Raising money in the time of Covid -- or in just about any Crisis ...

For my friends (and anyone new!) at smaller nonprofits,

Having worked with many smaller – think $5 million annual budget and under – non-profits for nearly 20 years, I know this time is likely very tough for you. But I also know and have witnessed how strong you, your staff and your organizations have been and can be. You’ll get through this difficult time.

Fundraising and generating the revenue you need to keep your organization afloat, or your programs running, in the midst of covid-19 is a huge challenge. I hope the following quick-hitter items might serve as a reminder or a new idea to consider in your work this week:

1. Create or fine-tune your working budget. Think 30-60-90 days out, or six months if your finances are stronger. What resources (cash, materials, etc.) do you need in place to be able to deliver your programs and work? Start with your annual budget as your template and whittle it down to this most urgent time period.

2. Determine what deliverables this budget can enable. With the resources you identified above, what can you deliver? What services can you provide your constituents, and your community? What will these resources enable your staff to do? How many staff can you keep working?

3. Figure out what budget shortfall you might have. Be honest and critical in your review. Don’t assume grants or gifts that are not secured with a contract will be realized. Use very conservative estimates for pending fundraisers (emails and mailings, events, pending grants)

4. Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Now is the time to:

• Call a Board meeting. Use the items above or other prep you have done to set the agenda and fully prep for this call. Now is the time for your Board – likely your most valuable allies – to step up their efforts on your behalf. Don’t be afraid to come in with a set of requests (a specific donation, introduction or phone call they could make to a new funding target, increasing their “give or get” commitment for the year, etc.) for each Board member. Use your working budget and current financial situation as the evidence for your immediate needs.

• Craft and send out a personalized update to your top donors, better yet, call them. List your top funders: individuals, foundations, companies and corporate foundations, government agencies, and anyone else. Reach out to them, this week, and report on where you stand, what the short-term future looks like from your work above, and how they might help you and your organization in the coming weeks and months.

• Create a newsletter or more general update to all of your “people”. Think donors, volunteers, constituents, alumni of your programs, members of your community. Tell them what is happening with your organization and your work. And – gently – let them know how they can support you.

• Revise your website and get on your social channels. What are your current needs? What recent accomplishments can you tell a story about? What do the next three or six months look like?

• Craft that annual report. Take the time to tell your 2019 story and all the results you delivered. Talk about accomplishment met and new challenges on the horizon. And make sure you thank your donors. All of them.

As you communicate, remember that so many people are struggling with work and finances right now, that nonprofit appeals may get set aside. But still, artfully and gently, make your case for their support, either now or in the future when normalcy returns.

5. Find that next target. Today more than ever, you and your team (if you have one) should be spending time researching and reaching out to new funding targets. If you have only ever received support from individuals, identify ten companies and foundations that support similar work or your community and start reaching out to them. If you never reached out to individuals for support, start now, perhaps by asking your Board for 10 introductions each to like-minded individuals in their networks. If you don’t have an “Advisory” or “Alumni” or “Champions” Board, one that is non-governing, think about setting that up now. Develop and include criteria for involvement on it, and don’t be afraid to include an annual giving requirement to join.

Most of all, keep grinding. Fundraising is hard, but if your work and organization is sound, it’s also a challenge that can be met.

And whether you are a client of Rising Tide or not, and even if you don’t have resources now for a consultant, if I can help in any way with a fundraising idea or problem you are struggling with please reach out. You can always find me at rick@ristid.com.