Nonprofit Leaders: If You Think There’s No Money, You’re Looking in the Wrong Place

Let’s cut through the noise:
The money hasn’t disappeared.
It’s just not where you’ve been told to look.

While nonprofits queue up for dwindling grants and donor scraps, the for-profit world is sitting on trillions — and actively looking for purpose-driven partners. But they’re not funding pity. They’re investing in value.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth:

You can be charitable and commercial at the same time.
You can stay true to your mission and package it in a way that the private sector finds irresistible.

Because guess what?
If you bring them scale, if you bring them credibility, if you bring them community trust — they’ll bite your hand off.

You’ve spent years building relationships, delivering services, creating change.
Your brand? That’s gold.
Your reach? That’s market access.
Your impact? That’s real value — not just for people, but for business.

So why are we still showing up to boardrooms with donation tins?

We need to grow up — fast.

Develop products, not just programmes.
Pitch partnerships, not pity.
Build models that blend income earned with income gifted.

And let’s be clear — this is not mission creep.
This is mission leverage.

If you think the for-profit world wouldn’t fund you, you haven’t offered them anything worth buying.
They want scale, authenticity, social licence — and we have that.
But only if we stop playing small.

So, nonprofit leaders, I’ll leave you with this:

Are you still waiting for the next donor?
Or are you ready to build something the market can’t ignore?

Because the sector that figures this out first — wins the future.

—
Keith Kibirango
CEO | New Global Markets Consulting
Fundraising disruptor | Making nonprofits unignorable