Effective fundraising for journalists

GIJN is a top resource and website for investigative journalists seeking to improve their knowledge and skills. In GIJN’s YouTube video series, Bridget Gallagher, a fundraiser and strategist with experience in non profit journalism in media organisations, gives her three tips on how to effectively fundraise for your project or organisation. 

1. Prepare - Know your donors

This is fundamental for any good fundraising programme. It is important that you take time to prepare and get to know your donor to understand what their interests are and what they want to achieve. Take this time to also figure out your mission as an organisation, and how your work can best fit with what the donor is looking for.

2. Present - Why this? Why now? Why you?

This is a key opportunity to get donors interested in your mission, organisation, and work. You need to formulate your case for support from donors, particularly what you do and why it’s important. The three basic questions you want to answer in whatever format your presentation takes place are why you, why now, and why this? Why are you the best person or organisation to address this challenge you described? What's your approach to solve that problem? And what’s the urgency around it for the donor to devote their time and spending to this now?

3. Persist

Being persistent and making the commitment to maintain relations with your prospective donor is something that you need to spend a lot of your time doing. You need to constantly follow up and remind them of information you mentioned at the presentation stage - who you are, what you’re doing, why your work matters, and how you can help the donor. Also use this opportunity to send any agreed information and anything newsworthy about your organisation to keep donors engaged. This is an important habit as persistence is what will help to secure your grant.

Watch the full GIJN video below!