Finding major donors

Philanthropy UK is unable to refer grant-seekers to specific donors. However, we offer the recommendations below to help get you started in major donor fundraising.

There’s no place like home… In seeking support from major donors, start with those individuals already supporting your organisation – your trustees, staff and volunteers. Could they give money as well as time? And who do they know who might be potential donors? They all should be advocates for your organisation: donors are more likely to give when there is a direct, personal link to the charity.

Also look to your local community: local businesses and community foundations can be welcome sources of support. The Community Foundation Network offers advice for grant-seekers. You can also search for your local community foundation

There are also a range of resources – including funder directories, online portals and other resources to support your major donor fundraising. See below for a selection of helpful online resources.

Directories of funders

• The Directory of Social Change (DSC) publishes various directories of grant-making trusts and other funders, available online and in hard copy format. These include directories by region as well as by cause, such as arts, sport or funding for individuals.
• The Charity Commission’s Register of Charities includes annual filings for charitable trusts and foundations in England and Wales.
• The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) includes information on Scottish charities.
• The Charities Information Bureau provides help and advice for community groups and voluntary organisations seeking funding.
• Also see the the list of fundraising directories and guides in our Reading List.

Online portals

• GuideStar UK allows registered charities to add information about their organisation, activities and finances to their profiles, which can be searched by donors.
• The Big Give is a new resource that matches wealthy donors to charitable projects ranging from £100,000 to £10m in size.
• The CSR Register is a new service listing hundreds of live social engagement (CSR) projects gathered from charities across the UK. It helps businesses access this register of projects allowing them to choose something for a group to undertake. Listing is free for charities with a subscription service for businesses.

Other useful resources

• The Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) offers advice on applying for funding from trusts and foundations.
• The Finance Hub has published a variety of new guidance for fundraising from individuals and other funders.
• The Institute of Fundraising provides a number of best practice resources for fundraisers.
• NCVO offers fundraising toolkits and other guidance, as well as links to further resources.
• The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) also provides advice to charities on fundraising from major donors.

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