Stakeholder Engagement: How To Involve Them In Creating A Successful Fundraiser
When fundraising, stakeholder engagement is often overlooked. Engaging your stakeholders in the fundraising process can make your campaign more effective, more sustainable, and far more impactful. Fundraising doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it thrives when people feel invested in the mission and outcomes.'
This guide will walk you through how to identify key stakeholders, build meaningful relationships, and help drive visibility for a fundraiser. Whether it’s a charity gala, launching a crowdfunding campaign, or organizing a community event, involving stakeholders at every stage can significantly impact reach and fundraising goals.
Why Is Stakeholder Engagement Important?
Stakeholders aren’t just donors. They can be sponsors, staff, volunteers, community members, corporate partners, or even local influencers. When these individuals feel valued, heard, and invested in the success of your fundraiser, they are more likely to contribute their time, skills, and resources. Engaging stakeholders enables organizations to:
Strengthen Reputation & Trust⎯Open, proactive engagement builds confidence and credibility with both internal and external stakeholders.
Improve Decision-Making⎯Involving stakeholders brings fresh insights and diverse perspectives, resulting in stronger, more informed decisions.
Mitigate Risks⎯Listening to stakeholders and addressing their concerns early helps prevent conflicts or setbacks that could stall fundraising efforts.
Ignite Innovation & Involvement⎯Collaborating with stakeholders generates fresh ideas and fosters shared ownership, driving stronger support for an organization's goals.'
How Do You Identify Key Stakeholders?
Identifying key stakeholders for a fundraiser should be focused on people and groups who can directly impact donations, visibility, and success. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
What is your fundraising goal?
Clearly define what you are trying to achieve.
Clarify the timeline, scope, and audience for your fundraiser.
Who can help make this goal achievable?
Brainstorm Potential Stakeholders
Consider anyone who could influence your fundraiser or be affected by it.
Internal Stakeholders
Staff
Board members
Volunteers
External Stakeholders
Donors (past, current, or potential), sponsors, and corporate partners.
Community leaders, local businesses, and media.
Beneficiaries or the community your fundraiser serves.
Analyze Influence & Interest
Use a Power-Interest Grid to prioritize:
High Influence / High Interest⎯Key donors, major sponsors, and board members.
High Influence / Low Interest⎯Potential sponsors or influential community figures.
Low Influence / High Interest⎯Volunteers and community supporters.
Low Influence / Low Interest⎯General public, occasional event attendees.
Understand Their Motivations
Identify why each stakeholder might support your fundraiser (e.g., social impact, brand visibility, personal connection). Tailor your messaging and approach to match their motivations.
Identify & Document Your Stakeholders
Build a list or map of your stakeholders, noting their names, roles, level of influence, and preferred ways to communicate. Add details on how to engage each person or organization and specify what you need from them whether it’s donations, sponsorship, volunteer support, or help spreading the word.
Engage Early & Strategically
Reach out to key stakeholders first (e.g.board members, major donors, and sponsors.) Show them the value of participating and the impact of their support with case studies on how prior fundraisers have helped other organizations or people. Keep all stakeholders updated on the fundraisers progress and outcomes as well as asking for feedback to maintain trust and long-term relationships.
By involving stakeholders at every stage, you cultivate a sense of shared ownership and investment in your cause. When people feel connected to your mission, they don’t just support it, but also champion it.
If your next big fundraiser is coming up, reach out to us for more ideas on how to make your fundraiser an amazing experience and event!