Thanks for this post! I agree with your points, especially the part about investing in operational scaffolding. It gives the smaller orgs the chance to grow and succeed; currently it’s very difficult for startup charity entrepreneurs to succeed. Some of that is due to lack of management experience, and some of that is due to a pattern of funders investing in startup costs for orgs but not continuing support 6 months later due to a lack of proven impact. My main complaint with that pattern is that I’d like to see funding focused on helping them build a pathway to success, not just dropping seed funding and expecting great outcomes.
Regardless, making sure M&E is implemented from the beginning and operation scaffolding is built in, and then adding in a diversification layer are all really critical components of building healthy and impactful organizations.
Thanks for this post! I agree with your points, especially the part about investing in operational scaffolding. It gives the smaller orgs the chance to grow and succeed; currently it’s very difficult for startup charity entrepreneurs to succeed. Some of that is due to lack of management experience, and some of that is due to a pattern of funders investing in startup costs for orgs but not continuing support 6 months later due to a lack of proven impact. My main complaint with that pattern is that I’d like to see funding focused on helping them build a pathway to success, not just dropping seed funding and expecting great outcomes.
Regardless, making sure M&E is implemented from the beginning and operation scaffolding is built in, and then adding in a diversification layer are all really critical components of building healthy and impactful organizations.