What US and Australian Fundraisers Can Learn from Each Other

In April I attended the world’s largest fundraising conference AFP ICON Conference in Seattle, USA together with Kyle (our Co-founder and Creative Director), Garth (our Chief Growth Officer) and our long-time client Janine who is the National Head of Fundraising at The Salvation Army Australia.

While there, we met with over 20 charities and it was obvious that both markets have much to learn from each other!

Nonprofits in the US and Australia are playing two very different fundraising games, each with different strengths and weaknesses.  

Fundraising in the US vs Australia

In the US it’s all about big gifts.

The last decade of fundraising has centred on high revenue relationships with high-net-worth individuals, family foundations, and corporate partners (think the likes of the Gates Foundation). This approach has driven remarkable growth, funded big bold ideas and supported ambitious projects that have brought about transformative social change. 

As proof, we recently met with a higher education institution on the West Coast, where they shared how they have 200+ relationship managers in their philanthropy team alone. In Australia, the largest organisations have under 30 relationship managers at most. 

But here’s the thing… they come with a critical risk. Relying on a smaller (though incredibly valuable), aging pool of donors can leave organisations vulnerable if that base shifts or shrinks. 

Meanwhile, in Australia, we’ve taken a different approach. 

We’ve nailed scalable, digital-first fundraising. We’re experts in peer-to-peer, regular giving, and brand-led campaigns. These fundraising approaches are geared towards reaching broad, diverse audiences and building passionate communities around a cause. 

But we’re definitely still finding our feet when it comes to building deep, transformational donor relationships that can fuel major initiatives and long-term impact.

The takeaway

We need to teach and learn from each other, because the donor landscape is changing fast. 

The largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history is underway, with an estimated $84 trillion set to change hands in the U.S. alone by 2045 and $3.5 trillion in Australia. And it’s Gen X and Millennials who will inherit this wealth. These generations are digital natives who demand transparency, digital-first experiences, and deeper, more authentic connections. Very different from their Builder and Boomer parents who are reached through traditional, relationship-based fundraising methods. 

What the US can learn from Australia: How to close the gap in mass fundraising 

While major donors and bequests have driven huge growth in fundraising in the US, this approach has created a blind spot — the lack of a robust mass giving program to funnel the next generation of donors. 

US nonprofits can learn from Australian organisations in how they have embraced digital-first, volume-based fundraising models that can scale to reach younger, and more diverse donor bases. 

Because without a strong mass program, US nonprofits risk becoming over-reliant on an aging pool of major donors and missing out on the opportunity to cultivate the next wave of supporters, many of who may become the next generation of mid and major donors. It puts their future, and the scale of their reach and impact at risk.

What Australia can learn from the US: How to build strong middle and major donor pathways 

On the flip side, Australian nonprofits often focus heavily on mass media, digital marketing, and community-driven campaigns, but sometimes overlook the importance of building out robust middle and major donor pathways. 

Yet the data is clear — within mass fundraising efforts lie thousands of potential mid and major donors who simply need the right product offerings, relationship-building, and personalised asks to deepen their engagement. The Benchmarking Project shows 58% of Major Donors started out as standard or mid value donors, showing they were identified and nurtured over time.

Australian nonprofits can learn from their US friends by investing in these critical pathways, creating intentional donor journeys that move supporters from small, recurring gifts to transformational, high-impact contributions.

The path forward

Ultimately, the future of fundraising belongs to those who can bridge these two fundraising worlds – blending the emotional depth of traditional philanthropy with the innovative spirit of digital disruption. This means investing in storytelling, digital tools, data analysis and high-net-worth relationship building. It also means creating meaningful, personalised donor experiences that resonate with both the current generation of generous supporters and the next generation of givers. 

As we look to the future, it’s clear that our sector needs to rethink how we build relationships. It’s about taking a full funnel, lifetime approach, and nurturing supporters at every stage, from their first small gift to their final legacy.

The lessons from our trip make it clear that while the challenges are significant, the opportunities for growth are even greater.