How to find aligned funders using the virtuous circle method.

When I took over the EJC, fundraising terrified me.

I was suddenly responsible for covering €1 million a year—and I had no idea where to start.

So I created the Virtuous Circle technique.

Here’s how it works:

➊ Start with one peer organisation. Find out who funds them (and why).
➋ Follow their funders. See who supports them (and who else funds their grantees).
➌ Map the ecosystem. Before long, you’re not guessing - you’re seeing patterns. You understand where you fit and what funders actually care about.

Fundraising stops feeling like needle-in-a-haystack work. It starts to feel manageable, intentional, and achievable.

Fundraising is always, always tough. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

(If this sparked something, this edition of my newsletter Theory of Change goes deeper into the technique, with steps, screenshots, and why it works better than random outreach)