Recently I was asked a question – what would you do if your board said we cannot fundraise during a pandemic?
I would suggest to the board that my strong inclination would be to continue the development process! Full speed ahead. Then I would work to bring them along through questions and discussion to illustrate my point.
I would help them see the answer as it relates to their own businesses or profession. Depending on the board members, I would make points through different questions by asking in the spirit of learning and fully exploring the topic of fundraising during COVID. Perhaps starting with the development committee, your chair or a leader of the board? I have learned through my career that when it can be the boards idea, it is so much better than mine. Sometimes I just have to ask questions and give them an opportunity to impart their great wisdom. While I am not in your shoes, here are some questions that I may bring up.
Sales: Are their respective businesses stopping sales? Having no contact with customers period? What will happen to their business if no one buys? Will their clients wait for them to pick sales back up or move on? What happens to a broker if he cannot make any sales, an insurance agent?
Our mission: What do we tell the community in which we serve – that they are not worthy of us moving out of our comfort zones to fight for them? That our mission is not strong enough to withstand a pandemic? Or they are not worthy of people investing even if it means less than normal? Or that we are too afraid to ask?
The donor: Why do we think we can speak for other people? Personally, I may be struggling, have fear or frozen by uncertainty, but others may not and feel compelled to help during this time. Why can we make that judgement call? Would we be communicating that we don’t believe they are successful enough to give? That they are not strong enough to weather this storm? Could it be conceived that as an ED, I lack confidence in them as a person or I lack confidence in our organization? Will they think you are a COVID tragedy because you did not reach out so they re-direct their giving? (Well that non-profit wasn’t stable enough to make it, time to move on). How would you feel as a donor if you didn’t hear from us?
The majority of board members will say that stopping sales would be the kiss of death for their business but that is different as they are “for profit”. Well? I would simply state that our mission is not strong enough then and ask questions about mission. If we are not important enough to fight for than why do we exist? If they push back on that, move on to the donor. Will it appear as if we are judging where others are financially?
Fundraising is the lifeblood of nonprofits like sales are to for profits. You cannot stop.
Help board members see how stopping will cut the hamstrings of your organization. Emphasize once again that fundraising is only one part of building a development program. While we might shift our focus and strategy, shouldn’t we keep the program going full speed ahead?
My focus?
The very basis of the development program is relationships. The actual ask is only one part of the program and I would walk them through that process once again. I would recommend leaning into the relationship component. Donors are partners, so reach out to them, care about them, be transparent, be vulnerable together and strengthen the relationship. During a really tough economic time, I reached out to a donor who had missed his normal timing of a gift. I simply called to see if he was ok. He was amazed that I called as no one else had. He said he had just been so focused on his life that he forgot. He sent me his annual gift with an added zero and it became the start of a very good relationship with progressive zeros.
NGO’s that have been nurturing relationships with donors, communicating consistently, and utilizing technology will weather this crisis fine as long as they continue the same tactics of relationships, communication and utilizing technology. Know your donors! Be the ultimate connector not the lead fundraiser. Asking good questions and making note of answers in databases, will help meet your donors where they are. What is their number one need and desire? Are they still giving because they are so concerned about the world and have a burning need to help? Are they grateful that during this solitaire time, you took the time to reach out to them? Are they really struggling and need someone to reach out? Will showing we care keep the relationship strong so they return as donors when they can?
Honest communication needs to be front and center.
Call your past donors simply to let them know you are pushing forward and asking how they are weathering the storm. Board members can easily do this as they do not have to ask, they just have to communicate and listen!
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