How to build a Muslim specific funding strategy

LONDON — British Muslims could be NGOs’ “biggest champions” when it comes to funding, and all development organizations should be implementing a funding strategy to engage the community, said Adeem Younis, founder of Penny Appeal. Not only is the U.K. Muslim community likely to be the fastest growing — if migration patterns to Europe continue, it’s predicted to grow from 3.4 million to 13 million by 2050 — but research shows the community is the largest religious donor to charitable causes within the United Kingdom. During a time of cultural, political, and technological change and uncertainty, tapping into the Muslim demographic could be key for organizations, Younis told a packed room during a session at last week’s Bond conference. “Every charity should consider what strategies they have for engaging the Muslim community,” he said. “It’s an important market for your diversification.” Penny Appeal — a Muslim organization providing poverty relief across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa — said its jump in annual income, from around half a million pounds to £25 million ($33 million) in the space of five years, was in part due to the niche market it was able to create within the Muslim community. While traditionally the majority of donations by the community has been allocated to either emergency disasters or efforts focussed on their countries of origin, Hanif Malik, the charity’s chief operating officer, said in an email that this is beginning to change. “If we’re not diversifying in the sector in how we recognize people, we’re certainly not going to diversify in our fundraising.” --— Naeem Raza, charity consultant Steps to build a strategy “Most of the funding allocated by the Muslim community is aligned to their faith values and looking after those who are disadvantaged,” Malik said, adding that when it comes to zakat — the faith’s requirement to give part of a person’s wealth to charity — causes the money can be allocated to are fairly prescriptive. Many people opt to distribute zakat in one transaction during Ramadan. According to the Muslim Charities Forum, each year charitable donations during Ramadan amount to around £100 million in the U.K. Globally, this can reach between $200 billion and $1 trillion. But Malik suggested it was pointless to develop a specific zakat campaign within a broader strategy if an organization does not meet the zakat requirements, which include giving to the destitute, new Muslims facing hardship, and initiatives that free slaves. If an organization does meet these requirements, it could instead highlight specifics that would likely resonate with the Muslim community, Malik advised, citing work with refugees or asylum-seekers as examples. Malik advised against assuming there is a generic Muslim community: “It is a very diverse community with Muslims here in the U.K. originating from literally dozens of countries around the world, so there’s no point in translating a campaign leaflet into a single foreign language.” Engagement has to be for the long-term and not just an add-on or experiment, added Naeem Raza, a charity consultant who delivers seminars at the Institute of Fundraising. “Most people are not in it for the long haul,” Raza told Devex, explaining that while organizations may run fundraising initiatives around zakat, they often fail to continue that engagement through the rest of the year. It’s important organizations take the time to understand the nuances of Muslim giving, specifically around zakat, he added. “You’ve got to make a serious proposition that we’re going to take this journey from now on, because the Muslim community isn’t going anywhere.” Going into the community, engaging people, understanding their priorities, and building trust are key, Raza said, who believes that aside from The British Asian Trust, there are very few examples of mainstream organizations doing this well. He also suggested that the diversification of projects should include a Muslim-focused project: “Once you do that, it’s like inviting someone to your house. They start coming more often and start engaging more often with projects that are not necessarily Muslim linked.” Organizations such as Oxfam and WaterAid have zakat fundraising initiatives, but Raza said they lack engagement with the community for the rest of the year and warned that will only work for so long. Other tips to consider when forming a strategy targeted to the Muslim demographic include seeking professional advice, engaging with experts with knowledge of the community, and partnering with existing Muslim charities to obtain a foothold in the market, Malik said. For example, Penny Appeal secured its first U.K. Aid Match contract in partnership with Concern. “Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from charities operating within the Muslim community,” Malik said. Accountability is also vital. While this should be a part of any development organization’s operations, Muslim donors, in particular, want to know that their donation is going toward the cause they’ve donated to, especially around zakat, said Amaan Qureshi, Africa programs officer at Al-Khair Foundation. “We always tailor our feedback in a way that makes it crystal clear that their donation has gone to a very specific project,” Qureshi said, adding that organizations should also have a level of cultural and religious awareness. “There’s a great awareness of Ramadan across the mainstream community as it stands, but in catering programs toward Muslim communities, I think it's very important that we understand the calendar across the year for the average Muslim,” Qureshi said in an interview. However, if there is not more representation of minority groups within the U.K. charity space itself, progress may be limited. “If we’re not diversifying in the sector in how we recognize people, we’re certainly not going to diversify in our fundraising,” Raza said, describing the recent JustGiving award ceremony as an example of a lack of minority representation among winners. He called for the sector itself to diversify so that fundraising across the British public might as well.