Fundraising for Smile4Madagascar

We are pursuing the goal of scientifically developing key elements of a sustainable, adaptable and effective fundraising strategy for Smile4Madagascar.

The collaboration with the students was extremely enriching. With great commitment, creativity and scientific diligence, they have dealt with the topic of fundraising for our association throughout the semester. We were impressed by their professionalism and would like to thank them for their valuable input for our future work.

THE CHALLENGE

Smile4 Madagascar lacks a structured and sustainable fundraising strategy. The organization is heavily dependent on personal networks, which makes it vulnerable in times of crisis. At the same time, there is a lack of time and human resources to invest specifically in the development of long-term fundraising structures. This makes it increasingly difficult to attract new donors and retain existing ones in the long term. 

OUTCOMES

Five expert interviews show that sustainable and effective fundraising requires clear structures, a sound understanding of the target groups and strategic action. Credibility is of central importance, especially for non-profit organizations (NPOs). However, smaller NPOs in particular face the challenge of implementing all these requirements despite limited financial resources. One key finding is that the development of a fundraising strategy requires a considerable amount of resources. In addition to time and personnel capacities, financial resources are also essential. For example, setting up your own database can create the basis for professional donor management, as it enables targeted communication and impact-oriented performance measurement. Even simple solutions such as carefully maintained Excel spreadsheets can be a first step before switching to more complex CRM systems. In addition, sound know-how, especially in the area of marketing, is a great advantage, as appeals for donations should be understood as a product and “marketed” accordingly . A sound understanding of the target group is of great importance for such marketing measures. The needs and expectations of the respective target group should be known to the NPO and incorporated into the measures. This concerns, among other things, the personal and individual approach, the selection of suitable communication channels, i.e. where the potential donors are actually reached, as well as transparent impact communication tailored to the target group and the frequency of contact. It is helpful if appeals for donations appeal to potential donors emotionally. This can be achieved particularly effectively through the use of storytelling. However, care must be taken to ensure that generally applicable ethical codes and moral principles are adhered to in order not to jeopardize the credibility of the NPO. 

The creation of a well-founded business plan is also described as indispensable. This should integrate all the aspects mentioned so far and, in addition to SMART formulated goals and measures, also take into account the available resources, the approach to the target group, the selection of suitable communication channels and the respective marketing strategy. Based on this, an individual fundraising strategy can be developed. Overall, the results clearly show that the development of a fundraising strategy should not be seen as an isolated measure, but rather as a strategic, data-based process. For Smile4 Madagascar, this means that a well thought-out business plan that reflects the values of the organization, realistically plans resources and addresses the target groups in a differentiated manner is the first step towards a sustainable fundraising strategy.