03/06/2025
“Can’t the fundraising team just bring in more money?”
It’s a question one of my clients was asked recently by the Chair of Trustees, following news that a government contract, a long-standing source of income, was under threat.
It’s a question that fundraisers across the charity sector hear all too often—especially when times are tough and finances are under pressure.
But here’s the thing:
FUNDRAISING ISN'T A TAP YOU TURN ON when reserves get low.
It’s a long-term investment, not a quick fix.
Yet in many boardrooms, fundraisers are being asked to:
“Raise more unrestricted income—fast”
“Replace lost grant funding within months”
“Grow income without increasing costs”
“Just find some big donors”
These questions often reflect a misunderstanding of how fundraising actually works.
The reality?
✅ Building donor relationships takes time
✅ Fundraising costs money—especially if you want it to be sustainable
✅ Without the right infrastructure (sound financial systems, good governance, strong leadership and a clear strategy) funders and major donors won’t want to back you
✅ Culture and leadership support are just as important as tactics
Too often, fundraisers are expected to deliver miracles in a vacuum—without the resources, authority, or organisational alignment to succeed. And when this doesn’t work, it’s seen as a fundraising failure, rather than a systems failure.
Instead of asking “Why isn’t fundraising doing more?”, boards might ask:
💬 Are we investing enough in fundraising to expect growth?
💬 Do we have the right systems and skills in place to succeed?
💬 Are we asking too much, too soon?
Fundraising can absolutely drive change. But only if we treat it as a serious, strategic function—not a magic wand.
