Fundraising and acquisition

In 2018, Both ENDS’s fundraising and acquisition activities focused on building relationships with new donors, both in and outside the Netherlands. On the international level, we became a member of two new funders groups: the ARIADNE network for Human Rights Funders and the ALFIE funders’ network for renewable energy.

In the Netherlands, we increased our visibility within the Dutch philanthropic sector through a series of events as part of the ‘DivestInvest’ movement.

Internally, we organised a workshop to better equip Both ENDS staff members when they visit conferences and seminars where donors are present, and to encourage everyone to engage with donors where opportune and possible. This has led to various conversations with new donors.

The most important lesson learnt of this year is that submitting applications to donors who are unfamiliar with Both ENDS has a low chance of success. Therefore, building relationships with new donors will continue to be the focus of the fundraising team in 2019.

In terms of proposals granted, we had success with several renewed partnerships with donors we already know from past or current projects. Stichting Anton Jurgens Fonds approved our proposal for an Analog Forestry project in Mali. Other smaller proposals were granted by, for example, Turing Foundation (forest conservation in Liberia), DOB Ecology (research into the operation and effectiveness of Small Grants Funds), Otterfonds (forest conservation in Indonesia) and Wallace Global Fund (for additional work on moving export credit agencies out of fossil fuel).

However, our biggest success stemming from fundraising efforts in 2018 came in the beginning of 2019. We learned that Both ENDS had been chosen as a beneficiary of the Dutch Postcode Lottery and will receive €500,000 per year for the coming five years. Amongst other things, the new funding will help us promote sustainable initiatives in land and water governance around the world and to take them to a higher level. We would like to thank all participants in the Dutch Postcode Lottery for their support!