Fundraising in Africa is often approached as a reactive task that is limited to writing proposals, responding to calls for applications, or mobilizing short-term campaigns. Yet this overlooks the broader institutional work necessary to attract, retain, and grow sustainable funding, hence the need to reframe the fundraising narrative. Many organizations fail to invest in long-term positioning, relationship building, and internal capacity, limiting their ability to engage effectively with diverse sources of finance.
This article argues for a fundamental shift in how African organizations approach fundraising. At its core, fundraising is not just about accessing money. It is about building credibility, demonstrating value, and aligning with partner priorities. It involves systems, people, and strategy. It also demands visibility and clarity which are core elements where development communication plays a vital role.
Drawing insights from the business and policy environment thanks to my decade-long experience, I delve at the need for development aid, what donors expect, the role of communication, organizational positioning, talent and systems, and viable fundraising models. My aim is to enable organizations to move from fragmented fundraising attempts to deliberate, sustained resource mobilization efforts that support long-term institutional resilience.
The structural need for development aid and external financing
The demand for development finance in Africa remains significant, driven by long-standing infrastructure gaps, under-resourced public services, and climate vulnerability. Domestic resource mobilization is limited by a narrow tax base, high informality, and constrained fiscal space. Despite progress, the continent remains reliant on external support for sectors like health, education, water and sanitation, climate resilience, and agricultural transformation.
Recent assessments by the African Development Bank and the United Nations highlight an annual financing gap of over $200 billion to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa. This structural shortfall is exacerbated by volatile debt dynamics, constrained capital markets, and rising interest rates. Many African countries lack the domestic liquidity to fund long-term development objectives or invest in public goods at scale.
External financing, which is normally through bilateral donors, philanthropic institutions, development banks, and private foundations, remains essential. But access to this finance is not automatic. It requires structured engagement, the ability to articulate bankable solutions, and strong accountability systems. Organizations must treat fundraising as a core strategic function, embedded within institutional development. Without this, the development aid system risks remaining underutilized or misaligned, contributing to fragmentation rather than long-term progress.
What donors want: predictability, impact, and alignment
Donors operate under significant pressure to justify how funds are used, demonstrate results, and ensure alignment with global and national priorities. This shapes what they seek in grantee organizations. Donors want clear problem statements, measurable outcomes, sound financial management, and alignment with sectoral or geographic priorities. They prioritize organizations that offer value for money and show consistent, high-quality delivery.
Funders also expect transparency and professionalism. This includes timely reporting, open sharing of challenges, and robust monitoring systems. Organizations that cannot consistently meet deadlines or who fail to show adaptive learning risk being sidelined. Furthermore, donors are increasingly focused on data; Impact must be proven through evidence, not narrative alone.
In Africa, many organizations struggle with compliance fatigue, irregular communication, or limited knowledge of donor expectations. These issues erode trust. A common gap is poor articulation of impact pathways because many proposals are strong on intentions but weak on how change will be delivered and tracked.
To respond to these expectations, organizations must strengthen planning, documentation, and donor stewardship processes. Donors fund organizations they trust. Building that trust requires more than strong ideas. It requires systems, data, and sustained engagement.
The role of development communication in attracting and retaining funding
Development communication remains underutilized in most African organizations, yet it plays a central role in fundraising. Communicating clearly about impact, strategy, innovation, and learning is essential in building donor confidence. Visibility is not just about public relations; it is about shaping perceptions of credibility and professionalism.
Effective communication highlights what makes an organization distinct that is, its model, track record, partnerships, and results. It uses tools such as thought leadership, multimedia storytelling, data visualizations, and progress reports to build a compelling narrative. When done well, communication anticipates donor interests, addresses reputational risks, and provides consistent evidence of effectiveness.
Fundraising teams often operate separately from communication functions, leading to fragmented outreach. Yet integrated communication where brand, strategy, and fundraising intersect, enables better targeting, more relevant messaging, and sustained engagement. Development partners are also influenced by media exposure, leadership visibility, and sector discourse. Organizations that are absent from these spaces may be overlooked, regardless of merit.
Building communication capacity should be a strategic investment. This includes staff skills, digital presence, design tools, and content planning. Fundraising starts with attention which is earned through consistent, clear, and value-driven communication.
