Nonprofit fundraising 101 (for small but mighty teams)

Fundraising can feel overwhelming when you don’t have a large development team behind you. But here’s the good news: successful nonprofit fundraising doesn’t require dozens of team members. You just need clarity, smart prioritization, and the right tools.

Nonprofits of every size use a mix of strategies to secure support, including online giving, events, corporate partnerships, and recurring donations. Once you understand what those methods are and when to use them, you can raise meaningful funds even with limited time, budget, or staff.

In this guide, you’ll learn the fundamentals of nonprofit fundraising: how it works, why it matters, and how to choose the right methods for your goals. Whether you’re planning your first campaign or refreshing your fundraising strategy, you’ll walk away with practical steps you can implement today.

Key takeaways

• Know what you need to raise 💰 Identify your funding gaps, donor motivations, and team roles before you pick tactics.
• Build a simple, mission-centered plan 🎯 Set clear goals, timelines, and priorities so every fundraising activity supports your broader strategy.
• Focus on individual giving 💛 Prioritize one-time, recurring, and major gifts from individuals, since this type of giving consistently makes up the majority of nonprofit revenue.
• Mix online and offline methods 📣 Combine donation forms, events, social media, corporate partnerships, and more to reach new supporters and engage current donors where they already are.
• Work smarter with the right tools 🛠 Use platforms like Givebutter, plus templates and free resources, to launch campaigns and steward donors with less lift.

What is nonprofit fundraising?

A simple nonprofit fundraising definition is the practice of generating financial support for your mission through gifts from individuals, businesses, foundations, and your wider community. At its core, it’s how nonprofits secure the revenue needed to run programs, make an impact, and grow sustainably.

Fundraising has always been a central component of nonprofit work. From the first capital campaigns to today’s digital giving tools, nonprofits have continuously evolved their approach to inspiring people to give. 

What hasn’t changed is the heart of fundraising: inviting supporters to invest in impact that matters.

How nonprofit fundraising works

Fundraising for nonprofit organizations is a journey, guiding supporters from initial discovery to becoming long-term champions for your mission. This journey is often referred to as the donor life cycle, and it’s shaped by every interaction a donor has with your nonprofit.

Nonprofits use a mix of channels to move donors along this path, including: 

• Online giving
• Direct mail
• Social media
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Crowdfunding
• Events 

Each channel plays a distinct role: building awareness, prompting initial gifts, or fostering loyalty over time.

Successful fundraising is built on ongoing donor stewardship. Consistent communication, meaningful updates, and intentional relationship-building keep donors engaged and invested, inspiring them to continue giving and advocating for your work.

Dive deeper

Learn how to start a fundraiser from scratch →

Why fundraising for nonprofits matters

Fundraising isn’t just about hitting a dollar goal. It keeps your programs running and your mission moving forward. And people want to invest in causes that matter. In 2024 alone, Americans gave more than $592B to charitable causes. 

Strong fundraising brings more than revenue:

• Stability 🔁 Recurring gifts and diversified income help you plan beyond the next urgent need.
• Flexibility 🧩 Unrestricted donations can support essential needs like operations, staff time, and program growth. 
• Community trust 🤝 Every fundraising campaign is an opportunity to share your story, demonstrate impact, and deepen relationships with those who believe in your mission.

Done well, fundraising becomes a cycle of connection and momentum. The more your community sees the difference you’re making, the more they want to be part of it—and that loyalty sustains nonprofits for the long haul.

The fundraising basics: What to know before you start

For small nonprofit teams, fundraising works best when you make a few key decisions before choosing tactics. Getting clear on what you’re raising money for, who you’re asking, and how much capacity you really have will shape everything that comes next.

Decide what you need to fundraise for 💰

Dig deep and get clear on what it is you need from your community so you can make the strongest ask. 

Do you need to raise $25K to expand a building? Bring in $5K every month to fund a program? Your fundraising goal should guide every decision you make, including how you engage your audience. 

Understand who your donors are 💛

Gain insight into who is most likely to support your cause. Review your recent donors: Which initiatives did they support? What motivated them to give? Why do they care about your mission? 

Even a simple understanding of donor behavior helps you determine which fundraising methods will deliver the greatest ROI for your organization.

Set clear, mission-centered goals 🎯

To secure the most significant gains, you need well-defined goals. Do you want to increase the number of new donors? Convert more one-time donors into recurring givers? Encourage more local businesses to make donations? 

Determine your priorities, then implement fundraising goals that support your broader strategy and mission. 

Learn more

Discover how to set SMART fundraising goals →

Use a 30/60/90-day getting-started plan 📝

Instead of creating a fundraising strategy for the entire year at once, start with a time-based plan.

A 30/60/90-day challenge (like our guide on how to raise $1K in 30 days) allows you to move quickly, test different approaches, and discover what works best for your nonprofit. There’s a new task to focus on every day, so you can sustain momentum. It’s perfect for both new fundraisers and changemakers wanting a fresh approach.

More to explore

Download your free nonprofit strategic plan template →

Key nonprofit fundraising methods

Choosing the right fundraising methods can be the difference between a campaign that exceeds your goal and one that falls short. Each approach below includes its effort level, fundraising potential, and expected timeline, so you can easily find the strategy that best fits your capacity and goals.

Individual giving 💛

Individual donations make up the majority of nonprofit giving, accounting for 67% of total giving in the U.S. Many organizations build long-term sustainability through one-time, recurring, and major gifts.

