Note: This post is from Train Your Board partner Bob Osborne of The Osborne Group. Thanks, Bob!

As the nonprofit sector considers how to behave in a more holistic, community-centric way – in other words, deeply engaging and partnering with the communities we serve – I’ve been wondering: How do we implement this approach with fundraising?

While I am encouraged by experimentation in the field – strong partnerships connected to mission are becoming more common – I haven’t experienced many organizations truly embracing community-centric practice when it comes to fundraising.

Sadly, many groups see fundraising as a zero-sum game: If you get some money, then I don’t. This sort of “scarcity mentality” often prevails, with each organization prioritizing its own needs rather than forming true fundraising partnerships with peers.

Beyond scarcity mentality

At The Osborne Group, we firmly believe in an “abundance mentality”. If you have a big vision, an audacious idea that will make the world better, you can expand the pool of available resources.

Furthermore, if you have a collective vision that you share with other organizations working on the same issues within your community, you can raise even more money together.

Here are seven tangible, practical ways to build fundraising capacity with your partner organizations, even if you’re not quite ready to raise money collectively.

1. Community assessment and/or survey

If you’re a larger organization, consider commissioning a community assessment or conduct one on your own. What are the biggest challenges in your community? How do they affect each other? What capacities exist; what’s missing?

Understanding your own ecosystem can help you determine the opportunities for greatest impact, including how you raise money.

2. Shared trainings and conferences

The next time you organize an in-house training, invite some of your less-resourced partners. Most consultants charge a flat fee regardless of the number of people in the room, so inviting colleagues costs you nothing.

If you’re attending a local conference, invite a partner organization to attend – and cover their registration fee.

3. Mentoring

If you talk with any successful fundraiser, there’s a good chance they’ll mention mentors who were (and are) instrumental to their success. I can think of two people without whom my career may have been very different.

If you’re an experienced fundraiser, consider mentoring more junior fundraisers at smaller, less-resourced organizations in your community.

4. Convening and peer sharing

As consultants and trainers, we do our best to share knowledge with our clients. However, most people learn best from conversations and interactions with peers in similar spaces.

If you’re able to take the lead, convene fundraisers from allied and partner organizations. You can host regular peer sharing calls or organize a retreat, emphasizing peer-led conversations and workshops.

5. Pay for consulting time

If you have the resources – or you’re willing to raise grant or donor money specifically for this purpose – you can invest in consulting services for allied organizations, either individually or collectively.

6. Shared tools and guidelines

Perhaps you’ve built a strong library of fundraising tools and protocols: pledge forms, gift acceptance policies, training exercises, research protocols, database guidelines, planned giving materials, and so forth.

In the interest of supporting less-experienced peers, consider sharing these tools with other organizations. Perhaps you can co-create a collective online library of helpful resources.

7. Recommend peers to funders and donors

As you have conversations with funders and donors – and you think an allied or partner organization might be of interest to them – why not recommend these organizations? By offering referrals, you demonstrate an abundance mentality, a generosity of spirit, and leadership within your community of peers.

A lot of us do this already and may not give ourselves sufficient credit. Let’s claim it and look for opportunities to offer recommendations more often.

Just the beginning

These are just a few suggestions to help you build better partnerships, move closer to a shared vision, and raise more resources.

Let us know what your organization has done to strengthen your community and provide fundraising support for peers. Use the comment section below to share your experiences and pose your questions. We’re excited to hear from you!