Five steps to address the dependency on foreign funds syndrome

One of the participants at a biblical fundraising workshop I hosted recently asked: Can you please advise ways to eliminate the dependency syndrome on foreign funds by some good organisations and ministries?

Tackling the dependency syndrome on foreign funds is one of the most pressing issues in global missions today. It’s encouraging to hear that you’re looking for ways to move from reliance to resilience—especially in the South Asian context, where this challenge is very real.

Here are some practical approaches, along with a few of examples:

1. Teach and model Biblical stewardship: The first step is often discipleship. When leaders and church members begin to see giving as an act of worship, not just an obligation, they shift from dependency to ownership of their mission work and church activities. Churches and ministries should teach that every believer, regardless of how much they earn, is called to be a generous steward of what God has given to them.

Example: In rural Nepal, one church taught about generous giving and stewardship regularly. Though most members lived in poverty, they committed to giving small amounts weekly some through crops, labour, or goods. Over time, they raised enough to build a small church without foreign funds. This is a community taking ownership of its mission.

2. Diversify sources of funding for your church or mission work: Begin to explore local income-generating activities, like skills training centres, agriculture, tuition programmes, or microbusinesses. This not only reduces reliance on foreign donations but can also offer employment and dignity to the local community.

Example: One ministry in Punjab started a sewing centre for women from poor backgrounds. It doubled as both a skills training programme and a source of income. Some products were sold locally, others through church networks abroad. The profits are being reinvested into ministry programmes, freeing them from depending entirely on overseas funds.

3. Strengthen local fundraising culture: Perhaps some local churches in the Global South don’t have a culture of giving to missions or social outreach often because they’ve never been asked to. Ministries need to start inviting local people to give, using culturally appropriate messaging and methods (e.g. community giving, in-kind donations, story-driven appeals).

4. Engage the diaspora intentionally: South Asia, where the participant who asked this question came from, has a large, globally scattered diaspora with both capacity and heart for ministry back home. Ministries that build relationships with their diaspora communities can foster shared vision and partnership, not dependency.

5. Invest in leadership and fundraising training: Many leaders in South Asia feel hesitant about fundraising because they associate it with begging. With the right training, they can learn to see it as a ministry of invitation and partnership.

Breaking the dependency mindset takes time, but it is possible. The key is shifting the narrative: from receiving help to being stewards and senders. With local ownership, creative funding strategies, and biblical generosity at the core, ministries in South Asia and elsewhere can thrive, and even become senders to other nations.

Written by Redina Kolaneci, Ministry Fundraising Network Catalyst, The Lausanne Movement