The Future of Nonprofits

October 2026 E-Newsletter

Fund Raising Resources

Trends and Challenges in the Global Charity Sector-

Key Take-Aways from the CAF 2026 World Giving Report Charity Insights

In its second year, the Charities Aid Foundation’s (CAF) World Giving Report: Charity Insights examines social purpose organizations across 33 countries, highlighting the challenges affecting their resilience and long-term success.

Fewer than two in five charities worldwide (<40%) feel financially and operationally prepared for the next three years, and fewer than one in ten (<10%) feel “very well set up” for the future. While charities in lower-income countries tend to be more optimistic, smaller organizations and those working directly with people in need or focusing on arts and culture, the environment, human rights, and mental health report lower confidence. 

The report identifies six characteristics of organizational resilience:

1. Purpose: Clarity and consistency are key. Only 10% of charities cite purpose-related issues among their top three challenges.

2. Evidencing Impact: Formal frameworks help charities demonstrate their effectiveness. Some 76% of charities using such frameworks feel confident in capturing their results, compared with 26% of those not using one and with no plans to adopt one.

3. Well-Networked: Connections are important to success, with 91% of charities recognizing their value. However, limited time and resources hinder networking, while organizations in lower-income countries face additional barriers, including fewer opportunities, geographical constraints, and technological challenges.

4. External Awareness: Although 74% of charity leaders in high- and upper-middle-income countries believe their governments depend on the sector, only 37% feel charities are celebrated and 31% believe charity workers are viewed as skilled professionals.

5. Financially and Operationally Fit: Funding remains a major challenge, with 92% of charities citing at least one financial or operational concern. Public donations are the most common funding source in high- and upper-middle-income countries, while charities in lower-income countries rely more heavily on major donors. Financial sustainability is the most frequently cited challenge.

6. People and Culture: Recruiting suitable employees is more challenging than retaining staff or supporting their wellbeing. These difficulties are more pronounced among frontline, local, and regional charities and those in lower-income countries. Overall, 35% cite challenges related to recruitment, staff support, or leadership.

Our Perspective

As global demand accelerates, social purpose organizations continue to navigate complex operational and financial challenges. To move from surviving to thriving, non-profits must actively cultivate resilience across core operational pillars. Drawing from global data and local fund raising experience, here is how organizations can strategically adapt:

• Sharpen Organizational Purpose & Alignment.  A clear, laser-focused mission is the bedrock of strategic clarity. Knowing what your organization does—and intentionally defining what it does not do—eliminates mission drift, optimizes resource allocation, helps in identifying long-term, like-minded partners, donors, and networks, and instantly signals value to your stakeholders and community.
• Invest in Strategic Networking & Ecosystem Collaboration.  Over 90% of charities recognize that sector connections are critical to achieving their mission. Despite time and resource constraints, active participation in local and regional networks unlocks shared knowledge, amplifies advocacy efforts, and opens doors to potential program collaboration.  There is no need to ‘reinvent the wheel’ when we could maximize on other NGOs’ strengths to make our own programs more responsive to the communities we serve.
• Adopt Formal Impact Frameworks.  Communicating value requires structure. Charities that implement formal measurement frameworks report three times higher confidence in capturing and articulating their impact. By grounding your storytelling in verifiable outcomes, you transform simple updates into compelling, trust-building donor propositions.
• Fostering Partnerships Through Engagement. “People support what they experience.” Strong relationships with local communities can encourage greater participation, engagement, and support, including donations. Beyond community engagement, collaboration with peers and partners creates opportunities to share knowledge, learn from different experiences, and strengthen organizational resilience and long-term sustainability.
• Diversify Funding Strategies for True Sustainability.  With 92% of global charities citing financial and operational fitness as their greatest barrier, over-reliance on a single revenue stream remains a major vulnerability. For Philippine non-profits heavily dependent on major or international donors, building resilience means actively cultivating domestic donor bases.  Venture always advises to “give people an opportunity to support you in a way, and in an amount, that they are comfortable with.”  Crafting various donation options at different amount levels and experimenting on various fund raising strategies to attract different segments are key to meeting potential donors where they are.
• Champion Lived Experience & Professional Talent.  Attracting and retaining the right talent remains a primary operational hurdle, particularly for frontline organizations. Programs are most effective when designed and led by people who have personally experienced the issues being addressed. At the same time, treating fund raising as a dedicated, skilled profession ensures organizations will have the stable funding needed to keep growing.

