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If you lead a small nonprofit, you already know the truth that too few people say out loud:
Fundraising isn’t just hard — it’s often overwhelming, unpredictable, and unfairly stacked against smaller organizations.
Most small nonprofits are doing life-changing work with limited staff, limited time, and limited tools. And when fundraising falls short, it isn’t just a missed revenue target — it’s fewer meals served, fewer families supported, fewer lives changed.
But here’s the good news:
The future of fundraising for small nonprofits is shifting — toward accessibility, transparency, and support models finally built for organizations like yours.
That’s the core message shared by Societ CEO Ron Spreeuwenberg in his recent interview with the CanadianSME Podcast. The conversation explored why small nonprofits struggle with fundraising and, more importantly, what approaches and tools can help level the playing field.
➡️ You can listen to the full interview on CanadianSME here.
Below are the key takeaways — distilled specifically for small nonprofits — to help you strengthen your fundraising strategy and create more sustainable impact.
1. Small Nonprofits Don’t Lack Passion — They Lack Time, Tools, and Capacity
Ron begins by explaining a truth almost every nonprofit leader understands intuitively: fundraising isn’t hard because organizations don’t care — it’s hard because they’re already stretched impossibly thin.
- Acquiring new donors — which requires marketing expertise many nonprofits don’t have.
- Retaining donors — which depends on systems, processes, and consistent communications.
- Diversifying revenue — because too many organizations rely on one event or one grant.
Without proper tools, reporting, or workflows, even the most dedicated organizations struggle to scale.
2. Technology Can Finally Lighten the Load — If It’s Built for Small Nonprofits
- Spreadsheets
- Paper files
- Homegrown donor lists
- Volunteer-built websites
- Disconnected workflows
The key is technology that reduces work — not adds to it.
That’s why Societ has focused on building tools specifically for small and mid-sized nonprofits, not corporate-scale systems.
3. Make Online Giving Fairer: Why Transparent, Zero-Fee Options Matter
Many small nonprofits lose thousands of dollars a year to processing fees — a painful reality when every dollar matters. Traditional online donation platforms often charge transaction fees, platform fees, and hidden costs, which can be discouraging for small organizations trying to grow digital fundraising.
That “zero-fee model” refers to Glass Register, which emerged directly from listening to the frustrations of nonprofits using expensive platforms. Instead of forcing small charities to sacrifice a percentage of every donation, Glass Register introduces a transparent, free, donor-supported approach where:
- Nonprofits never pay platform, transaction, or credit card fees
- Donors can choose to add a voluntary tip to support the platform
- Nonprofits keep 100% of every dollar raised
By embedding fairness and transparency into the donation experience, Glass Register reflects a broader trend: technology designed to protect nonprofit revenue rather than extract it.
For small nonprofits working hard to stretch every dollar, this kind of model can make online fundraising viable where it previously felt out of reach.
4. Replace “Start-Stop” Fundraising With Consistent Monthly Support
- Hire a fundraising agency — effective but extremely costly
- Do everything yourself — affordable but overwhelmingly time-consuming
The gap between those two extremes has held countless organizations back.
That’s where new fundraising support models — like FundSpring — come into play. Emerging directly from feedback and conversations with small nonprofits, this approach offers affordable monthly plans that cover the core fundraising tasks nonprofits need — but rarely have time or staff to manage consistently.
- Writing and sending donor newsletters
- Creating and launching donation appeals / ask letters
- Managing social media fundraising posts
- Developing campaign strategy and messaging
- Providing ongoing donor engagement and touchpoints
It’s the day-to-day fundraising work that keeps donors connected — handled for you by Societ’s expert fundraisers who have decades of experience and have raised tens of millions for charities in North America.
Why This Matters for Small Nonprofits
- Consistent, monthly fundraising activity
- Professional-quality campaigns without high agency costs
- Predictable donor engagement, instead of sporadic outreach
- An attainable option for organizations with tiny teams
By shifting from reactive fundraising to steady, proactive communication, small nonprofits can finally escape the start-stop cycle and build sustainable revenue over time.
5. Integrate Your Systems So You Can Operate Like a Well-Run Organization
- Programs
- Clients
- Volunteers
- Donors
- Reports
- Governance
- Compliance
Societ’s broader ecosystem — including Sumac, My Board View, and Partner Web — is designed to streamline operations, reduce administrative load, and help organizations present themselves professionally to funders and donors.
Because when your systems run smoothly, fundraising improves organically.
6. The Big Message: Small Nonprofits Deserve Better — And the Sector Is Finally Catching Up
- More transparency
- More equitable giving models
- More accessible fundraising support
- Modern, affordable tech built for small teams
- Consistent funding instead of boom/bust cycles
Small nonprofits shouldn’t have to fight uphill battles to access the same tools and opportunities as large organizations.
And now — they don’t.
Want to hear the full discussion?
