Making The Ask Webinar

Jan 3

Nonprofit leaders of color face unique challenges when fundraising for their organizations. According to the Nonprofit Executives and the Racial Leadership Gap: A Race to Lead Brief, leaders of color, on average, have smaller budgets and report a lack of access to, and challenges securing, financial support from a variety of funding sources.

In this conversation, Starsha Valentine, Charles Stephens, and Xandy McKinley shared their experiences, strategies, and tools to help BIPOC leaders improve their fundraising strategies. They explored their individual experiences as Black professionals working with nonprofit organizations, discussed challenges, and successes.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the conversation:

1. Authenticity and Personal Values:

The importance of showing up as your authentic self was a recurring message in the conversation. It is important to align one's personal values with the work being done. Articulating "why" you are passionate about the cause can greatly impact your fundraising efforts.

“Your passion gets conveyed whether you intend to or not–so being able to do work that is in line with your personal values allows you to speak more authoritatively about it which makes you a great fundraiser.” - Starsha

“Every now and then I ask myself ‘what is my work’ and I write it down to stay connected to my work and values.” - Charles

2. Addressing Income Disparity:

BIPOC led organizations have become resilient innovators. Income disparities can pose unique challenges and finding ways to bridge this gap is crucial. Overcoming these disparities takes strong networks, creative thinking, and collaboration.

“We need to start actually talking to each other, creating and holding space for each other to ask questions and being able to share our resources together.”
- Starsha

3. Building Relationships and Networks:

Building relationships emerged as a critical aspect of successful fundraising. Connecting with donors and funders on a personal level, sharing stories, and fostering meaningful relationships can improve the experience and processes of requesting support. Expanding networks, both within the nonprofit sector and beyond, was also mentioned as a valuable tool for gathering insights and approaching funders effectively.

4. Managing Mental Health as a BIPOC professional

Fundraising is challenging, stressful work. Managing these struggles requires support systems, boundaries, and balance.

“It’s beneficial to have a good support system–people that you can get on the phone with after you have hard conversations.” -Charles

Building support systems comes from trial and error and connecting with people and professionals who feel comfortable for you. It’s also validating to have others in your industry who share similar experiences.

“No is a complete sentence and prioritize rest” - Xandy

Find a balance between professional support and community building within the fundraising space. Create safe spaces for sharing experiences and challenges, both within the workplace and with peers. This balance can contribute to overall well-being and resilience in the fundraising journey.

5. Sharing Impact and Building Media Relationships:

Effective communication was emphasized as a key skill for successful fundraising. Charles shared his success in sharing impact and missions through various media platforms, including local grassroots publications. Building positive relationships with the media can play a crucial role in connecting with potential donors and supporters.

6. Diversify funding sources

There’s more than one way to raise funds for an organization. Develop strategies to engage with different funding sources and learn about what and how they fund before making an ask, responding to an RFP, or submitting an application.