Letters | How NGO donors can help ‘bake a difference’
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My civil society organisation recently played host to a potential new funder, a global financial firm spreading its philanthropic wings. Its mission? To support grass-roots organisations that uplift marginalised children.
Its representatives were directed to us by a foundation with which we’d previously collaborated. Their visit was a welcome opportunity for them to understand our work and conduct due diligence.
One particular interaction stood out during this visit. Someone from the team inquired: “Why are you seeking funding for a single project? Why not ask funders to support the organisation as a whole?” I could have hugged him; this was music to my ears.
I clarified that, while a funding model supporting the entire organisation would be a dream come true, the reality is that most donors earmark their funds for specific areas – for example, children, women, mental health or the environment. They limit their contributions to project costs for a specific time frame – say, one year.
This cycle of carving up the organisation into digestible pieces for different donors is an exhausting reality for non-profits.