Positioning for credibility and growth: beyond brand aesthetics
Credibility in fundraising goes beyond visual identity or messaging. It rests on the totality of an organization’s systems, governance, leadership, and results. Donors assess risk, and weak internal controls, governance gaps, or lack of accountability frameworks undermine funding prospects even where intentions are noble.
Strong organizations position themselves through audit readiness, financial compliance, staff qualifications, and alignment with local and global policy frameworks. They demonstrate clarity of purpose, clear value propositions, and institutional memory. They provide evidence of scale or replicability. In short, they make a strong case for partnership.
Positioning also involves visibility in relevant networks, participation in policy spaces, and publication of learning. Organizations that are active in coalitions, contribute to sector dialogue, and align with national development plans have a competitive edge. Moreover, the presence of leadership with credibility and influence enhances positioning. Donors often back leadership they trust.
This positioning must be intentional. Institutions need to ask what makes them fundable, and what signals they send to potential funders. Branding is part of this, but it must be underpinned by consistent delivery and robust structures. Otherwise, perception will eventually collapse under scrutiny.
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The missing middle: building fundraising skills and systems
Despite the volume of development organizations in Africa, few have dedicated fundraising staff or systems. Fundraising is often handled by program staff or leadership on an ad hoc basis. There is limited investment in training, tools, or structured planning. This limits reach, reduces responsiveness to opportunities, and undermines long-term sustainability.
There is a clear skills gap. Most fundraising staff in African organizations learn on the job. There is limited access to formal education in resource mobilization. Fundraising is still not widely recognized as a career pathway in the development space, and where roles do exist, they are poorly supported.
To address this, organizations need to formalize fundraising functions. This includes hiring dedicated staff, establishing fundraising plans and KPIs, and equipping teams with tools such as CRM systems, donor databases, and pipeline trackers. External training and peer learning should be encouraged.
Fundraising is also a team effort. Finance, programs, communication, and leadership must all contribute to funding proposals, reporting, and relationship management. Building internal capability is not just about skills, it is about institutional culture. Organizations that treat fundraising as core, not peripheral, are better placed to navigate funding landscapes.
Fundraising models and modes of operation
The fundraising landscape in Africa includes various models, each with distinct requirements. These include grant funding, donor tenders, corporate social responsibility (CSR) partnerships, individual giving, endowment building, and blended finance. Understanding how each model operates is key to accessing and managing funds effectively.
Grant funding remains dominant, but it is increasingly competitive. Donors now expect more than good ideas, they demand measurable results and cost-effectiveness. Challenge funds, innovation calls, and pooled funding mechanisms also require agility and innovation. CSR partnerships, by contrast, focus on brand alignment and impact visibility, and may require a stronger media or employee engagement component.
Blended finance where philanthropic capital de-risks commercial investment is now gaining traction, particularly in climate, health, and agriculture. It requires organizations to work with investors, not just grant makers, and calls for new skills in risk management and return modeling.
Endowments and local fundraising remain underdeveloped in Africa, yet they represent untapped potential. As global funding becomes more unpredictable, African institutions must explore diversified revenue models. This includes building donor pipelines, engaging diaspora communities, and experimenting with digital fundraising.
A strategic approach to fundraising requires segmentation by knowing which model suits which need and building capacity accordingly.
Recommendations for organizations in Africa
Organizations seeking to improve their fundraising performance should prioritize six strategic actions:
Each of the actions above strengthens organizational readiness and credibility. Fundraising must be treated as a cross-cutting institutional function, not as a periodic or donor-driven task.
Build institutions, not just projects
Africa’s development challenges cannot be solved through fragmented projects alone. Institutions must be built and must be capable of mobilizing resources, delivering at scale, and sustaining impact. Fundraising is not an administrative function; It is central to this institutional vision. A more strategic approach to fundraising includes clear positioning, capable teams, robust systems, and deliberate communication. It requires aligning internal capacity with donor expectations, while also advocating for models that reflect African realities and long-term needs. This is how organizations shift from fundraising as survival to fundraising as transformation. The future of African development lies not only in accessing more funds but in using those funds to build institutions that last, deliver, and lead. That is the true return on investment for both donors and societies.
About the author
The author is a Communication Expert affiliated with the University of Nairobi. He is the Head of Communication and External Relations at Impact Africa Consulting Limited, a sustainability, strategy and leadership advisory group headquartered in Kenya. He is also the Chief Editor at Africa Sustainability Matters. He can be reached at solomonirungu@impactingafrica.com.