How Thinking Like an Entrepreneur Can Help You Secure Philanthropic Funding for Your Research

If you’ve spent your career writing grant proposals, you’re already familiar with making a compelling case for funding. But when it comes to engaging high-level philanthropists, the approach is different. Unlike foundations, which often have structured guidelines and predefined funding areas, major philanthropists—many of whom built their wealth through entrepreneurship—evaluate funding opportunities much like they assess business investments. They aren’t just looking to support a cause; they want to invest in big, scalable, and high-impact ideas that align with their vision for change.

Many of the most influential philanthropists—Warren Buffett, Bill & Melinda Gates, Bernard Marcus, Michael Bloomberg, Paul Allen, George Soros, Larry Ellison, Pierre Omidyar, and Gordon Moore—come from backgrounds in venture capital, technology, and start-ups. They apply the same decision-making principles to philanthropy that they used to build their empires. To successfully attract funding from these types of donors, researchers and institutions must craft proposals that go beyond traditional grant applications and embrace the entrepreneurial mindset of investment in impact rather than just funding a project.

1️⃣ The Pitch: Selling a Vision

Entrepreneurs pitch investors with a clear vision of how their product or service will change the market. Fundraisers do the same—they must sell a vision of how their project, research, or initiative will create impact. Just like a start-up founder, a successful fundraiser must craft a compelling narrative that answers: ✅ What problem are we solving? ✅ Why is our approach different? ✅ What is the long-term impact?

Example: Bill & Melinda Gates have focused their philanthropy on solving massive global challenges, like eradicating diseases. They don’t just give money—they invest in high-impact solutions that can scale.

2️⃣ ROI (Return on Investment) Matters—Even in Philanthropy

Venture capitalists don’t fund projects without expecting a return. The same applies to philanthropists—they seek a return on impact rather than profit. They want to see measurable, scalable, and sustainable outcomes.

Fundraisers should think like entrepreneurs and demonstrate: ✅ What success looks like (metrics, benchmarks, measurable impact) ✅ How the initiative will sustain itself long-term ✅ The scalability of the solution (Can this idea grow?)

Example: Warren Buffett, through his philanthropy, supports organizations that can show their impact over time and prove that their model is effective. He’s not just writing checks—he’s making strategic bets on ideas with long-term viability.

3️⃣ The Market Fit: Understanding the Donor’s Priorities

Start-ups don’t pitch blindly to every investor—they do their research to align with investors whose interests match their product. Fundraisers should take the same approach: know your donor and tailor the proposal accordingly.

✅ What issues does this donor care about? ✅ What kind of impact do they want to make? ✅ What past projects have they funded?

Example: Bernard Marcus, co-founder of Home Depot, has donated billions to medical research and veterans' programs—areas aligned with his personal passions. A successful fundraising pitch wouldn’t ask him for an arts education grant—it would focus on his specific areas of interest.

4️⃣ Scalability & Sustainability: Long-Term Thinking Wins

Investors don’t fund businesses that will fizzle out after a few years. Likewise, major philanthropists want to support initiatives that can scale and sustain impact long after the initial investment. Fundraisers must think beyond a single gift and demonstrate: ✅ How the initiative will continue to thrive beyond initial funding ✅ Partnerships and revenue models that support long-term sustainability ✅ Plans for scaling impact over time

Example: Michael Bloomberg has given billions to education, public health, and climate initiatives—but he invests in projects with a clear strategy for long-term, systemic change rather than one-off programs.

5️⃣ Risk-Taking & Innovation: Thinking Like a Start-Up

Many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs-turned-philanthropists built their empires by taking calculated risks and investing in innovation. They apply the same mindset to philanthropy, backing bold, disruptive ideas that challenge the status quo. Fundraisers must be comfortable pitching innovative solutions and demonstrating: ✅ Why this idea is a game-changer ✅ How it challenges existing models for the better ✅ What makes it worth the risk

Example: Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay, has channeled his philanthropy into experimental, high-risk ventures that aim to redefine systems—just as a venture capitalist would. He’s not just funding programs; he’s investing in bold, scalable change.

Final Thoughts: Fundraising Is Venture Capital for Impact

The best fundraising proposals aren’t just requests for donations—they are investment pitches for transformational change. The most successful philanthropists evaluate funding opportunities with the same rigor they apply to their business investments. That’s why fundraisers who adopt an entrepreneurial mindset—one that prioritizes vision, impact, scalability, and sustainability—are the ones who win big.

🔹 Thinking about how to refine your fundraising strategy to attract high-level donors? Let’s talk. The future of fundraising belongs to those who think like entrepreneurs.