Small teams often feel pressure to find new donors, but oftentimes the fundraising advice available is written for larger organizations with staff who focus only on fundraising and who may already have an established donor base. Small nonprofits might not have that. They typically have a small staff where some may be full-time or part-time and often a number of volunteers who contribute their time. With a long list of responsibilities that compete with fundraising, the idea of finding donors can feel like a lot of work before it even begins. However, finding donors does not have to be complicated; it just needs to be done in a way that fits their size and capacity. 

Start with a small list 

Sometimes organizations aren’t sure where to start when they begin building their list of potential donors and the early foundation of future support for their organization. Some might even consider purchasing a list or collecting names of wealthy people in the community. These ideas feel like a good first step; however, they also come with privacy considerations in Canada, since donors generally do not expect their information to be shared without clear permission. 

When you have a small team with limited time, a large prospect list can make it difficult to know where to begin, and starting with a short list is a good strategy. It helps your team focus on a small number of people and gives you time to see who is showing interest instead of trying to keep up with a list you cannot maintain. When the list is small, the work becomes manageable and sustainable. As your capacity grows, you can gradually increase the size of your list. 

Choose one small task 

When you are trying to find new prospects, it is easy to try everything at once. You might host an event, send cold emails, post on social media, or run a small campaign. Finding donors is usually not a lack of ideas. It is a lack of capacity to do everything at the same time. The result is a lot of activity without real progress, and this pattern can make the work feel unpredictable and slightly discouraging. 

Consistency is what helps small teams move forward. A simple weekly habit does more for finding new prospects than any long list of ideas. It can be something as small as noticing in your data that certain people are attending an event more than once or volunteering more than usual, even if they haven’t made a gift. It could also be sharing a short update with your small list of followers so they can see what your organization is working on. The important thing is choosing one activity you can do consistently. 

Use your data to see patterns 

Sometimes people start by looking for individuals who appear to have significant resources. This can pull teams away from the people who are already showing small signs of interest, like replying to an email, attending an event more than once, or volunteering more than usual. These are simple signals that someone may be paying attention to your work even if they have not made a gift. 

Patterns often reveal interest long before someone decides to give. When small teams learn to notice these patterns, finding new donors becomes less about searching for strangers and more about recognizing the people who are already connected to your organization. This approach fits small teams because it does not require extra outreach. It is simply paying attention to the people who already know about the work you do. 

Have a central place to keep your notes 

Information is a valuable asset for an organization, but when observations are kept in someone’s inbox, memory, or notebook, they tend to disappear. A simple place to keep what you notice helps your team see patterns over time. It prevents important details from being lost when roles shift or when someone is away. And, it also helps teams stay consistent even when capacity is tight. 

This does not require a complicated system. It only requires one shared place where details can be stored before they are forgotten. It is the difference between feeling like there are no prospects and realizing that you actually have a handful of people who are showing interest. And when small teams keep their information in one place, they begin to see the early signs of a donor base forming. 

Finding donors does not have to be difficult. Small teams make the most progress when they keep their list small, build a simple habit, notice real patterns, and keep track of what they see. This approach fits the size and pace of small nonprofits. It makes the work more manageable, and it helps teams find donors in a way that fits their capacity and supports the work they are already doing. 

As someone who loves numbers, video games and fantasy fiction Rochelle can be found playing video games or watching an action or fantasy fiction movie with her family. As the Co-founder of Story Point Consulting, she helps people working or volunteering at small charities and nonprofits find the right donors, effectively communicate with supporters, and strengthen relationships with them. If you are a small or new Canadian organization seeking a practical solution to support your donor management strategy, explore how Chronicle can help. 

The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone and do not necessarily represent those of CharityVillage.com or any other individual or entity with whom the authors or website may be affiliated. CharityVillage.com is not liable for any content that may be considered offensive, inappropriate, defamatory, or inaccurate or in breach of third-party rights of privacy, copyright, or trademark.