2020 has been an extraordinary year, to say the least. More than ever, nonprofits are being asked to provide critical safety-net services. However, these organizations are also struggling with their own challenge of figuring out how to pay their staff, deliver programs, and keep their own doors open in a time that is full of uncertainty.
Amid the chaos and uncertainty, there is opportunity. This a chance to rethink programs, to invent new virtual events, to discard old ways of doing things, and, critically, to build stronger relationships with stakeholders. A common refrain that we have heard is that organizations do not want to ask for more money or support while people are struggling. Nonprofits don’t want to call or reach out to their supporters. Maybe the big gala is canceled for the fall. Maybe fundraising goals and plans are all in flux. Maybe staff are projecting their own fears onto donors. None of these are reasons to stop engaging and building those important relationships. People are still giving and supporting.
This is an opportunity to embrace transparency. Call longtime donors and discuss your organization’s situation. Check-in with them. They may be eager to support, but don’t know that their favorite nonprofit needs their help–because they haven’t heard anything from them for months! This is a chance to call and be honest about your needs (something that should happen anyway) and ask for that unrestricted donation that could mean being able to keep the doors open or providing a critical service. This is a chance to host a virtual event where the CEO can discuss the work that’s being done in a crisis or crises that we are all sharing instead of platitudes and program statistics that the audience will never remember.
Above all, don’t stop communicating. The worst answer you can hear is “no.” But a “no” is much better than silence.
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