relationship with aligned philanthropist
- Align with their passion and ambition
- Present new, unique or innovative solutions
- Use evidence-based approaches
- Create a signature program they can own. Offer naming rights and legacy opportunities.
- Develop advisory position and regular strategic involvement
Raising significant funding for your non-profit requires a compelling brand strategy and strategic storytelling, a bold vision, and an understanding of the psychology of giving.
Believe in the scale of what's possible. Too many non-profits think too small and are afraid to articulate ambitious visions. Yet it's exactly that ambition - when paired with clear, strategic execution - that attracts the kind of funding that can truly transform your impact.
Your cause matters. Make sure your story does it justice.
Want support in developing your non-profit's funding strategy?
