In 2018, we conducted a research project in collaboration with Samhita and the Collective Good Foundation to understand what nonprofits are doing when it comes to fundraising, and what is working in the individual donor fundraising space in India.

Seventy-two percent of respondents said that they find new donors through their founder’s network, and that the most common methods for acquiring new donors include leveraging social media and board members. However, of the nonprofits surveyed, only 38 percent stated that their board members give money or are involved with fundraising.

The survey highlighted how almost half of all respondents don’t know how to attract new donors, and a third don’t have a clear fundraising strategy. And for smaller nonprofits in particular, no or limited access to wealthy people is a problem for fundraising large amounts.

When it comes to ‘retail’ fundraising, nonprofits require assistance with running effective crowdfunding campaigns, email appeals, sending direct mails, and so on. In the survey, they also expressed wanting training on how to make presentations to CSR teams, how to organise events and benefits, and how to get better at making face-to-face asks of funders. According to one survey respondent, “One of the key challenges [they] face is identifying and connecting with Indian philanthropists/HNIs.”

So, in this challenging time of lockdown and virtual schooling and work, it is more important than ever to keep our donors updated about what we are doing to advance our cause during the pandemic. Virtual visits between nonprofit CEOs and donors can keep the conversation going so that when the time comes to ask for a renewal gift, the request for support won’t seem unexpected.

Read the full article about the struggles for Indian nonprofits during COVID by Morry Rao Hermón at India Development Review.