Some of the Best Ways to Raise Money for Non-Profits: Navigating Grants and Social Impact VCs

What Are Some of the Best Ways to Raise Funds for NPOs?

Before diving into individual tactics, it helps to understand the landscape.

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) can raise money through donations, nonprofit grants and funding, and investment. Each approach has its own requirements, timelines, and audiences. The best ways to raise money for your NPO depend on your fundraising goal, capacity, and stage of growth.

Here is a quick overview of the main categories:

• Individual donations: Small and large gifts from the public.

• Foundation grants: Funding from private or government grant-making bodies.

• Corporate partnerships: Sponsorships, cause marketing, and employee giving.

• Events and fundraising campaigns: Time-bound and creative fundraising activities.

• Social impact venture capitalists: Mission-aligned investors who fund scalable non-profits or social enterprises.

A smart fundraising strategy combines several of these. Relying on just one source puts your organization at risk. Some of the popular ways to raise money consistently is to build a diversified funding portfolio.

Key Non-Profit Fundraising Methods

Here are some widely used funding methods for non-profit organizations:

1. Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

Peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising turns your supporters into active fundraisers. Instead of asking one person for a large gift, you empower many individuals to raise small amounts from their own networks.

This method is one of the popular ways to raise money because it multiplies your reach without multiplying your workload.

How it may work:

• Your organization sets up a donation page.
• Supporters create personal fundraising pages linked to yours.
• They share their pages with friends, family, and colleagues.
• Donations flow back to your organization.

Why can it effective?

• People give more when asked by someone they trust.
• It builds community around your cause.
• It requires a low upfront cost.
• It scales quickly with the right digital tools.

2. Fundraising Events

Events remain one of the most time-tested and best ways to raise funds for non-profits. They combine local community-building with revenue generation.

Whether it is a gala dinner, a bake sale, a charity run, or an in-person auction, events create urgency and excitement. These fundraising efforts also attract new donors who might not otherwise have engaged with your organization.

Popular non-profit event formats:

• Gala dinners and award ceremonies
• Runs and walkathons
• Talent shows
• Community events
• Auctions (live, silent, or online)
• Trivia nights or game events
• Virtual fundraisers and livestreams

Why events may work:

• They create an emotional connection to your cause
• They generate media coverage and public awareness
• They attract corporate sponsors
• They are repeatable and can grow year over year

Tips for a successful fundraising event:

• Set a clear financial goal before planning begins.
• Sell sponsorship packages to local businesses.
• Use ticketing platforms and other fundraising tools for a smooth workflow.
• Follow up with attendees after the event with a thank-you and donation ask.
• Track your cost-to-revenue ratio to measure true success.

One important note: Fundraising events can be expensive to run. Always calculate net revenue, not gross ticket sales. The best way to raise money through events is to keep costs low and maximize sponsorship income.

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3. Corporate Partnerships

Businesses are increasingly looking to align with causes that match their values. Corporate partnerships are one of the best ways to raise money while also gaining credibility and exposure for your non-profit.

These partnerships go beyond a one-time donation.

Types of corporate partnerships:

• Cash sponsorships for programs or events
• In-kind donations (office space, equipment, services)
• Employee volunteer programs
• Cause marketing campaigns (a portion of product sales goes to your NPO)
• Matching gift programs (the company matches employee donations)
• Multi-year grant agreements

How to approach corporate partners:

• Research companies whose values align with your mission
• Identify the right contact (often in CSR, marketing, or HR)
• Create a compelling sponsorship proposal with clear benefits
• Offer tiered packages to fit different budget sizes
• Demonstrate measurable impact with data and stories

Why businesses may say yes:

• Possible tax benefits from charitable contributions
• Positive brand association
• Employee morale and engagement
• Community visibility

Corporate partnerships require relationship-building over time. But once established, they are among the best ways to raise money reliably year after year.

You may also like: Understanding Business Grants

4. Social Media Fundraising

Social media has transformed the way non-profits communicate and fundraise. It is now one of the most accessible and best ways to raise money for organizations of every size.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok allow you to reach thousands of people with minimal cost. They can act as a fundraising platform for large and small donations.

Key social media fundraising strategies:

• Facebook Fundraisers: This allows supporters to create birthday fundraisers for your cause.

• Instagram Donation Stickers: Add donation prompts directly to Stories.

• LinkedIn Campaigns: Effective for reaching corporate donors and professional networks.

• TikTok for Good: A growing platform for reaching younger audiences with compelling video content.

• Twitter/X Giving: Useful for awareness campaigns around giving days like #GivingTuesday.

