Behind the Curtain: How Supporters’ Funds Bring Projects to Life
November 10, 2025
byGiveable Research
When people support a fundraising campaign, they often see the “ask” and maybe the result. But what happens in between is where the magic happens. In this article we’ll pull back the curtain and show you the behind‑the‑scenes of projects funded by supporters. This is about fundraising mobilising people, resources and momentum not just collecting donations. And we’ll talk about how you can bring your community on that journey.
1. Why behind‑the‑scenes matters for fundraising
When supporters feel they’re part of the process, they become far more than one‑time donors. According to the article “Build Donor Bonds With a Behind‑the‑Scenes Look at Your Nonprofit” sharing internal processes, team stories and real‑time updates fosters stronger connections. NonProfit PRO
Transparency also matters. A checklist for building trust in nonprofits emphasises that stakeholders must be aware of what’s going on, and feel confident that their investment is meaningful. Alford Group+1
So by showing what happens after a supporter clicks “give”, you’re doing two things: you’re being accountable and you’re engaging them in the journey. That strengthens your fundraising engine.
2. Map the journey from support to impact
Here’s a simplified version of how a supporter‑funded project flows. You can replicate this for your campaigns:
- Campaign launch – You announce a project, define the goal and invite supporters to fund.
- Support arrives – Donations/pledges come in, followers become supporters and potential fundraisers.
- Project planning and mobilisation – Your team, volunteers or partners begin preparations. This is where behind‑the‑scenes content is gold.
- Execution – The work happens: field visits, community engagement, building infrastructure etc.
- Measurement & updates – You track progress and share milestones: “We reached 40% of goal,” “Here’s a photo of the first batch deployed,” “Here’s team on site.”
- Outcome reporting – Show results, tell impact stories, recognise supporters.
- Next steps & invite participation – “Now that this phase is done, will you help launch phase 2? Or will you share this story with your friends?”
By guiding your supporters through that journey you shift them from passive donors to active partners in your mission.
3. Examples of behind‑the‑scenes storytelling
Here are two real style examples (you can adapt for your context):
- Example A: A clean‑water project begins with a campaign page calling for “Fund well #17 in Village X”. After supporters give, the organisation posts photos of the drilling crew, a short video of the local leader being shown the site, then a live update when water flows. That behind‑the‑scenes content keeps supporters engaged and ready for the next ask.
- Example B: A peer‑to‑peer fundraiser launches: supporters create their mini‑campaigns tied to the same project. The main organisation shares interviews with those mini‑fundraisers, the set‑up process, the logistic challenges, and how the community is responding.
Each example shows that fundraising is more than “give money”; it’s “join the journey”.
4. What your behind‑the‑scenes content should cover
To make this work, your content should include the following elements:
- People & process: Show your team, volunteers, community partners. Let supporters see the faces behind the mission.
- Challenges & pivots: Don’t pretend everything is perfect. Sharing “we ran into a delay because…” builds authenticity and trust.
- Milestones & transparency: Tell supporters where you are in the funnel: funds in, funds spent, milestones reached. According to “The Role of Transparency in Long‑Term Donor Retention”, open communication helps sustain supporter commitment. Funds for NGOs
- Impact stories: On‑the‑ground voices, before/after visuals, testimonials from beneficiaries.
- Invitation to act: After showing the progress, invite supporters to the next step: share, recruit friends, fund the next phase, become a fundraiser themselves.
When you use this content, you strengthen your fundraising, not just your donation pipeline.
5. How to integrate this behind‑the‑scenes journey into fundraising campaigns
Here is a plan you can use:
- Pre‑campaign: Build teaser content: “Here’s where we’ll go. Here’s why we need your help.”
- Campaign launch: Share the ask, emphasise support needed. Invite followers to become fundraisers or shareers.
- Mid‑campaign updates: Post behind‑the‑scenes daily or weekly: logistic meetings, site visits, team interviews. Use videos, photos, live streams.
- Close out campaign: Show final result, celebrate milestones, thank supporters.
- Post‑campaign activation: Invite supporters for next phase, show how they can carry the work beyond donations (e.g., peer‑fundraise, volunteer, share content).
This turns fundraising into a living process. According to “10 Powerful Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofits”, peer‑to‑peer, transparency and digital engagement are key. casemanagementhub.org
6. How Giveable can help you pull this all together
Giveable is built to support the entire fundraising journey including behind‑the‑scenes storytelling and supporter activation. With Giveable you can:
- Create campaigns that invite followers to fundraise on your behalf (peer‑fundraising).
- Provide supporters their own fundraising pages so the journey is shared organically through their networks.
- Share project updates and milestones within the platform to all supporters in a central place.
- Track supporter engagement: who followed, who shared, who set up a page, how funds are moving.
- Automate thank‑you messages, update invites and next‑step calls so supporters don’t go silent after giving.
Using Giveable helps you turn your behind‑the‑scenes journey into a fundraising engine, not just a one‑off campaign.
Final Takeaway
When you show the hard work, decisions, progress and people behind your projects you build trust, deepen engagement and turn casual donors into fundraising supporters. Use behind‑the‑scenes content to create connection; map the journey from campaign launch to impact; integrate stories and calls‑to‑action; and use Giveable to orchestrate that whole process.
Ready to bring your supporters onto the journey and build fundraising momentum? Launch with Giveable now.