The Benefits of Community-Centric Fundraising

For nonprofits in close-knit communities, community-centric fundraising (CCF) may be a more effective fundraising approach than other methods of fundraising. Because CCF focuses more on community well-being instead of raising money for individual organizations, it provides an opportunity for the community to provide mutual support for each other to grow stronger together for sustainable solutions that each nonprofit is trying to solve. 

Use this guide to learn more about community-centric fundraising:

• What is community-centric fundraising?
• History and origins of CCF
• How is CCF different from other fundraising strategies?
• Principles of community-centric fundraising
• Benefits of community-centric fundraising
• How you can practice CCF

What is community-centric fundraising?

Community-centric fundraising (CCF) is a fundraising method that prioritizes the collective well-being of the community over individual organizational goals. This fundraising approach relies on the community’s ability to come together with the active support of its members, including donors, volunteers, staff, and beneficiaries. CCF aims to produce an inclusive and equitable environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.

History and origins of CCF

Community-centric fundraising is a movement aimed at shifting the focus of fundraising from donors to the broader community, promoting equity and inclusivity. The movement began in April 2015 with Vu Le’s blog post critiquing traditional donor-centric models, Winter is coming and the donor-centric fundraising model must evolve. By August 2018, these discussions culminated in a significant milestone—the first larger, local convening in Seattle. This event brought together 90 fundraisers of color to reflect on their lived experiences within the fundraising sector. After this meeting, the Seattle chapter of CCF was officially formed. Visit CCF’s website to learn more about the history of CCF and the movement’s Founding Council.

How is CCF different from other fundraising strategies?

Other fundraising methods often focus on raising the most money to meet their goals or gaining the most donors. While these goals are important, they can sometimes overshadow the broader mission of community empowerment and feel disconnected from the people they’re trying to help. 

Rather than focus on the numbers of fundraising, CCF emphasizes an approach that integrates social equity, transparency, and mutual support into each step of fundraising. It encourages nonprofits to look beyond immediate financial needs and consider the long-term health and sustainability of the entire community.

Principles of community-centric fundraising

The principles of community-centric fundraising are foundational to anchoring this fundraising method to its initiatives in race, equity, and social justice. This approach places the collective community over individual organization to nurture a culture of collaboration and mutual reinforcement among organizations within the community for a stronger sense of unity.

The core of CCF is viewing all members of your community as equal contributors, regardless of their roles–be it volunteers, staff members, donors, or board representatives. Establishing transparent and open channels of communication with all of your contributors is key to ensuring that they’re well-informed about how their contributions are being used and nurturing a shared sense of ownership and impact of the work done for your community.

Community-centric fundraising aims to create a sense of belonging and inclusivity within communities, advocating for the idea that every individual engaged in community work personally benefits from the experience. This perspective reframes fundraising efforts as transformative experiences rather than transactions. Additionally, CCF stresses the importance of addressing the root causes of problems within your community to foster meaningful change.

Benefits of community-centric fundraising

Here are a few key benefits to the community-centric fundraising approach:

• Sustainability. Community-centric fundraising fosters long-term sustainability by building strong, engaged communities that are invested in everyone’s success, rather than focusing on individual organizations.
• Strengthened community ties. CCF encourages collaboration and mutual support, creating a network of shared resources and goals for everyone to work towards. By focusing on the needs of the local community, community-centric fundraising can provide local solutions that are tailored to the community’s problems, making them more effective.
• Trust building. The transparency and inclusivity required for CCF helps build trust among all stakeholders, from donors to beneficiaries. By building trust within your community, your organization is better equipped to help.
• Honest conversations. Community-centric fundraising opens the door for honest conversations about the needs, challenges, and opportunities the community has, fostering a culture of mutual respect.
• Inclusive voices. In community-centric fundraising, everyone’s voice is heard and valued, leading to more inclusive and effective decision-making. This allows you to better serve your community. 
• Intersectional approach. By considering the intersection of various social issues, CCF ensures that fundraising efforts are comprehensive and address the root causes of problems, rather than providing short-term solutions.

How you can practice CCF

If you’re looking to start practicing community-centric fundraising, here are some you can follow:

Review, discuss, and adjust internal organization culture 

Begin by taking a look at your organization’s internal culture. Are your practices aligned with the principles of CCF? Incorporate the principles of community-centric fundraising into your organizational policies, fundraising strategies, and everyday practices. By including the CCF principles into your policies, you can foster a more sustainable and impactful connection with your community.

Measure more than numbers

Look beyond fundraising totals and financial contributions. How have you made a difference in people’s lives? Measure your nonprofit’s success by the impact on your community, the strength of your relationships, and your progress towards a stronger and healthier community. By focusing on your impact rather than finances, you can find what solutions you offer that do the most good in your community.  

Build a nonprofit network 

Collaboration with other nonprofits plays a crucial role in the success of your CCF. By sharing resources, insights, and support, you can establish a mutually beneficial ecosystem that focuses on bettering your community. Building a network of nonprofits in your community can lead to innovative solutions and an increased impact across multiple missions for a more sustainable approach. For instance, if you’re hosting a canned food drive for a food pantry, reach out to other food pantries and pet rescues in the community to create an even bigger food drive that helps people and pets across the community.

Be accessible

Make sure your organization is accessible to every member of your community. This includes physical accessibility of your organization’s building and events, as well as communication and responsive engagement with community members to help foster participation across your community.

Show appreciation

Always show genuine appreciation and gratitude towards the members of your community. Whether it’s acknowledging the support of your donors, recognizing the hard work of your dedicated staff, or expressing gratitude to your volunteers, valuing their contributions is crucial to creating a culture of respect and a sense of belonging. For example, if you’ve recently hosted an event and are preparing thank-you notes to you donors, send thank yous to your volunteer and staff for working the event, recognizing the time and effort they put in to make the event happen.

Ask for feedback

Talking to your community gives you a better idea of their needs. Regularly ask for feedback from all stakeholders, whether it’s the people you help or the members of your board. By listening and incorporating feedback you receive, you can refine your fundraising approaches, better your offered services, and cultivate stronger relationships within your community.

Get involved with the movement

Another way to practice community-centric fundraising is to get involved with the movement and help promote CCF to other organizations. Talk to your donors and your team about CCF and its principles and work to align your nonprofit’s values with CCF’s values. You can also share stories about fundraising from your community to the CCF hub or start your own local CCF group following CCF’s guidelines!

Final thoughts

Community-centric fundraising is a unique fundraising approach that redefines how organizations utilize philanthropy and community support. By focusing your efforts on equity, mutual support, and your collective community, you can create a more sustainable solution to the problems within your community. Consider adopting the principles and practices of CCF and build a future where every member of your community thrives.

Additional resources

Check out these additional resources on ways you can help your community!

• 25 Donation Drive Ideas to Support Your Community. Use this list to host a donation drive to help out your community. 
• 5 Steps to Increase Community Awareness for Your Nonprofit. Make sure your community knows about your organization and the work that you do using these 5 steps.
• Power Of Community In Strategic Planning. Learn how your community can affect your planning with this video.