At the heart of every thriving youth-led organization is a powerful vision and behind every sustained vision is the ability to build meaningful, long-term partnerships. In April, we hosted a dynamic online training session known as the Fundraising Garage with our Stawi Lab members, aimed at equipping youth-led organizations with practical tools to strengthen donor engagement, enhance visibility, and approach fundraising with confidence.
The session brought together 28 participants from both the first and second Stawi Lab cohorts. While the participation was active and energetic throughout the training, about 50% of attendees have submitted the post-training assignment, designed to help them apply the tools shared in real-world fundraising planning.
The Fundraising Garage was led by two of our in-house experts. Celine, our Partnership & Safeguarding Officer, introduced participants to the Qualified Prospect Index, a strategic donor rating tool that helps organizations assess and prioritize potential partners. With criteria such as alignment of values, capacity to give, and previous giving behavior, the tool empowers organizations to shift away from random outreach and instead focus on building intentional, well-informed donor relationships. Celine encouraged all participants to begin by building their Top 20 Donor Rating List, a key step toward focused and effective engagement.
Following that, Wendy, our Resource Mobilization Officer, shared valuable insights into crafting pre-positioning materials that make a strong first impression. These include concise one-pagers, organizational briefs, and engaging 5-minute pitch decks all of which help to clearly communicate the mission, impact, and strategic direction of an organization. According to Wendy, these materials aren’t just nice to have, they're essential tools that show potential donors you're ready, credible, and clear about your goals.
The session also highlighted the critical role of ongoing visibility in donor engagement. Wendy emphasized that having an updated website that reflects your current work and values, maintaining a strategic social media presence, and sending out monthly newsletters are not just communication tools, they're trust-building tools. These consistent touchpoints help keep your community and potential donors informed, inspired, and invested.
What emerged from this interactive session was more than just new knowledge; it was a shift in mindset. Participants left with a renewed sense of clarity and confidence, ready to approach fundraising not as a one-off effort but as a long-term, strategic process. Several attendees shared that they had already begun mapping out their top donor lists and redesigning their pitch materials based on what they learned. Others mentioned rethinking their digital presence to better reflect their work and values. By the end of the session, the change was tangible: youth-led organizations were not only more informed but also more empowered to take decisive, focused steps toward sustaining their missions.
As we continue to build momentum within the Stawi Lab and beyond, we’re proud to support a growing network of young leaders who are not only creating change but learning how to sustain it.