💪 Effort level: Medium 

💰 Potential funds raised: High  

⏳ Timeline to see results: Slow

Get inspired

Explore 100+ nonprofit fundraising ideas →

Peer-to-peer fundraising 📣

Peer-to-peer campaigns empower your supporters to raise money for your nonprofit by sharing personal fundraising pages with their networks. The strength of a P2P fundraising campaign lies in your participants’ ability to motivate their friends, family, co-workers, and peers to give. 

💪 Effort level: Low

💰 Potential funds raised: Medium 

⏳ Timeline to see results: Medium

Dive deeper

Learn how to start a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign →

Fundraising events 🎉

Events are a versatile, exciting way to raise funds, introduce new people to your cause, and cultivate long-lasting relationships with donors and corporate partners.

💪 Effort level: Medium 

💰 Potential funds raised: High 

⏳ Timeline to see results: Fast

More to explore

Get the ultimate nonprofit event planning template →

Corporate partnerships 💼

Corporate sponsors can provide steady revenue through monetary donations, in-kind contributions, event sponsorships, and matching gifts. More than $2B is raised through workplace giving each year, with nearly half coming from donation matching programs.

💪 Effort level: High 

💰 Potential funds raised: High 

⏳ Timeline to see results: Medium to long

Get your first partner

Learn how to secure corporate sponsorships for nonprofits →

Social media fundraising 📱

Social media isn’t just for memes—it’s a vibrant space where communities form, stories spread, and causes gain momentum. These platforms offer nonprofits a powerful way to share their mission, reach supporters where they already are, and build a community that stays connected over time. 

From Facebook and Instagram to TikTok and YouTube, each platform attracts different audiences, so it’s important to know where your supporters spend most of their time. 

💪 Effort level: Low

💰 Potential funds raised: Low to medium

⏳ Timeline to see results: Fast

Get inspired

Check out 30+ social media fundraising ideas and post examples →

Nonprofit website 🌐

Your website is often the first place supporters go to learn more. When it’s current and thoughtfully designed, it becomes a living hub for your mission by building trust, showcasing impact, and making it easy for visitors to explore programs, sign up for events, or donate.

💪 Effort level: Low 

💰 Potential funds raised: Low to medium 

⏳ Timeline to see results: Fast

More to explore

Learn how to set up a donation page that converts →

Recurring giving 🔃

Recurring donors provide consistent monthly revenue and reduce the need for frequent fundraising campaigns. They’re highly valuable because they make it easier to set a realistic budget and plan future programming.

💪 Effort level: Medium 

💰 Potential funds raised: High 

⏳ Timeline to see results: Slow

Get started

Learn how to launch a monthly giving program →

Free nonprofit fundraising toolkits & resources

Nonprofit fundraising is always easier when you’re not working from scratch. Start with a simple plan, then layer in strategy, tactics, and training as you go. These free resources are designed to work together and help you take action quickly.

Start here (planning & focus)

📝 Download your free fundraising plan template → 

💡 Get your free fundraising strategy template →

Move fast (launch & execution)

⚡ How to raise money for a nonprofit fast →

👏 How to build your dream fundraising team → 

Build confidence (training & support)

💬 Free nonprofit webinars →

🎓 Givebutter Academy →

Raise more with nonprofit fundraising on Givebutter

You just walked through the core components of effective nonprofit fundraising: knowing your need, choosing methods that match your capacity, and staying connected to your supporters. Now it’s time to turn that strategy into real momentum.

Givebutter gives nonprofits of all sizes everything they need to launch faster and raise more. Build a beautiful fundraising page, add your story and goal, turn on peer-to-peer or recurring giving, and offer donors their favorite ways to give in a single, easy-to-use platform. You’ll spend less time juggling tools and more time focusing on what actually moves the needle: engaging your community.

Sign up for Givebutter for free and get started today. Your next campaign can go further and generate results sooner than you think.

FAQs: Nonprofit fundraising 101

What is the 80/20 rule in nonprofit fundraising?

The 80/20 rule suggests that 80% of your funds typically come from 20% of your donors. It highlights the importance of focusing fundraising efforts on stewarding your most committed and generous supporters (the 20%) while continuing to nurture your broader donor base (the remaining 80%). 

What are the 4 Ps of fundraising?

The 4 Ps—passion, persistence, philanthropy, and people—represent the core values behind strong donor relationships. They remind fundraisers to pair compelling storytelling with consistent outreach and a human-centered approach.

What is the 3-to-1 rule for fundraising?

The 3-to-1 rule is a stewardship guideline recommending that you make three touchpoints—thanking donors, sharing impact, and offering ongoing engagement—before making another ask. The goal is to help donors feel valued and connected so future appeals feel natural and welcome. 

Givebutter helps automate this cycle with customizable thank-you messages, updates, and CRM notes, ensuring stewardship remains consistent, even with a small team.

What are the 3 Cs of fundraising?

The three Cs—capacity, connection, and commitment—help fundraisers prioritize outreach to individuals who have the ability to give, a relationship with your mission, and an interest in supporting it. 

Givebutter’s contact profiles and tags make it easy to segment donors by these traits so your effort yields the greatest impact.

What is the rule of 7 in fundraising?

The rule of 7 suggests that donors often need multiple, meaningful interactions before they’re ready to give. Rather than focusing on a specific number, most nonprofits use it as a reminder that consistent communication through stories, updates, emails, texts, and social posts builds trust over time.