Framing donor communications during a crisis

March 26, 2020
Jake Blumberg | Executive Director, GiveMN

I know the past two weeks have been some of the most challenging many of us have experienced in our roles as leaders.

Many of us are making decisions to ensure the future of our organizations while trying to understand what the real revenue implications from this crisis will be, and when we’ll even have a clearer picture of that reality.

Through RaiseMN—our fundraising coaching program—we have been in virtual meetings with nearly 100 organizations in the past two weeks, and two of the most common questions we’re hearing are: 1) Should we be communicating with our donors now? If so, 2) What should we say?

There are no perfect answers here. One of our core beliefs of our work through RaiseMN is that every nonprofit knows its people and mission the best, and that there are no cookie-cutter answers. While acknowledging that, we want to share some core lenses we’ve been coaching nonprofits to apply as they’re considering their fundraising strategies in this moment.

Remind your donors why they are in this work with you in the first place.

It’s tempting to lead your message with the crisis of the moment, but donors are already receiving countless urgent messages about COVID-19 and the impact it is having in every corner of their lives.

However, if we focus our response on stories that exemplify our mission work, and remind them of the change we make and the future we envision, our outreach will be much more effective and authentic. In turn, this will provide a foundation to continue engaging with them through the crisis, and the rebuilding stage still to come.

This doesn’t mean we can’t talk about COVID-19 and the impact it’s having on our organizations. Approximately 50% of nonprofits in the United States have less than a month of general operating reserves available, meaning this crisis has significant implications for many of us, and we shouldn’t shy away from sharing those realities with our supporters.

However, as tempting and as true as a message like “give now or we may disappear” might feel, it isn’t a sustainable fundraising strategy compared to leading with the change we make in the world. Although we are trying to secure a solid future of our organizations as nonprofit leaders, your supporters are far more likely to give because of your community impact rather than your institution's financial picture.

Take space and make space as best you can for your peer organizations.

We’ve been asked countless times these past two weeks if it is OK for organizations to even ask for donations in the middle of a crisis like this. Our advice: it’s OK to ask for support, but you should consider making space for organizations with more critical needs if you can.

There are organizations who have a surge in demand for their services in this very moment because of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as nonprofits focused on hunger relief, healthcare, basic needs and people who are out of work, for instance.

If your organization is providing an integral response to this crisis and needs immediate support to continue, you should reach out to your donors over the phone, through email, and social media, to tell your story and why their help is critical in this moment.

If your organization is not involved as critically as others in this first crisis response, our advice is to reflect on whether this is the best time to ask donors for support, or if you should consider another moment to ensure the stage is set for nonprofits in critical response areas to engage. We’re in the middle of a metaphorical hurricane at this point, and we know we will all need to implement recovery strategies once we’re through the worst of it.

Communicating with donors doesn't always involve asking for money, either. Again, consider connecting with them around the stories of what the communities you serve are facing, both through this crisis and the broader change you seek.

The GiveMN team is deeply grateful to be in community with organizations like yours during this moment we are sharing together. As Governor Walz mentioned yesterday, the safety net provided by our nonprofit sector is a strength to Minnesota during this crisis, and we’re here to help how we can. Be well.

Jake Blumberg is executive director of GiveMN. Learn more.

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