Your Next Donors Probably Already Care About the Problem
TL;DR: When your nonprofit is just getting started, your next donors are more likely to be people who already care about the problem you solve than strangers you reach through broad marketing. Focus on personal conversations, introductions from people who already trust you, and building relationships before trying to turn every interaction into a fundraising ask.
There is a moment in almost every nonprofit’s early life when you start feeling pressure to go bigger.
You’ve made it through the paperwork. You have a mission you believe in. A few people have started supporting you. Maybe your family, friends, and board have made some of those first gifts. There’s finally a little momentum.
And suddenly it feels like it’s time to pour on the gas.
You start thinking about social media campaigns, paid advertising, a big community event, direct mail, grants, corporate sponsors, or anything else that might introduce your nonprofit to a much larger audience.
Those things may eventually have a place in your fundraising strategy. But for most young nonprofits, this is usually not the moment to go bigger. Rather, it’s the moment to start finding the people who already care about the problem you are trying to solve.
One of the most common mistakes I see startup nonprofits make is assuming that if they can simply get their mission in front of enough people, some percentage of those people will respond and start giving donations.
Usually, they don’t.
The general public doesn’t know you yet. They don’t understand the problem you are trying to solve and they are not sure whether or not you are even for real.
When those campaigns produce very little response, nonprofit leaders can start wondering whether something is wrong with the mission. Usually, the problem is much simpler: trust hasn’t been built yet.
Your Next Donors Probably Already Care About the Problem
Your earliest supporters beyond your immediate circle are probably not going to be random strangers who stumble across your website.
They are much more likely to be people who already care deeply about the problem your nonprofit exists to solve.
Maybe they have experienced the problem personally. Maybe someone in their family has. Maybe they have volunteered, worked, or given in this area before. They may have been looking for a meaningful way to make a difference around an issue that already matters to them.
Your job isn’t necessarily to convince them to care.
Your nonprofit can become a vehicle that allows them to act on something they already care about.
For example, years ago, my family was raising financial support for an 18-month missions project in Spain. After we had reached out to our family, friends, and church relationships, we still needed to expand our support base.
We eventually connected with some online groups made up of people living in the United States who had personal connections to Spain. These people didn’t know us very well, but they cared deeply about the country. They understood some of its needs and challenges, and several eventually supported our work there.
The connection wasn’t us - It was the problem and the place they already cared about.
The same principle can help you identify some of your nonprofit’s earliest believers.
Ask yourself: Who already cares about the problem we are trying to solve?
That question will usually take you much further than simply asking, “How can we get more people to see our nonprofit?”
Early Fundraising Happens Through Conversations, Not Campaigns
At this stage, one-to-one connection will usually outperform mass communication.
In conversations, you can learn why someone cares about the problem, and more importantly, you can listen to them. You can hear their personal connection to it. You can answer questions, explain why you started the organization, and begin building a relationship.
This is also why your next circle of supporters will often be found through the people you already know.
A board member introduces you to someone whose story connects with your mission. An existing donor tells you, “You really need to meet my friend.” Someone in your network thinks of a business owner, pastor, community leader, or neighbor who cares deeply about this issue.
Those introductions are incredibly valuable, because that supporter or board member that is making a connection is creating a trust transfer.
When someone introduces you to one of their relationships, they are essentially saying, “I trust this person enough to connect the two of you, and I think what they are doing might matter to you.”
Treat that trust carefully.
Follow up quickly, preferably within 24 hours. Then circle back with the person who made the introduction and thank them. Even if you haven’t connected yet, simply let them know you reached out.
How you handle that first introduction may determine whether they are willing to open another door later.
Don’t Turn Every Conversation Into an Ask
Once you get the meeting, there can be enormous pressure to turn it into a fundraising presentation.
After all, you need money.
But the goal of every early conversation should not be walking out with a check.
Start by getting to know the person. Let them get to know you. Talk about the problem your nonprofit exists to solve. Explain why you care about it, what you are seeing, and what you believe needs to change.
Then listen.
People will often tell you what part of the mission connects most deeply with them. They may ask how they can help. They might want to volunteer, introduce you to someone else, share expertise, or eventually give financially.
They also might do none of those things after the first meeting and that’s okay.
You are building relationships that may eventually become partnerships. Trying to force every new relationship into an immediate financial transaction can actually damage the network you are trying to build.
A successful meeting at this stage may simply end with someone saying, “I really like what you’re doing. Keep me updated.”
That may not pay this month’s bills, but it gives you something that broad marketing usually cannot create for a young nonprofit: a real relationship with someone who understands the problem and has begun to trust you.
That is where your foundation of fundraising begins.
So if you are still in the early stages of building your nonprofit, don’t assume your next donor is somewhere out there waiting to discover you through the perfect social media post or advertising campaign.
Start closer.
Look for people who already care about the problem. Ask the people who already believe in you who else you should meet. Have conversations. Listen well. Treat introductions as trust transfers rather than sales leads.
Find the people who already care about the problem you are solving and give them the opportunity to become part of the solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do new nonprofits find their first donors?
Most new nonprofits begin with people who already have some connection to the founder, board, mission, or problem being addressed. Friends, family, board members, existing supporters, and introductions through those relationships can provide the foundation for early fundraising.
How do I find donors outside my immediate network?
Ask existing supporters, board members, and community connections to introduce you to people who already care about the problem your nonprofit is solving. Personal introductions can transfer some of the trust your existing relationship has already established.
Should a new nonprofit use social media to find donors?
Social media can help create awareness, but early fundraising usually requires more than visibility. New organizations often need to build credibility and trust through personal conversations and relationships before broad marketing produces significant donations.
Should I ask for a donation during my first meeting with a potential donor?
Not necessarily. An early conversation can simply help someone understand the problem, your organization’s approach, and why the work matters. Listening to their interests and building the relationship can create opportunities for future involvement and giving.
What is a trust transfer in nonprofit fundraising?
A trust transfer happens when someone who already knows and trusts you introduces you to someone in their network. Their introduction gives the new relationship a level of credibility that would be difficult to create through a cold email, advertisement, or social media post.
Matt Stockman is a nonprofit growth coach who helps startup, small, and growing nonprofits build stronger fundraising, marketing, leadership, operations, programs, and financial systems. He has coached hundreds of nonprofit and ministry leaders throughout North America, and around the world.