To learn more about the report of Charities Aid Foundation, you can access it by clicking this link. 

Venture can also help your organization navigate these challenges and build lasting resilience through our customized fund raising training and mentoring services. If you’re interested, reach out to us at venture@venture-asia.org.

Grant Opportunities

Looking for funding? These funding opportunities are open to nonprofits in the Philippines working in the following areas:

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition. The Awesome Foundation is inviting applicants with creative and impactful ideas in nature conservation, climate change, wildlife protection, ecotourism, or environmental communication to apply for micro-grants through its Conservation and Climate chapter. It aims to identify and support promising projects and innovations that may be overlooked by large, cumbersome funding organizations. It seeks to fund creative, innovative, and initiatives related to wildlife conservation, habitat protection, climate change, ecotourism, environmental communication, and  ideas that have never been tried before or that approach existing challenges in unique ways.

Arts & Culture. The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation has launched Living Legacy: Grants for Fostering and Spreading the Traditional Building Cultures, a new international grant program designed to support initiatives that contribute to the study, practice, documentation, preservation, transmission, and dissemination of traditional architecture and building cultures. The call is open to projects of various kinds, including research and documentation projects; publications; exhibitions; courses, workshops, and other training activities; initiatives for the transmission of traditional building trades; educational and outreach programs; audiovisual productions and archives; digital tools and resources; and pilot or experimental projects, among others.

Environment. The Ocean Innovation Challenge (OIC) is now accepting applications for its fifth call, “Marine Pollution Reduction, Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Restoration, and Sustainable Blue Economy.” This call supports private sector organizations developing innovative solutions to reduce marine pollution, restore coastal and marine ecosystems, and advance sustainable blue economy development in Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It aims to identify and support private sector innovators capable of transforming promising innovations into impactful, scalable solutions that contribute to healthier oceans and more resilient coastal communities, with particular attention to women, youth, and the poor.

Diversity and LGBTQ. The International Trans Fund (ITF) is inviting applications from trans-led organizations worldwide for its SEED Grant, intended for groups that have not previously received ITF funding, and its THRIVE Grant, intended for groups that have received ITF funding before and are in good standing. The fund aims to contribute to the broader trans movement through organizing, advocacy, community building, and capacity development—not just direct service provision.

Let’s keep building impact together! If you’d like more details on funding opportunities or fund raising resources for your organization, reach out to us here.

Venture Highlights

Basic Course on Fund Raising # 78

We successfully concluded the 78th run of our flagship course, The Basic Course on Fund Raising, held last September 22-24, 2026, at the Prestige Tower, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

The course aimed to introduce participants to the fundamentals of professional fund raising as a pathway to ensuring the long-term sustainability of their organizations’ missions. Thirty-two representatives from 18 organizations participated in the three-day workshop, representing a diverse range of sectors, which included education, faith-based organizations, sexual and reproductive health, environmental conservation, child protection, community development, and maritime education.

You can read more about the 78th BCFR highlights by clicking the button below. 

Stakeholder Engagement Workshop (SEW)

Venture concluded this year’s back-to-back workshops with the one-day Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, held right after the BCFR, last September 25, 2026, at the Prestige Tower in Ortigas Center, Pasig City. 

The workshop introduced the core systems, structures, and processes needed to map out priority stakeholder groups, communicate clearly and consistently, and turn passive supporters into active, lifelong advocates. It brought together 43 participants from 19 organizations across diverse sectors—including education, child protection, environmental conservation, agriculture, women and technology, and nonprofit capacity building—encouraging them to reflect on how to adapt these approaches to their own contexts.

Venture also welcomed Ms. Joanne Pacho, Social Impact Manager at Oracle NetSuite, who discussed how non-profits can leverage the power of people, partnerships, and technology in optimizing their engagement and fund raising activities. 

You can read more about the SEW highlights by clicking the button below. 

Venture Speaks: Mindanao State University - Main Campus Webinar

Last August 15, 2026, Venture for Fund Raising, in collaboration with Mindanao State University-Main Campus Supreme Student Government (MSU-Main SSG) offered a Fund Raising Orientation for student and youth organization participants to equip them with practical knowledge and skills in fund raising, stakeholder engagement, and organizational sustainability.