What makes social media fundraising effective:

• Low barrier to entry
• Shares and reposts extend your reach organically
• Real-time engagement with donors
• Visual storytelling builds emotional connection

Content that may convert:

• Behind-the-scenes videos of your programs
• Beneficiary success stories (with permission)
• Progress updates toward a goal
• Countdown posts during campaigns
• Matching gift announcements to create urgency

Social media alone is rarely the top way to raise money at scale, but it is a powerful amplifier when combined with other methods.

5. Foundation Grants

Foundation grants are one of the most significant and best ways to raise money for non-profits, especially for program funding or organizational growth.

A grant is a non-repayable sum of money awarded by a foundation, government body, or corporation to support a specific project or operational need.

Types of foundations that give grants:

• Private foundations: Family foundations or independent charitable bodies (e.g., Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation)

• Community foundations: Serve a specific geographic area and fund local NPOs

• Corporate foundations: The charitable arm of a company.

• Government grants: Federal, state, and local government programs for non-profits

• International foundations: Fund global causes (e.g., Wellcome Trust, Open Society Foundations)

What potential donors look for:

• Alignment between your mission and their funding priorities
• A clearly defined problem and proposed solution
• Evidence of past impact or organizational capacity
• A realistic and detailed budget
• A sustainability plan beyond the grant period

The grant process takes time. Most applications require weeks or months of preparation. But for many organizations, grants represent the some of the most popular ways to raise money in large, reliable amounts.

Where to Find Grant Fundraising Opportunities

Finding the right grants can feel overwhelming. But with the right tools and approach, it becomes a manageable part of your fundraising strategy.

Here are resources to find grant opportunities:

1. Online grant databases:

• Grants.gov: The official U.S. federal grant portal. Lists all available federal funding opportunities.

• Foundation Directory Online (Instrumentl): The most comprehensive database of private foundation grants. Subscription-based but worth the investment.

• GrantWatch: Searchable database of grants for non-profits, updated regularly.

• Charity Navigator: Helpful for researching funders and identifying aligned foundations.

2. Social impact VC and investment-focused platforms:

• Echoing Green: Funds emerging social entrepreneurs with fellowships and early-stage grants.

• Acumen: Invests in companies and organizations tackling global poverty.

• SOCAP (Social Capital Markets): A network and conference connecting impact investors with mission-driven organizations.

• New Profit: A venture philanthropy fund supporting bold social change organizations.

3. Government and public sources:

• SAMHSA, HUD, and HHS: Federal agencies with significant non-profit grant programs

• State government portals: Every state has its own grant listings for local NPOs

• Community foundations in your area: Often underutilized but highly accessible

4. Networking and relationship-building:

• Attend non-profit conferences and grant-maker convenings
• Join local non-profit associations and coalitions
• Follow foundations on LinkedIn and social media to track their funding cycles
• Reach out to peer organizations to learn what funders they have worked with

One of the most underrated approaches to finding grants is building direct relationships with program officers. A brief introductory conversation before you apply can dramatically improve your chances. This approach is often one of the most widely used funding methods.

Understanding Social Impact Venture Capitalists

Social impact venture capital (VC) is a growing funding category for non-profits and social enterprises that operate at scale.

Unlike traditional grants, impact VCs expect a return in terms of social growth and impact. They look for organizations with strong leadership, replicable models, and measurable impact.

What social impact VCs look for:

• A scalable model with potential for systemic change
• Data-driven proof of impact
• Strong leadership and governance
• A clear theory of change

How non-profits can attract impact investment:

• Develop a model that showcases how the NPO is contributing to society.
• Build a strong data and evaluation infrastructure.
• Demonstrate that your model can scale beyond your current geography.
• Attend investing forums to meet like-minded VCs.

Social impact VCs are not the right fit for every NPO. But for organizations ready to scale, they represent one of the best ways to raise money in meaningful amounts while gaining strategic support.

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Conclusion

There is no single answer to what the best ways to raise money for a non-profit are. The most successful organizations use a mix of strategies, combining grassroots fundraising with corporate partnerships, grants, and social media campaigns.

Here is a recap of the key takeaways:

• Peer-to-peer fundraising turns your community into a fundraising force
• Events build relationships and generate awareness alongside revenue
• Corporate partnerships offer multi-year, multi-faceted financial support
• Social media fundraising amplifies your reach at low cost
• Foundation grants provide significant, reliable funding for specific programs
• Social impact VCs are ideal for scalable organizations.

Some of the best ways to raise money are the ones that align with your mission, your capacity, and your audience. Start with one or two methods, build your systems, and expand from there.

Fundraising is a long game. Consistency, storytelling, and relationship-building are what separate thriving non-profits from those that struggle. Invest in your fundraising strategy today.