When deciding which charitable causes to support, donors often focus on communities that are  in crisis now and being discussed daily across news platforms. While those causes are important, funders are often missing crises affecting underfunded, underreported areas that  need as much help, if not more. For example, the issue of child hunger is often discussed  globally, but donors rarely gain insight into specific regions that are struggling the most.

Therefore, it is vital for organizations dedicated to raising funds for these lesser-known areas and causes to educate philanthropic funders about why they should pay attention and how these  issues can ultimately impact the larger philanthropic ecosystem.

At STRUT CARES, we’re passionate about raising awareness around underfunded causes  affecting people, animals, communities, and the planet globally, nationally, and locally. These  are some of the strategies we work to implement that other nonprofits can mirror to gain traction with funders:

• Use your external network, including partners and like-minded nonprofit  organizations, to help build awareness and education through their marketing, media,  and social presence. People want to feel connected to the organizations that they donate  to and hear from them often. In fact, the Why America Gives 2022report by Classy found that 60 percent of donors gave to new causes in response to a timely appeal from  an organization. This further illustrates that casting a wider net via partners’ platforms,  while also creating and maintaining an authentic online presence on owned channels,  can help expand your donor base.
• Create on-the-ground content that captures the story of these causes and highlights  the people and communities behind them. Donors need to fully understand the causes  they’re giving to and where their money is going. There is no better way to show this than  by putting the people and communities they are helping front and center. This will help  to create an emotional connection between the funder and beneficiaries, which can often  lead to longer-term relationships and sustained support.
• Show the impact on underserved communities through data. Sharing insights rooted in  evidence through marketing materials and social media helps to further illustrate the  need for support. Taking a quantitative approach when sharing information about these  causes can sometimes resonate with potential donors more. Sharing data around your  organization's positive impact on a particular cause can elicit trust that these funders'  money will be going toward something that will make a difference.
• Facilitate the opportunity for donors to visit these communities and experience  first-hand the environment and the challenges being addressed. Such visits not only  enable donors to see how they are making an impact but also to feel like they are  contributing to something larger than themselves. To go one step further, offering  supporters and the public the option to volunteer can also help leverage your presence  globally.

Implementing these strategies will not only help these specific underfunded charities immediately, but they will also encourage donors who are passionate about these issues to look for similar causes to donate to, which helps the philanthropic ecosystem as a whole. The biggest challenge for charities supporting lesser-known issues is the lack of awareness. By educating donors about one effort, it opens the door for a potential trickle-down effect to other important causes across the world.

Sharon Love Runyon is the CEO of STRUT and STRUT CARES.