In line with Venture’s mission to “teach the joy of giving,” the webinar convened student leaders and academic, socio-civic, and youth-led organizations based in Mindanao to advance their respective community development initiatives through effective resource mobilization.

You can read more about the webinar highlights by clicking the button below. 

Venture Speaks: Financial Stewardship for NGOs Workshop with PCNC (Davao, Cebu, and NCR)

Venture for Fund Raising was pleased to take part in the 2026 Financial Stewardship for NGOs training, organized by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) in partnership with the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the PICPA Foundation. Held across four sessions in the National Capital Region (NCR) in March, Davao in June, Cebu in July, and NCR again in September, the program brought together nonprofit leaders and finance professionals from across the country to strengthen their organizations’ financial management practices and long-term sustainability.

The Davao session, held on June 26, provided a dynamic space for Mindanao-based organizations to collaborate, exchange knowledge, and enhance their skills in financial management, transparency, and sustainability. The three-day workshop brought together public accountants committed to helping nonprofits build stronger financial foundations, alongside leaders from education, microfinance, environmental conservation, and other vital sectors across the region.

The third session, held in Cebu on July 15, welcomed representatives from more than 40 organizations for further learning and collaboration. Participants explored ways to strengthen financial integrity, promote transparency, and support mission-aligned growth. The session also challenged common fund raising myths and misconceptions, highlighting practical strategies that can help Philippine nonprofits move beyond dependence on a single source of income and build greater financial resilience through a balanced mix of grants, individual and institutional gifts, and earned income.

The program concluded with its final session in the NCR on September 2–4, marking the culmination of this year’s nationwide capacity-building initiative. Across all four runs, the training reached more than 153 NGO leaders and finance professionals representing 93 NGOs nationwide (source: PCNC).

Venture extends its heartfelt gratitude to PCNC, PICPA, and the PICPA Foundation for their continued trust and for spearheading this vital initiative. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to strengthening the financial stewardship of Philippine nonprofits and supporting their journey toward greater transparency, sustainability, and lasting impact.

You can read more about the PCNC Davao highlights by clicking the button below. 

You can read more about the PCNC Cebu highlights by clicking the button below. 

You can read more about the PCNC NCR highlights by clicking the button below. 

If you are interested in a customized fund raising workshop, or would like us to share our fund raising insights with your network, feel free to email us at venture@venture-asia.org.

Venture's Free Online Fund Raising Consultation

With the Christmas season of giving just around the corner, November is the perfect time to reassess your priorities, refine your year-end fund raising plans, and secure the resources you need to expand your reach. 

We are also thrilled by the overwhelming response we are receiving for our Free Online Fund Raising Consultations! To date, we have conducted free consultations with 12 organizations at different stages of their fund raising journey.

As we continue to offer our Free Online Fund Raising Consultations to organizations across all sectors, we look forward to the opportunity to connect with you, gain fresh perspectives, and help move your mission forward. This initiative is our way of giving back—offering practical, expert-led recommendations to support you in navigating your resource mobilization goals with confidence, especially as you prepare for the season of giving.

A huge thank you to the inspiring organizations that have already shared their missions with us over the past few months! We hope to reach even more organizations and learn about the meaningful work they do. We would also like to extend a special invitation to our long-time friends (past participants of Venture’s courses and partner organizations who have availed of our mentoring and research services) to join our fund raising consultations this November!

Let’s make this season of generosity an opportunity to turn your mission into an even greater purpose.

Reserve your slot here:

To explore how Venture can support your organization's resource mobilization efforts, feel free to reach out to us at venture@venture-asia.org.

We are here to help! 

Do you have fund raising or giving concerns?

Share your questions by messaging us on our social media or emailing  venture@venture-asia.org, and we will do our best to help you address them. 

- The Venture team

Venture for Fund Raising Foundation, Inc.

Unit 3203, Antel Global Corporate Center, 3 Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1605 Philippines

www.venture-asia.org

venture@venture-asia.org

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About Venture: Founded in March 1999, we are a non-profit organization that provides practitioner-driven fund raising and corporate social responsibility mentoring, training, research, and public information services to the "Givers" (donor entities) and the "Askers" (non-profits).

Venture believes in the power of people and institutions - government, business and civil society working together to drive meaningful change. Guided by our mission to "teach the joy of giving," we commit ourselves to building a community that shares its resources to create a sustainable, bountiful world for all.