Koda Capital’s Post

Take 2 This is the second in a series of four papers I've written to help charitable, non-profit and philanthropic investors by doing a deep-dive on some of the less obvious risks they face when trying to invest precious assets. This one deals with the risk that IC members apply thinking and strategies from other settings to their non-profit work. The remaining papers will be released before the end of September and they deal with: - Avoiding the cost of being over-conservative (when that's applicable!) - The liquidity trap that exposes you to avoidable capital losses Feedback is welcome! Thanks.

#FundraisingInsights | What does it really mean to move beyond grants? In our recent masterclass, Beyond Grants: Catalyzing Scale through Innovative Finance, Smita Jha unpacked how nonprofits can think beyond short-term fundraising and build financing strategies that enable long-term growth and impact. Here are five key insights from the session: 🔹 Grants are the foundation, but scaling impact requires a broader financing strategy. 🔹 The right financing model depends on your organisation's stage, context, and goals. 🔹 Sustainable growth comes from aligning your impact, operating, and financing models. 🔹 Fundraising should evolve into a long-term financing strategy that builds resilience through diverse capital sources. 🔹 There is no one-size-fits-all approach—every organisation must design a financing pathway that reflects its unique mission and context. 📖 Tap here to read the full key takeaways on The Fundraisers' Network (TFN): https://lnkd.in/gb-npxBA #Fundraising #InnovativeFinance #BeyondGrants #SocialImpact #NonprofitLeadership #ResourceMobilisation #Philanthropy #TheFundraisersNetwork #TFN Nikita Gupta Sanjivani Singh Yashika Sharma Ishani Sachdeva

Don’t make your proposal’s impact sound bigger than it can realistically be. “Transform the entire community” sounds ambitious. But what exactly will change? A stronger proposal might say: “By the end of 12 months, 400 participating households will have access to improved agricultural training, resources, and income-generating opportunities.” That’s measurable. That’s realistic. And that’s something you can actually evaluate. Funders don’t need impossible promises. They need a credible picture of what their investment can accomplish. Be ambitious about your vision. Be precise about your results. #grantproposal #grantfunding #nonprofitfunding #grantopportunities #fundraising #socialimpact #nonprofitorganization #granttips

I've been thinking about why the "true cost of programs" conversation never really moves, even though everyone in the sector seems to agree on it. We usually frame it as a funder problem. They won't pay for infrastructure. That's part of it. But the part I keep coming back to is that a lot of it starts with us, internally, before a funder is ever in the room. When I was running programs, the operational layer, the systems and coordination and admin that keep things running, was always the first thing we were told to keep lean. And that does something over time. The organization starts treating that work as something to hide rather than something to fund, so by the time anyone's making the case to a funder, the ask has already been quietly shaped downward on our end. Then it runs short on the operational side; it strains, and the story becomes "the funder underfunded us." Sometimes that's true. But sometimes the number was kept modest long before the funder ever saw it. Researchers have a name for this: the nonprofit "starvation cycle," where organizations under-invest in infrastructure and under-report what they actually spend, and it feeds on itself. What strikes me is how much of it starts inside the organization, not with the funder. The ones that break the cycle can name their real costs out loud and explain why they aren't optional. And that's a bigger part of strong fundraising than it gets credit for: being able to tell a funder, plainly, that the infrastructure under a program is what makes it work. #NonprofitLeadership #Fundraising #NonprofitManagement #Philanthropy #FundDevelopment

What does it really take to build a fundraising program that can weather uncertainty? In the latest episode Growth is a People Story, Christy Fitzpatrick sits down with Tiffany Neill, President of Lautman Maska Neill & Company, to discuss what it takes to create sustainable growth in today's nonprofit landscape. Their conversation explores: 🔹 Why individual giving should be treated as a long-term investment—not a one-time expense. 🔹 How to use data and key performance indicators to make smarter fundraising decisions. 🔹 Building donor pipelines that support future major and planned giving. 🔹 Helping boards understand long-term return on investment. 🔹 Staying flexible as donor behavior and economic conditions evolve. 🔹 And more! Whether you're a nonprofit executive, fundraiser, or board member, this episode is packed with practical insights on building a stronger, more resilient organization. 🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/e9SqTJnV #nonprofit #fundraising #nonprofitleadership #boardgovernance #individualgiving #strategicplanning #teamcarey

Very excited to sit down with Carey & Co to talk about funding diversification and resiliency. Check out other podcast from our great partners at Carey & Co and Schultz & Williams.

One of the biggest misconceptions in fundraising is that grant success begins with the proposal. It doesn't. Successful funding strategies begin months—sometimes years—before an application is ever submitted. They begin with a clear mission. Strong relationships. Defined outcomes. Organizational readiness. And a commitment to creating measurable impact. The proposal simply tells the story. At Sun State Consult, we help organizations build the foundation that funders are looking for long before a deadline appears on the calendar. Because sustainable funding isn't about chasing opportunities—it's about being prepared when the right one comes along. Preparation isn't the final step. It's the strategy. #SunStateConsult #GrantStrategy #NonprofitLeadership #CapacityBuilding #StrategicPlanning #MissionDriven #Fundraising #CommunityImpact #OrganizationalDevelopment #BuiltForImpact 💬 Question for nonprofit leaders: What's one thing your organization is doing today to prepare for tomorrow's funding opportunities?

Beyond the Grant | 03 Why should every nonprofit leader think beyond fundraising? Because raising more money and building a financially resilient organisation are not the same thing. An organisation can secure grants year after year and still be vulnerable if too much of its income depends on a single source. That’s why I believe we need to shift the conversation. From winning grants to building sustainable income systems. From asking, “How do we raise more money?” to asking, “How do we build an organisation that can continue creating impact, regardless of changes in the funding landscape?” To me, sustainable income isn’t about replacing grants. Grants remain essential! It’s about intentionally designing diversified income pipelines, strengthening organisational systems, and building the capacity to serve communities for the long term. This is the conversation I am leading with Beyond Grants. Because the world needs more organisations doing good. And those organisations deserve income systems that are as resilient as the missions they exist to serve. This Saturday, I’m excited to officially launch Beyond Grants and share more about the vision behind it. I hope you’ll join me. #BeyondGrants #NonprofitLeadership #Fundraising #IncomeDiversification #FinancialSustainability #SocialImpact #Philanthropy #NonprofitStrategy #CapacityBuilding #Leadership

Before You Look for Funding... What if the biggest obstacle to funding isn't a lack of grants, but a lack of fundability? Too many organizations focus on finding money before they're ready to manage it. Real fundability means building the leadership, systems, and capacity to receive, steward, and maximize every investment with excellence. Don't just build an organization that can get funded. Build one that can sustain the vision for generations. Follow me for more practical insights on building stronger, more fundable organizations. To learn more about becoming fundable, visit wepeteinc.com. #Fundability #KingdomFundraisers #NonprofitLeadership #GrantFunding #KingdomImpact