Yes -- Funders and nonprofits are having completely different conversations 😱
This spring, I’m joining UPenn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy (CHIPs)—a program designed to help funders make smarter, more effective decisions about where to allocate their money for the greatest impact.
At MAP, we’re in the business of understanding how funders think, so this program is very exciting. I’ve already started diving into CHIPs materials, including a webinar moderated by our course instructor, Kat Rosqueta, where funders and foundation leaders spoke candidly about how they decide where to give, what they trust, and what frustrates them.
One thing became immediately clear: Funders and Nonprofits are having completely different conversations.
What I heard from funders
“My giving is rooted in who I am and what I value.”
“Impact isn’t only grants.”
“Measuring impact is hard—so we focus on choosing the right partners.”
Not once did I hear:
“Send me your gala sponsorship deck.”
Funder Bottomline: Where will my resources create meaningful change—and who do I trust to carry it?
What I hear from nonprofits
“We need money.”
“We need a list of funders.”
“Just tell us what to say.”
“How fast can we get a yes?”
This is the reality nonprofits live in. It reflects urgency and very real pressure. They are trying to do good in the world, just like funders, but it’s happening inside a different system.
Why this gap matters
Funders make decisions through a specific lens, shaped by accountability, governance, and execution risk.
Nonprofits, meanwhile, were never designed to operate inside funder decision systems, and they’re rarely given visibility into how those systems actually work. There is no shared, transparent system that explains how most funding decisions are made.
Most fundraising friction is about nonprofits being asked to perform inside funder decision systems they can’t see and weren’t built for.
When nonprofits don’t have visibility into that lens, they default to urgency and activity instead of alignment and readiness. Conversations stall because the signals don't align.
This is a systems gap.
So how do we bridge it?
From what I’m hearing, funders are looking for three things:
Clarity. Confidence. Trust.
They want to understand:
- what you (your nonprofit) actually do
- why it matters now
- how their resources will be used
- and whether your organization is equipped to follow through
That’s what it means to be fundraising-ready.
Signals that build fundraising readiness
- Clear messaging = clarity
Funders quickly understand the work and its value.
- A relationship-based pipeline = confidence
Support feels intentional, not reactive.
- Consistent best practices = credibility
Clear rhythms signal follow-through.
- Solid infrastructure = trust
Systems show resources will be stewarded well.
- A clear strategy = alignment
Funders can see how dollars connect to outcomes.
Together, these pieces reduce friction and make fundraising more doable—and then scalable.
Your Next Step
Choose one funder you want a real relationship with.
Ask yourself:
- Do our materials make it easy to understand what we do?
- Do they show how we steward resources?
- Do they reflect what this funder values—not what we assume all funders want?
If you want help pressure-testing this, reply PLAYBOOK and we’ll send our FREE Fundraising-Ready framework.
Keep navigating,
Michelle + the MAP team