10 Tips for Navigating the Complexities of Philanthropy

By Systems Change Learning Team

3 July 2024

Fundraising efforts bridge the gap between the vision and reality of social ventures by connecting philanthropists with exciting opportunities to drive meaningful change. On June 6th, the Fundraising Masterclass titled Navigating the Complexities of Philanthropy was led by Chitra Hanstad from Landesa, a non-profit working to secure land rights to alleviate poverty, and Tim Hanstad from the Chandler Foundation, working to create opportunities for everyone by fostering trust in communities.

In the session, the team shared their 10 golden lessons on fundraising:

These lessons were followed by interesting discussions where the participants further learned how to leverage the art of storytelling, team building, and selecting champions to advance their goals. Chitra provided an example of how all employees in her NGO have an “Ask me what I do” badge that sparks meaningful communication with donors during conferences. While discussing the importance of finding the right champion for your organisation, the duo provided an example of how Julia Quinn, the author of Netflix’s sensational series, Bridgerton, became Landesa’s frontrunner in advocating for women’s rights to inherit land!

In closing, Tim and Chitra reinforced their most important takeaway:

“Don’t get disheartened. You will experience a lot of “no’s”, but there is a “yes” waiting. Keep in mind that you are offering people a chance to be part of something greater, and the world needs that now more than ever!”

Additional Resources

Intended Impact and Theory of Change Resources | Bridgespan

How Nonprofits Get Really Big | Bridgespan.

Rakesh Rajani Twaweza approach to strategy, learning and funding

Watch the YouTube recording of this session.

Find more information here on upcoming learning events, previous fundraising masterclass sessions, and fundraising resources on the social change innovators online knowledge hub. You can also visit social change innovators, an open-sourced platform curated for social entrepreneurs by social entrepreneurs that allows research and sharing across every stage of their journey.

Special Thanks

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Tim Hanstad and Chitra Hanstad for their invaluable contributions and insights during the Fundraising Masterclass titled Navigating the Complexities of Philanthropy, which inspired this article and deepened our understanding of effective fundraising strategies and the transformative power of philanthropy.