The real reason South African NGOs struggle to raise funds (and it’s not what you think)
Friends, we need to talk about the elephant in the room: South African NGOs' reluctance to invest in fundraising.
I've lost count of the number of organisations I've worked with who view fundraising costs as an 'unnecessary expense'. And I get it - when you're managing restricted funding and every rand counts, investing in fundraising can feel impossible. Even frivolous.
But here's the thing - this mindset is exactly what's keeping many organisations stuck in a cycle of funding uncertainty.
...we somehow expect charities to create miracles with zero investment in fundraising infrastructure.
As activist and fundraising thought leader Dan Pallotta pointed out in his game-changing TED Talk "The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong", we've got it all wrong. We're perfectly comfortable with businesses investing in growth, but somehow expect charities to create miracles with zero investment in fundraising infrastructure. Think about it - no one questions Checkers spending millions on marketing (hello, Jamie Oliver partnership!), but if a charity invests in fundraising development? Cue the raised eyebrows and uncomfortable questions.
I learned this lesson the hard way.
Early in my career, when I moved from trust fundraising to major donor fundraising in-house, I was completely out of my depth. No one in my organisation had experience with major donors, which meant I had no one to learn from. I'd walk into donor meetings with nothing but hope and a glossy brochure (true story!), completely unclear about what to discuss or how to move relationships forward.
The result? I spent precious time focusing on the wrong things, my confidence plummeted, and - unsurprisingly - so did my income targets.
Everything changed when I had a manager who understood something crucial: investing in fundraiser development isn't an expense - it's an investment in the organisation's future. With proper training and support, I transformed from someone who fumbled through donor meetings to a fundraiser who could:
- Lead meaningful donor conversations with clear next steps
- Secure my first £1 million gift
- Successfully negotiate a 900,000 Euro corporate foundation gift
- Build a development board that raised £500,000 in just three months
But here's what keeps me up at night: across South Africa, talented fundraisers are struggling unnecessarily because their organisations won't invest in their development. They're waiting for funding to magically fall from the sky while wondering why they're not hitting their targets.
Everything changed when I had a manager who understood (that) investing in fundraiser development isn't an expense - it's an investment ...
This is exactly why we created the Vuka Collective - a 9-month programme specifically designed for South African fundraisers. Because we know that with the right support, tools, and community, fundraisers can transform their organisations' financial futures.
The truth is simple: if we want our NGOs to thrive, we need to stop seeing fundraising investment as an optional extra and start seeing it for what it really is - essential infrastructure for sustainable impact.
Ready to invest in your fundraising future?
The Vuka Collective starts February 2025. Join us for monthly live training sessions, group coaching calls, and practical feedback on your donor materials.
Together, let's transform how South African NGOs approach fundraising.
By Michelle Stein
Learn more about the Vuka Collective and secure your place by completing the interest form:
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Michelle Stein | The Vuka Collective

Michelle Stein and Sophie Olivier
Michelle Stein (Handmade Fundraising) helps fundraisers transform lucky breaks into major gift success. A former British Museum and WaterAid fundraising leader, she turned her experience of landing multi-million pound gifts into Handmade Fundraising, where supports organisations worldwide with training, consultancy and coaching. When she's not helping fundraisers be brilliant, you'll find her swimming in Cape Town's tidal pools or hunting down good podcast recommendations.
Sophie Olivier (Flourish Fundraising) has over 15 years of experience in Southern Africa’s non-profit sector in various fundraising positions, managing teams and elevating organisational annual incomes. With the past 6 years as the Founder and Director of Flourish Fundraising, a consultancy specialising in grants readiness, grant writing and donor prospecting. Sophie has an honours degree in International Development Studies from Sussex University, Brighton in 2009.
The Vuka Collective: http://www.handmadefundraising.com/vukacollective
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