What Happens When a Business Wants to Fundraise for a Charity? A Personal Reflection on Response Rates

Having spent years recruiting for the charity sector, I understand the incredible work that fundraisers do, often with limited resources and tight deadlines. I know how demanding their roles are, how they juggle multiple priorities, and how every day feels like a balancing act between stewarding donors, managing campaigns, and finding new opportunities for income.

That’s why I want to be really clear upfront: this post isn’t a criticism of charity professionals or how they operate. Rather, it’s a reflection on a recent experience I had as someone on the other side—coming from a business looking to offer financial support and wanting to start a conversation about the barriers that might exist in corporate fundraising.

 

My Experience Reaching Out to Charities

Recently, as part of Merrifield Consultants’, Birchrose Associates and Huntress Londons’ commitment to supporting the sector, we decided to fundraise for a charity and to commit to the charity for the year. We didn’t have a specific organisation in mind, so I reached out to 12 different charities to explore potential partnerships, that were nominated by employees. This wasn’t just a cold email offering a one-off donation—the approach was looking to build a meaningful relationship, align with a cause, and use our network to raise funds and awareness for a charity whose mission resonated with us.

I kept my approach simple: I sent emails, connected on LinkedIn, and where possible, made calls. I gave just over a full week for responses—plenty of time, I thought, for someone to at least acknowledge the enquiry. My follow up email to chase the fundraising team was:

“I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to follow up on my previous email at the end of last week, I called at the start of this week with no response. The contact was to look into a fundraising partnership opportunity.

We are making our final decisions on the shortlist tomorrow, so if you’re interested, I would love to speak with you today to discuss how we could work together. We are pleased that you’ve been nominated by one of our employees, and I’d hate for you to miss out if you are keen to be involved.

Please let me know as soon as possible if you’re available for a quick chat today.

Looking forward to your response.”

Out of the 12 charities I contacted, only four responded.

That means two-thirds of the organisations I reached out to—eight charities in total—didn’t engage at all. No email reply, no call back, no LinkedIn message. Plus, I chased all of those that didn’t get back to me.

 

The Power of a Positive Response

While I could dwell on the lack of responses, I want to take a moment to highlight the four charities that did get back to me—because their approach was outstanding.

Every one of them responded warmly, professionally, and with genuine enthusiasm for the idea of working together. They took the time to thank me for reaching out, asked thoughtful questions about the motivations for fundraising, and shared insights into their work that made it easy to see how a partnership could be impactful.

What stood out to me was the energy and passion behind their responses. These fundraisers weren’t just going through the motions—they truly engaged with me, making me feel valued as a potential corporate supporter. Some even suggested ways we could work together beyond fundraising, such as employee engagement opportunities or volunteering initiatives, which made the conversation feel like a two-way street rather than a transactional ask.

Most importantly, their responses made me excited to support them. Their warmth and professionalism reinforced something I already knew: when corporate fundraisers have the time and capacity to engage, they do it brilliantly. And it makes all the difference.

 

Can Charities Afford Not to Respond?

Right now, charities are facing one of the toughest fundraising landscapes in recent memory. Economic uncertainty, donor fatigue, and increasing demand for services mean that every penny of income matters. Given that reality, I found it staggering that I was actively looking to support a charity—offering my time, network, and financial support—and eight out of 12 organisations didn’t respond. One charity picked up the phone. I called 12 charities and 11 didn’t answer.

The question is: can charities really afford to ignore businesses that want to fundraise for them?

I know that capacity is a real issue, and I don’t doubt that many of those charities are simply stretched too thin. But at a time when the sector needs funding more than ever, how many other businesses have reached out to charities only to be met with silence—and then decided to take their support elsewhere?

It’s not just about missed donations. It’s about long-term relationships, advocacy, and brand alignment. A single conversation could lead to an ongoing corporate partnership, payroll giving, pro bono support, or a multi-year sponsorship. But that opportunity disappears if an email is left unanswered.

 

Why Do Some Charities Struggle to Respond?

Now, I know better than to assume the worst. The lack of response from the other eight charities wasn’t down to disinterest or an unwillingness to engage with corporate fundraising. More likely, it’s a reflection of the sector’s well-documented challenges:

• Overstretched Teams – Many charities, especially small and mid-sized ones, don’t have large fundraising teams. It’s not unusual for one person to be responsible for multiple income streams, juggling corporate partnerships alongside individual giving, community fundraising, and grants. Responding to a corporate enquiry might not be seen as an urgent priority.
• Time Constraints – Fundraisers are often focused on existing donors and partners, ensuring retention and stewardship. It’s understandable that responding to a new prospect—especially one not offering a guaranteed financial commitment—could fall down the to-do list.
• Lack of Capacity for Corporate Partnerships – Not all charities have a dedicated corporate fundraising function, and even when they do, that person may have limited time to explore new partnerships.
• Missed Emails & Admin Overload – It’s entirely possible my messages got lost in an inbox full of requests, grant applications, event planning, and internal reporting. With so much incoming communication, sometimes things just slip through the cracks.
• Assumption That Businesses Will Follow Up – Some charities may assume that if a business is serious about supporting them, they’ll chase for a response. But from a corporate perspective, an unanswered enquiry can feel like a closed door.

 

The Risk of Missed Opportunities

There are businesses out there actively looking to support charities. They want to donate, fundraise, and champion causes that align with their values. But if they reach out and don’t hear back, they’ll likely move on to another organisation, or worse, decide that charity partnerships are too difficult to navigate.

In my case, I was determined to support a charity, so I worked with those who did respond and pursued those that didn’t (most won’t do that). But what about businesses that don’t have the same level of persistence? If the first few organisations they approach don’t reply, do they simply give up?

It made me wonder how much potential income is being left on the table because of unreturned messages.

 

Finding Solutions: How Can We Make Corporate Fundraising More Accessible?

This experience has reinforced something I already knew: corporate fundraising is an area with huge potential, but it requires investment in the right resources and processes. So, what could help improve response rates?

• A Simple Acknowledgement – Even a quick automated response saying, “Thanks for reaching out—we’ll review your enquiry and get back to you as soon as we can,” can make a huge difference. It reassures businesses that their offer of support has been received.
• Clear Contact Points for Corporate Enquiries – Not all charities have a dedicated corporate fundraiser, but having a general “corporate partnerships” inbox, monitored by someone in the fundraising team, could ensure no opportunities slip through the cracks.
• Prioritising Warm Enquiries – If a business has taken the time to reach out, that’s already a warm lead. These enquiries shouldn’t be sitting unanswered—they should be seen as valuable, just like potential major donors or grant funders.
• More Transparency on Capacity – If a charity doesn’t have the capacity for corporate fundraising at the moment, could they include a note on their website saying so? Businesses would appreciate clarity, and it may even encourage funders to invest in fundraising capacity-building.

 

A Conversation Worth Having

I share this experience not because I think it’s reflective of the entire charity sector, but because I believe it’s worth discussing. Charities work tirelessly to generate income, but we have to ask: are we making it as easy as possible for businesses to support these efforts?

For the four charities that responded, I want to say thank you. Your engagement made me want to support your work even more. You reminded me that when corporate fundraising is done well, it can be a powerful, mutually beneficial relationship.

Let’s start a conversation—because the easier we make it for businesses to give, the more impact we can create together.

 

Stuart Milliner – Head of Merrifield Consultants