Success Rate of Organizations’ Fundraising

Outcome

number or % of target CSOs that increased the success rate of their submitted proposals

This indicator assesses the number or proportion of civil society organisations (CSOs) that improved their fundraising effectiveness by increasing the share of submitted proposals that were approved and funded. It reflects the CSOs’ strengthened capacity in proposal writing, donor engagement, and strategic resource mobilisation. While the indicator provides a good indication of CSOs’ fundraising capacities, it should only be used if there is a sufficient number of funding options the CSOs can apply for (and be considered based on a transparent set of evaluation criteria).

Determine the indicator’s value by using the following methodology:

1) Establish the reference period and baseline.

• Identify a baseline period (e.g., the 12 or 24 months before the intervention) and a reporting period (e.g., the most recent 12 or 24 months following project support).

• Ensure that the periods are comparable in terms of funding opportunities (e.g. similar donor calls or funding windows).

• Collect retrospective information on past proposal submissions and awards to calculate each CSO’s baseline proposal success rate.

2) Define a clear threshold for improvement. Set a clear and context-appropriate threshold for what constitutes an increase in proposal success rate (e.g. any positive increase compared to baseline or another suitable benchmark).

3) Collect data from the target CSOs using data collection and verification approaches that are proportionate and respectful of CSO confidentiality:

• CSO self-reporting: Gather information through structured interviews or short questionnaires capturing the number of proposals submitted and those resulting in awarded grants.

• Document review: Where feasible and appropriate, triangulate self-reported data using publicly available sources, such as official donor announcements, CSO websites, or published reports.

4) Calculate each CSO’s proposal success rate for the reporting period. To calculate a CSO’s success rate, divide the number of granted project proposals by the number of submitted proposals. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

5) For each CSO, compare baseline and reporting-period success rates to determine whether the defined threshold for improvement (step 2) has been met.

6) To calculate the indicator’s value:

• Count the total number of target CSOs whose proposal success rate increased by at least the defined threshold.

• Where reporting in percentages, divide the number of target CSOs whose success rate has increased by at least the defined threshold by the total number of target CSOs assessed. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

The data can be disaggregated by the type of CSO (e.g., community-based organisation (CBO), network, NGO), thematic area (e.g., governance, environment, youth), geographic level (local, regional, national), or by funding source type (e.g., international donors, government grants, private sector), as feasible and relevant.

1) Complement quantitative data with qualitative insights. To understand why some CSOs improved while others did not, ask additional open-ended questions such as “What do you think explains the differences in your organisation’s fundraising results this year compared to previous years?” Use these insights to interpret quantitative results and identify lessons for future capacity development. They can also provide insights on your project’s contribution and the role of external factors - for example, whether improvements were linked to project support (training, mentoring, networking) or to outside influences such as shifts in donor priorities or economic conditions.

2) Time frame: Allow sufficient time between training or mentoring and the data collection period to capture actual proposal outcomes (at least 12–24 months).

3) Simplified alternatives: If reliable baseline data or proposal records are difficult to obtain, you may consider simpler proxy indicators such as:

• Number or % of target CSOs that submitted at least [specify the number] funding proposal(s) in the past [specify period]

• Number or % of target CSOs that received at least [specify the number] new grant(s) in the past [specify period]