Identify your “most likely supporters”
Here’s the truth: Not everyone is going to care about your mission or your organization. But your people ARE out there. You just need to figure out who they are (and where they hang out!).
Ask yourself: Which people (or businesses or funders) are most likely to care about your mission specifically?
You want to match up your organization’s goals and values with funders and donors who match those goals and values. A few examples:
- Animal Rescues and Pet Supply stores both care about animals thriving.
- Companies with a large workforce in your area care about students learning and building employable skills through Education and Mentoring organizations.
- Individuals who enjoyed the arts as a child might care about supporting arts as donors now that they’re adults.
Getting clear on who your most likely supporters are means you can get strategic about how and where you do your outreach. Instead of trying to reach anyone with a wallet, now you’re honing in on those most likely to align with your cause – and thus, most likely want to invest in its success.
💡Try this: Jot down two or three types of people (or businesses, or funders) who would genuinely care about your mission. That is your starting audience.
Refine Your 3-Sentence Explanation
Here is something I hear from nonprofit leaders all the time: "I know what we do, I just struggle to explain it." Trust me, you are so not alone in that!
Your problem and solution statement fixes this. It is a simple, plain-language way to cover three things:
- Sentence 1: the problem your community faces
- Sentence 2: what your organization does about it
- Sentence 3: what becomes possible when people support your work.
I actually have this video breakdown with examples of how to write your compelling 3-sentence pitch you might want to check out!
But at the end of the day, you want to keep it simple. No jargon, no rehearsed speech. Just something that feels like you.
💡Try this: Explain your mission out loud to a friend. Ask them what’s clear and what’s not. Keep simplifying until it feels natural and easy.
Build Trust and Show People Your Work Is Real
People give to organizations they trust. And trust comes from evidence and consistency, not perfection.
You might not have years of data to build credibility early on.
But, a kind note from someone you helped, a photo from a community event, or one strong local partnership can go a long way. Start with whatever you have right now.
💡Try this: Think of one moment where your work made a real difference. That story is one of your most powerful fundraising tools.
Create One Simple Way for People to Give
When you are just getting started with fundraising, it is tempting to try everything at once. Email campaigns, events, social media appeals, and grant applications, all at the same time. But spreading yourself too thin usually leads to burnout and inconsistent results.
Instead, focus on building one repeatable fundraising system first. Maybe that’s a monthly email appeal to your growing list or a series of one-on-one donor conversations. Whatever it is, get really good at that one thing before adding more.
When you have one system that works, you can build on it. That is how sustainable fundraising actually grows.
💡Try this: Pick one fundraising approach that feels most natural for where you are right now and commit to doing it consistently for the next 90 days.
Ready for More?
If you are ready to take your fundraising even further, one of my recent YouTube videos walks through how to make your fundraising events more successful, from crafting the right message to building momentum and making giving feel easy.
👉 Watch it here!
Try it this week 🚀
Do a quick, honest check-in on these four areas:
- Do you know who your fundraising audience is?
- Can you explain what you do in two or three simple sentences?
- Do you have at least one story that shows your work is real?
- Do you have one clear and simple way for people to give?
If one of these feels shaky, that is your starting point. Pick just one and take one small step forward this week. You have got this!
