If you’ve ever donated to a nonprofit—or perhaps worked for one—you may wonder where all of those donation dollars end up. A key question for donors is how much of a charity’s funds are spent serving people in need.
According to the Charities Review Council, at least 65% of funds should be spent on annual program expenses, with no more than 35% on fundraising and administration combined. CharityWatch considers a charity to be highly efficient when 75% or more is spent on programs.
At Africa Another Way, we ensure 100% of your donations go directly to funding our programs, such as our “Sowing Seeds” project focused on small-scale agriculture.
Other donors help us cover overhead costs, so every euro or pound you give supports farmers in West Africa.
But as much as we strive to drive meaningful, visible change, we’ve noticed a troubling trend: fewer donations are flowing to NGOs, especially those working in Africa.
Why Are Donations Declining?
Despite the urgent need, many NGOs are seeing a decrease in donations. Several factors contribute to this trend :
• Concerns Over NGO Overhead: Donors are increasingly cautious about how much of their money is spent on administration versus programs. High overhead costs can make donors feel like their contributions aren’t truly making an impact.
• Competing Priorities: Global emergencies like climate change, health crises, and humanitarian disasters in other regions have shifted attention away from Africa.
• Donor Fatigue: Economic challenges in Europe have tightened budgets, leaving less room for charitable giving and has caused donor fatigue, where people feel their contributions aren’t making a noticeable impact.
Farming: The 10x Solution for Impact
At Africa Another Way, we recognized these challenges and took action. We shifted our focus from education to farming because agriculture lifts farmers and their communities out of poverty much more quickly. Through our recently launched “Sowing Seeds” initiative, we’re starting with a pilot project in Ghana, working with 30-40 small-scale farmers. For more details, you can view our concept notes on our website.
Why farming? Because it provides tangible, short-term gains. A farmer can see improved crop yields within months, which translates directly into more food for their family and more income. Practices like crop rotation, natural pest management, and efficient irrigation show visible results quickly, making donors feel their contributions are not only impactful but also fast-acting.
By focusing on farming, we’re not just giving people knowledge—we’re giving them tools that lead to sustainable, long-term change. This faster turnaround helps us maintain donor trust, as results are measurable and visible within a single growing season.
Why Your Donation Matters
Transparency and efficiency are at the heart of what we do. By dedicating 100% of your donations to our programs, we ensure that every euro or pound is making a direct impact on the lives of farmers in West Africa. To kick-start our project in Ghana with 40 farmers in the first year we need 12K USD.
Your support for our “Sowing Seeds” project helps provide seeds, training, and tools that give farmers the ability to sustain themselves and their communities.
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