I have received a number of questions over the last few weeks along the lines of:
- How will the coronavirus impact our fundraising?
- Should we change our fundraising strategy because of the coronavirus?
- How will travel and event cancellations impact our ability to make the case to donors that we need their support?
In times of crisis and uncertainty, it’s natural to want to take swift action. However, the best advice I can offer is to keep doing what you are doing. Continue to make the case for support and seek out new donors. Work even harder to retain your current donors.
Here is why I share this advice:
Services Are Still Needed
There is a still a critical need for the work that organizations provide, whether social services, education, community engagement, etc. You have to continue to make the case and reinforce why your work matters. Hone in on your stories of impact and take the time to thoughtfully determine how to share those stories frequently and broadly.
Donor Retention Is Key
By far, this is the area that will experience the greatest hit. Do everything possible to prevent donor attrition. Remember that a flat gift or a smaller gift is better than no gift. Therefore, be gracious when a donor tells you that they can’t increase their gift this year or that they need to decrease it. You can make another ask later on, so what a donor commits to now may not be their final gift for the year. Create a specific strategy to engage, solicit, and retain every single major donor and put that into place now.
Assumptions Aren’t Always Accurate
With all of the above said, we don’t know how individual donors will be impacted. Don’t be afraid to ask for support. Don’t make the assumption that people don’t want to or can’t give. Even small new gifts add to the pipeline and present opportunities to ask for increases in 2021.