Donors don’t just give to good causes.
They give to organised ones.
You might have boots on the ground, rangers in the field, and real impact happening daily…
But if a donor asks for your project summary or financial snapshot and you send a 12MB folder of half-edited PDFs, you’ve already lost them.
You’re Not Underfunded. You’re Underprepared.
The hard truth is that most conservation organisations aren’t getting the funding they deserve, not because the work isn’t valuable, but because the presentation is weak.
Donors want to feel confident.
They want clarity, professionalism, and proof.
And they don’t have time to guess.
The 5 Documents Every Donor Wants to See
Let’s get straight to it. If you’re serious about attracting funding, whether from philanthropists, foundations, or corporate partners, you need these five:
✅ 1. One-Page Project Overview
A clear, no-fluff document that answers:
- What you’re doing
- Where you’re doing it
- Who benefits
- What success looks like
- How much funding is needed
📎 Bonus tip: Include 1 photo, a map, and contact info.
✅ 2. Budget Snapshot
This doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to be real.
Show how money is allocated — admin vs field, people vs tech, etc.
Transparency builds trust.
✅ 3. Track Record of Impact
Whether it’s a one-pager or a 10-slide deck — show:
- What you’ve done
- What changed
- Who it helped
📊 Add 2–3 metrics. Don’t just tell a story — prove one.
✅ 4. Leadership Bio Sheet
Donors back people.
Include short bios (100–150 words) of your founder or core team, with field photos. This humanises your work and reassures donors of your capacity.
✅ 5. Vision Snapshot / Scaling Plan
What’s next? Where are you going?
Even a half-page with future goals and timelines makes your organisation look focused and worthy of investment.
If your work is worthy but your proposal pack is weak, you’re unintentionally blocking the support that’s already out there.
I’ve helped NPOs and conservation teams across Africa simplify their pitch packs and unlock doors they’ve been knocking on for years.
What’s one document your team keeps “meaning to update” but never quite gets to?
Let’s build your legacy Together
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