Opportunity Collaboration 2024 provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with like-minded leaders from around the world, each deeply committed to making a difference in their communities. The event was filled with energy and a strong spirit of collaboration, but it also brought to light the ongoing fundraising struggles that so many nonprofits continue to face. As we spoke with nonprofit leaders, it became clear that the funding pressure they face is often overwhelming, with burnout a reality for many who are doing the work. Black Fox Global’s COO, Lisa Heinert; Advancement and Research Specialist, Julia Chacur; and Black Fox FellowsNaghma Mulla, Sandra Ortiz Dias, and Tia Hodges; were present in Ixtapa, experiencing firsthand the urgency of these conversations.
Launched in 2019, Black Fox Fellows exists to help change the face of philanthropy by supporting women of color in philanthropy to achieve even higher levels of power and influence. By bringing these trailblazing women together, we create a pathway for meaningful change, as we also recognize we are operating in a flawed philanthropic system.
In this debrief, we reflect on the key takeaways from the event, the challenges that lie ahead, and, most importantly, how we can overcome fundraising pain through meaningful collaboration.
What’s one key takeaway you gained from Opportunity Collaboration?
Sandra: I left Ixtapa with my heart full of inspiration and hope from the incredible people I met who are dedicated to regenerating our systems. Over the past decade, I’ve focused on creating spaces that foster deep, meaningful human connections, but I was truly impressed by the power of OC in not only creating those connections but also providing a space to be, heal, and regenerate
Naghma: People are hungry for genuine connections. The OC was a place where participants, mostly NGO leaders and grassroots actors, had sometime to themselves. The environment enabled conversations and I had some beautiful experiences just listening. We in India are battling serious reluctance of funders to cut big cheques within their own country. To see almost the same funding issues being discussed, and because of the environment, in a very candid heartfelt way, was sobering.
Lisa: I left OC feeling inspired by the collective wisdom and energy of the group, fiercely (re)committed to doing what I can and what Black Fox Global can to shift how philanthropy works (and notably doesn’t work), and immensely grateful for the rare air that we shared during this week of connecting.
Fundraising is one of the biggest pain points for nonprofits. Based on your experience as funders and within the broader global social impact sector, what is one piece of advice you would give to those facing fundraising challenges?
Sandra: Build genuine relationships with funders. Work to develop a diverse funding base, including unrestricted funds, by building partnerships with businesses, government agencies, and individuals. This network of support can reduce your reliance on any one source, which strengthens sustainability and resilience over time. Most importantly, approach funders as long-term partners. When they feel invested in the impact you’re working toward together, they’re more likely to offer ongoing support and engage more deeply.
There’s a growing need for funders to prioritize collaborative efforts and shared goals over isolated organizational achievements. By demonstrating that your mission drives you beyond just sustaining your organization, you can help guide funders toward supporting partnerships that advance a common cause.
Naghma: Leverage existing funders, share your struggles, not only your utilisation certificates, co-opt different partners in the organisational mission (not just in individual projects), communicate with healthy cadence even when there is no fundraising crisis.
Lisa: To me the best fundraisers are fiercely grounded in who they are as a person, why they care passionately about the work they are doing, and how a partnership with a potential funding partner has the potential to advance both teams’ efforts significantly. Take time to get to know funders as a person, yes. But also own your own story and share it with conviction. When you do, the right people will be attracted to your work and you will find synergies not otherwise possible through ‘the pitch.’
OC is all about collaboration, and your sessions during the event also highlighted the power of the collective. How do you think we can build a more collaborative and innovative sector and how (if at all) did your experience at OC2024 inform your vision?
Sandra: My experience at OC was fantastic. I came in with no agenda or set goals, and the experience gave me more than I could have imagined. Building deep, genuine relationships takes time and often requires us to shift our own mindsets. I felt a real desire from some participants for funders to be present—not for pitching, but for open, honest exchange.I hope to see more funders joining in the future.
Naghma: OC2024 reminded me of the power of access and information. Many of those who had participated had lack of access and information to further their fundraising requirements. If we truly want to build a collaborative and innovative sector, we need to make information and connections accessible.
The funding community has become more reclusive and exclusive and not many doors are accessible to grassroots work. if we are able to make avenues that enable this access, we will be making an invaluable contribution to social change.
Lisa: I write these reflections in the week following the USA’s 2024 Presidential elections. It is a time of both incredible grief for many, balanced with others’ feelings of hope and possibility. It is a time that both highlights our differences, and also illuminates the absolute necessity of connecting person to person and seeing a collective path forward. If we want to build a more collaborative and innovative sector (…) we must listen to each other with true curiosity and openness, and we must be willing to get to know each other as humans first, and missions and politics and pitches second (or never!).
At Black Fox Global, we’re committed to fostering a more collaborative and innovative social impact sector. Through our open-source materials, we make information accessible to all, helping organizations overcome obstacles and thrive. By sharing insights, facilitating collaboration, and removing barriers to opportunity, we aim to help build a stronger, more resilient sector equipped to tackle today’s fundraising challenges.
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