Your donor is seeking more decision-making power. How can you navigate their expectations effectively?

When projects roll out it becomes very exciting to experience in real the plans unfolding n it can be tempting to tweek n stretch n change as well by the donor. So it becomes very important to be realistic in terms of human resources, time and priorities and be able to communicate the same to the donor. Having clear agreement on the deliverables is key and openness to discuss openly is important to keep the partnership going.

When a donor is looking for a credible organisation to invest their funds, they usually have some ideas for the kind of cause/ project that they are interested to fund. It is important to understand their expectations with regards to the impact goal so that the project can deliver that successfully. This will ensure satisfaction for the donor as well as real impact for the communities.

It's important to chalk out roles and responsibilities as part of agreement from the start of the project. An open communication is critical and thus, equally important to understand their requirements from the start. Taking them along is the key to navigate such issues rather than shirking away from it.

It is important to involve the donors right from the first step. This may include designing the project mutually with the donors while understanding the needs at the community level. It is important to keep them informed about the programmatic, financial, legal and regulatory aspects. This would help them understand the limitations of controlling the project.

There is no harm to discuss the challenges, and the hurdles faced and ask for support via donor agency. It's required to keep the demarcation of thin line of discussion or support via over-powering decision process. Too much involvement will not bring an objective view of the situation and thus, we should try maintaining that line of communication.

Developing a logical framework for every project right at the initial stage can be an effective tool for clarity among all stakeholders. The indicators within the framework can be monitored and discussed periodically for both- 1) course corrections if required and 2) assurance that the project is on the right track.

Regular updates about progress, challenges and what next are required to be done needs to be communicated periodically with the donors. This not only keeps them engaged and informed but their partaking in the process comes along the way.

It’s easy for nonprofits to educate and align donors when they’re prepared. This is where it pays to have a strategic plan, a logic model, or theory of change. Yes, the process of developing any of these assets can be frustrating. However, such documentation lays a firm foundation for nonprofits’ discussion with donors. Ultimately, desire to have tools useful for engaging donors in meaningful, sober minded discussions that foster alignment. You also want highly effective help in identifying where misalignment is apparent without appearing discriminatory. Setting realistic expectations for donors is much easier when you’re already prepared to share your due diligence.