Fundraising in the Time of the Coronavirus HOW T O CONNE CT WHI - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fundraising in the Time of the Coronavirus HOW T O CONNE CT WHI L E SOCI AL DI ST ANCI NG: WAYS T O K E E P YOUR DONORS CL OSE

These are challenging times • E ve nts c a nc e lle d • Unc e rta inty a b o ut upc o ming e ve nts • Ca mpa ig ns whe re we c a n’ t me e t fa c e to fa c e with o ur la rg e r do no rs • F e a rs a b o ut fundra ising fa lling b e c a use o f lo st inc o me / fa iling sto c k ma rke t • I nc re a se d ne e ds fo r fundra ising — o the r so urc e s o f re ve nue drie d up • Yo ur limite d re so urc e s just b e c a me mo re limite d • And yo u a re pro b a b ly wo rking fro m ho me

With all that is going on, how can you

Keep doing what you are or planning on doing—but you may have to think about it a little differently

Fundraising too often focuses on the dollars

F o c us, inste a d, o n yo ur do no rs And think a b o ut ho w yo u c a n de ve lo p lo ya l do no rs who will sta y with yo u thro ug h thic k a nd thin

Think Development instead of fundraising Othe r wo rds fo r de ve lo pme nt inc lude g ro wth, e xpa nsio n, pro g re ss, inc re a se . Put yo ur fo c us o n the o the r pa rts o f ra ising funds: Pro spe c ting , Cultiva tio n, a nd e spe c ia lly Ste wa rdship

Be realistic—for example, a virtual gala may sound fantastic BUT DO YOU HAVE T HE ABI L I T Y T O PUL L I T OF F ?

Instead, after you send out that mass communication cancelling the event, reach out personally to every sponsor asking what you can give to make them be a non-event supporter. And a sk e ve ry tic ke t/ ta b le b uye r to c o nside r do na ting the c o st a s a fully ta x-de duc tib le g ift

T ha nks so muc h fo r wa nting to a tte nd o ur g a la this April. But, a s yo u kno w, we ’ ve ha d to c a nc e l. I ’ m disa ppo inte d tha t I wo n’ t g e t to se e yo u—a nd I ’ m a lso ve ry c o nc e rne d. Dear Pat and T he $XXXX we usua lly ra ise a t this e ve nt a llo ws us to ……..witho ut the se funds, we will ha rd pre sse d Sandy: to c o ntinue se rving (o ur missio n, c a use , c lie nts). F o r tha t re a so n I a m ho ping yo u will c o nside r turning the c o st o f yo ur (tic ke ts)(ta b le )(spo nso rship)into a fully ta x- de duc tib le g ift …..

While you might be willing to gamble that things will go back to normal and plan for an event later this year, first consider • Will pe o ple b e willing to c o me to a nd suppo rt a n e ve nt—e spe c ia lly if the e c o no my do e sn’ t c o me ro a ring b a c k? • Will tho se who usua lly spo nso r yo ur e ve nts b e willing to suppo rt yo u in o the r wa ys?

If you are in a campaign Unde rsta nd the ra mific a tio ns o f pulling b a c k Ha ve re a l c o nve rsa tio ns with yo ur ma jo r pro spe c ts a nd e xpla in the o ptio ns yo u a re fa c ing

I n a ll c a se s Reach out also to your existing donors. And your lapsed donors. And those who have yet to become donors. And yes, your volunteers

T e ll the m ho w yo u a re mo ving yo ur T e ll missio n fo rwa rd during the se time s. Se nd the m vide o s a nd pic ture s, o f Se nd Remind them to da y if po ssib le , o r o f ye ste rda y why you are important Sha re sto rie s tha t sho w why yo u Sha re ma tte r Pull the m in c lo se r b y re minding the m Pull ho w muc h the y ma tte r

As we become more physically isolated, use technology to stay connected

Have virtual meetings with your board, your donors, your prospects

Increase your social media presence • Write a b lo g • Re c o rd a po dc a st • Put a vide o o nline • Co nside r so me ne w pla tfo rms • Sha re sto rie s a nd e spe c ia lly suc c e sse s But first—kno w why this ma tte rs to yo ur o rg a niza tio n a nd ho w yo u will b e pre se nting yo urse lf.

Beyond social media—think videos Cre a te a virtua l to ur o f yo ur fa c ility Sha re a virtua l sc ra pb o o k tha t sho ws the wo rk yo u do Ma ke a vide o c o mpa ring wha t’ s (no t) ha ppe ning to da y with wha t no rma lly g o e s o n—a nd wha t will, with the ir suppo rt, ha ppe n a g a in

Much of what we’ve been talking about is more cultivation than solicitation BUT T HE RE I S AL SO AN OPPORT UNI T Y F OR A SPE CI AL F UNDRAI SI NG APPE AL

I don’t suggest pleading poverty, but … • T his is a time to te ll pe o ple a b o ut the fina nc ia l impa c t to yo ur missio n • Ask fo r a o ne -time e me rg e nc y g ift o r to ma ke it mo nthly • I f yo u do n’ t a lre a dy ha ve a pla nne d g iving , no w mig ht b e a g re a t time to sta rt o ne

Look for emergency funding options Che c k o ut: https:/ / g ra ntspa c e .o rg / re so urc e s/ kno wle dg e -b a se / e me rg e nc y-funding / https:/ / c a ndid.o rg / e xplo re - issue s/ c o ro na virus/ funds https:/ / no npro fithub .o rg / fundra ising / e me rg e nc y-funding / Do a n o nline se a rc h a nd re a c h o ut to funde rs a nd c o rpo ra tio ns in yo ur a re a

Mobilize your board T a lk ho ne stly a b o ut the situa tio n, b ra insto rm ide a s, a nd g ive the m c le a r ro le s to pla y

I t sho uld me sh with yo ur e xisting fundra ising pla n—a ssuming the re is o ne

Identify what you are doing and when you are doing it We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k We e k What 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 you are doing

Consider what each activity will take ACT I VI T Y: What ste ps ar e ne e de d? Whe n will this oc c ur ?

T ha t me a ns e xisting a c tivitie s must b e inc lude d in yo ur pla n

Be flexible…the best laid plans will often go awry

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