Funder Plus – buying impact that lasts longer than the grant
Find out how funders can move beyond simply supporting individual projects and instead strengthen the long-term resilience, leadership and sustainability of the organisations they fund through a “Funder Plus” approach, in this new article.
Most funders I meet want the same thing: not just good projects, but stronger organisations. You don’t want a great programme that collapses the moment your funding ends. You want grantees who are more resilient, better led and less dependent on you next time.
That’s exactly where Funder Plus earns its keep.
When we look at the data and feedback from funders we’ve partnered with, a common theme emerges. Yes, grantees value the immediate benefits – more skills, better tools, access to expertise. But the real prize is what’s left after the grant cycle: stronger governance, more confident leadership, diversified income, embedded change.
Take fundraising capacity. A one-year grant might fund a specific piece of work. A complementary Funder Plus offer – for instance, bursaried access to Funds Online and fundraising training – helps the organisation build the skills and systems to bring in income long after your funds are spent. One foundation we work with saw a significant uptake in Funds Online subscriptions through their bursary scheme; grantees told us it directly improved their sustainability by unlocking new funding streams.
Or think about governance. Supporting trustees to access targeted training, publications like “It’s a Battle on the Board”, or bespoke sessions on roles and responsibilities can transform how decisions get made and how risks are managed. That doesn’t just benefit your particular grant; it strengthens the entire organisation for years to come.
We’ve also seen funders use Funder Plus in a more “segmented” way – for example:
- Governance and policy support at pre- or early-stage of the grant
- Leadership and management development mid-grant
- Fundraising and funding skills as part of an exit strategy
That kind of lifecycle approach means your support is doing double duty: you’re funding delivery and quietly future-proofing the organisation at the same time.
All of this can be done without creating extra burden. Because DSC manages the offer – from design to delivery to impact reporting – funders get a clear line of sight on how capacity is growing across their portfolio. It becomes much easier to tell a credible story to trustees and stakeholders about how your funding is building long-term impact, not just short-term activity.
If you’re serious about legacy, Funder Plus is one of the most cost-effective ways to extend your impact beyond the lifetime of any individual grant.
For more on how DSC can help you build that kind of long-term value into your programmes, visit the Funder Hub here.
And if you’d like to explore what a tailored Funder Plus offer could look like for your grantees, connect with me on LinkedIn here.
Looking to thrive in your role?
As always, DSC is here to support you in 2026. Browse our training, events and publications and find new ways of developing your skills.
