How to build fundraising momentum with purpose

Every charity has a “why” , the inspiration that drives their mission. In many ways, it’s the lifeforce of the sector: the strong belief in a cause and the determination to make real change happen.

 

But purpose alone can’t sustain impact, no matter how powerful. Charities need to use that spark of hope and transform it into the resources required to create a meaningful, lasting change. 

 

The question, of course, is how. Our Digital Fundraising Summit 2025 panel ‘From Inspiration to Action’ explored just that. Hosted by Public Interest Registry, the conversation brought together nonprofit leaders Tahera Hasan and Zofia Kierner, who shared how to bring potential supporters into the heart of your mission and build momentum through purpose. In this article, we share the key ideas from the session.

 

 

Be driven by your community

 

Donors are motivated when they understand the real difference a nonprofit makes. And an essential part of deepening that impact, says Tahera Hasan, Founder and Director of the Imkaan Welfare Organisation, is allowing your community to guide your work and your message.

 

At the Imkaan, former service users have gone on to be involved in the charity itself, for example helping to deliver its coaching services and social media marketing. This approach both creates opportunities for their service user community over time and builds trust among donors about the long-term impact of their donations.

 

Zofia Kierner, the Founder of Girls Future Ready Foundation, shared a similar insight: when the organisation launched, it was important that those who were leading the work came from  the same demographics as those who were receiving the services –  ambitious young women seeking academic and professional support. In a fundraising, that authenticity allowed them to communicate their mission with clarity and credibility, strengthening donor confidence. 

 

 

Start with stories

 

Zofia emphasised the value of “micro-stories”—the small, personal accounts that illuminate how services truly change lives. These stories make your mission tangible and relatable.

 

If you don’t yet have case studies on the impact of your services, she urges charity founders to share their own personal stories: the moment the cause became urgent, personal, and impossible to ignore.

 

Tahera described the power of service users becoming ambassadors for your cause, telling their own stories about the difference your work has made. At Imkaan Welfare Organisation, this approach has helped shift the national conversation on undocumented children, influencing policy, catalysing donations, and reinforcing the organisation’s credibility. 

 

 

Demonstrate progress

 

When telling stories of impact, how you frame them matters. With the wrong messaging, donors can experience crisis fatigue: a phenomenon where a prolonged exposure to crisis causes frustration, anxiety, disgust, grief, helplessness, and even feelings of apathy.

 

Instead, Tahera recommended a balance:

• Connect donors to real progress, not just need.

• Highlight the change your organisation is achieving over time.

• Show how donor support directly contributes to that progress.

Zofia echoed the importance of specificity. Donors want to know exactly where their support goes — and specificity builds trust. Clear, concrete communication turns donor curiosity into long-term commitment.

 

 

Involve partners

 

When it comes to corporate partnerships, consider involving partners directly in the delivery of your programmes and services. In the panel, Zofia explained how this approach has been very successful for her organisation, with its ability to offer partners involvement in its events, online masterclasses, and mentorship programmes. 

 

This strengthens relationships, expands reach, and deepens partners’ emotional connection to your mission, often leading to sustained or increased support. 

 

 

Adapt and evolve

 

The world changes quickly and nonprofits must be ready to evolve with it. Tahera underscored that a flexible mindset helps organisations weather difficult moments and even uncover new paths to impact.“Things can evolve into being something you didn’t imagine or plan it to be,” she said. “We don’t have to look the way we imagined we’d look. We can look different and still be fantastic.”

 

Adaptability keeps organisations resilient and donors engaged — especially when they see that their support fuels innovation and responsiveness.

 

Purpose becomes powerful when it’s shared and when charities bring donors, partners, and communities into that purpose, they create momentum that lasts.

 

To find out more about how charities can build community and turn moments into fundraising momentum, check out the .ORG Learning Center from PIR.

 

.ORG Learning Center