The Challenge

This international development charity had reached a critical inflection point. With a proud history of tackling poverty and injustice, its traditional fundraising and engagement model was becoming increasingly unsustainable in a changing external environment.

Despite years of dedicated work and successful appeals, income had been in steady decline and supporter demographics were shifting rapidly. Leadership recognised that incremental improvements or short-term fixes would not be enough. The organisation needed a fundamental reimagining of how it inspired, engaged and mobilised supporters to give, creating a model that could deliver sustainable growth and deepen supporter connection for years to come.

The challenge was to rethink what fundraising could and should look like for a values-led, purpose-driven organisation in a world where audiences are more diverse, digital and cause-saturated than ever. How could the charity build a fundraising model that was both financially resilient and delivered the income growth it needed?

The Solution

We partnered with the INGO on a three-month fundraising transformation programme to design a long-term, sustainable fundraising engine that strengthens the organisation’s ability to deliver its mission.

Phase 1 focused on understanding the external landscape and internal opportunities. We mapped current fundraising performance, supporter journeys and brand positioning to identify barriers and opportunities, culminating in a clear prioritisation of focus areas with the greatest potential for sustainable growth.

Phase 2 was centred on co-creation. We brought together senior leaders, fundraisers and external experts to generate and test a range of bold new growth models. This phase also explored the future identity of the fundraising function, considering what kind of department they wanted to be and the role it should play in the wider mission. Using our 9 Key Levers of Growth framework, we explored transformation holistically, looking beyond portfolio additions to the capabilities, culture, technology and operating conditions needed to build a sustainable engine for the future.

Phase 3 translated the most promising options into a clear fundraising transformation roadmap. This set out a prioritised portfolio of opportunities, the enablers needed to deliver them, and a new operating rhythm designed to embed innovation, experimentation and growth. The output was a practical, future-fit growth model endorsed by the Executive and Trustees.

The Impact

The programme created alignment and momentum across the organisation around a clear vision for growth and transformation.

Senior leadership and Trustees have endorsed the new direction and are now scoping investment for the first phase of delivery. The work has provided a shared framework for growth, bringing together teams across fundraising, brand, digital and operations to shape the future of fundraising.