Top Strategies to Effectively Weather the Storms Threatening Nonprofits Today

It’s okay to feel overwhelmed by everything going on.

The firehose of “incoming.” It’s constitutionally impossible for us to handle it all. You can try to bear down and get through it. But after a while you’ll find yourself digging a bigger and bigger hole. As the inimitable Seth Godin recently wrote: “Attention doesn’t scale, no matter how hard we try.”

If you can’t deal with everything, what should be your priority?

Nearly 70% of nonprofit leaders say Trump’s policies have hurt their organizations’ work, and data shows much of the sector would collapse if federal funding were discontinued. Shifting politics create economic uncertainty for all, and it’s especially scary for U.S. nonprofits who, on average, receive about a third of their total funding from Federal grants. These nonprofits are going to need to diversify their income sources, and quick.

Don’t Prioritize Cutting Expenses.

Now is a time people need you to grow, not slash.  To fight, not flee, freeze or fawn. Alas, fundraising and marketing are often the first to be cut – at a time they’re most needed to sustain and build programs! That’s an ineffective hole-digging strategy. Many organizations that did this during the Covid pandemic still haven’t rebounded from loss of awareness, engagement and revenue. As Jeff Brooks writes on the Moceanic blog: “Cutting fundraising is the worst possible action. It will prolong your financial pain and decimate your long-term viability.”

What should you do?

“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”  ~ Maya Angelou

>> Resist the temptation to throw your hands up in the air, assume people feel too uncertain to give now, and simply leave folks to their own devices. <<

Do Reframe Fundraising.

It’s time to dedicate yourself to your fundamental role as a philanthropy facilitator. It’s mostly not about money, but about philos (love) + anthropy (of humanity).

People want to give and crave community and purpose.

This is especially true during times people feel isolated or helpless. Because, depending on what’s going on in the broader world, these feelings can be at the forefront of people’s experience. It’s one of the reasons they reach out to social benefit organizations. You are perfectly placed to enact your role in “the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving.”

Another way to look at this is from an impact perspective.

• You have a mission and purpose.Donors can help you get there.
• Your donors are looking for purpose.You can help them find it.

The philanthropic equation is synergistic. With people who want to repair the world, there’s strength in numbers; so, you do it together.

“For it is in giving that we receive.”  ~Saint Francis of Assisi

>> You serve your donors every bit as much as they serve your organization’s mission. <<

Do Honor the Symbiotic Nature of Philanthropy.

You have a role in fostering the symbiotic relationship.  Through authentic, proactive communication that facilitates your donor’s philanthropic journey, you help them discover their purpose. You weather the storm as an energized collective. Philanthropy facilitation lifts people up; it doesn’t hit them up.

Sustaining philanthropy will require understanding the psychological, neurological and behavioral economics underlying the process.

Stop focusing on the “fund” part of fundraising (dirty money) and hone in on the “philos + anthropy” (love of humanity) part of being a philanthropy facilitator. Engage with people in a manner that makes giving not just easy, but joyous. MRI studies reveal we get a “warm glow’ jolt of dopamine when merely contemplating giving. When you hesitate to ask, you deprive people of the opportunity to enact their values, find personal meaning and engage in authentic connections.

“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”  ~Winston Churchill

>> Donors are looking for purpose. You can help them find it.  <<

Do Ask People to Help You. It Also Helps Them.

When faced with a crisis, it helps no one if you stoically try to go it alone. I learned this from a wise and kind doctor when I unexpectedly lost my first husband to a medical emergency. “When people ask how they can help, let them. It helps both of you.”

Stop thinking of asking as “taking,” and make it about delivering happiness. When individuals within a community are happier, that’s also good for the health, welfare and survival of the community. The money will follow, but what’s fundamental is coming from a place of love.

Asking for a philanthropic gift is probably the most donor-centered thing you can do. When you assume people don’t want to be asked, you short-change would-be supporters who are driven by biology towards generosity – if given the chance.

“The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.”  ~Leo Tolstoy

>> People are hard-wired to serve <<

Do Reinforce Your Vision, Mission and Values.

Take a moment with your key staff and lay leaders to reinforce your commitment to your core values and mission. Make sure you’re all agreed on your vision moving forward.

You exist for a reason.

If the current environment will shift the impact of your mission or budget, get clarity on how things will shift. What are the threats? Where are the opportunities?  Is there anything you’ll need to do differently? Should your messaging change? What kind of outreach will best serve you now?

Undergird your position with data and emotionally compelling stories. Then, ask your board, collectively and individually, what actions they’re willing to take? Call up your top donors, explain your situation, and ask them the same question.

“Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping. ~Mr. Rogers

>> Your raison d’être is someone else’s as well. <<

Do Revisit Your Messaging.

Depending on what you do, you may need to actively reach out and rally your supporters to ensure continuation of your work. This can be dicey in the current environment. The politics of the moment are highly charged and, if you feel you’re walking on eggshells, you likely are.

It’s okay to be strategic about what you say, while you consider how you make people feel.

Six months ago, no one looked askance at messaging around diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. Today, it can be a scary proposition. You shouldn’t abandon your values, but it’s okay to be thoughtful and deliberate as you navigate today’s troubled waters. For example, “Serving the entire community” can be a stand-in for “We stand by DEI principles.”

“People will forget what you say, but they’ll never ever forget how you made them feel.”  ~ Maya Angelou

>> Make people feel good. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. <<

Prioritize the Basics.

When it comes to fundraising and marketing, go back to fundamentals.

1. Starting now, shift emphasis (and budget) toward individual donor engagement strategies. Giving USA reports 75% of all giving (lifetime + bequests) came from individuals last year.
2. Prioritize donor retention and stewardship. Keep loyal donors in the loop, now more than ever, so you don’t lose them to other emerging causes. They’ll still love you, if you don’t abandon them.
3. Make your mission messaging relevant by connecting it to what’s top of mind for donors.
4. Meet people where they are. If this means finding a new mix of social media, podcasts and news outlets to stay visible, do this. Don’t be a tree falling in a forest that doesn’t make a sound.
5. Collect and share stories to demonstrate your impact. Human beings are wired for stories, and this is the best way to ensure they’ll listen to what you have to say.
6. Diversify funding streams. If your modus operandi has been mostly grants, or events, or even earned income, it’s likely these streams are drying up. Find new ponds to fish in.
7. Remember the Golden Rule. Help, don’t sell. If you want gifts, you must give them.

“Helping people get to where they seek to go is more effective than hustling people to persuade them to go where you’re going.” ~Seth Godin

>> Figure out what your supporters need; give that to them. <<

Do Be Proactive.

The goal is to address any potential crisis now, before it escalates. If you’re projecting a deficit, it’s essential you spend money to make money. Figure out how you can do this.

Now is the time to use, or begin to build, “rainy day” funds.

• Do you have operating reserves you can use?
• Can you use income from your endowment?
• Might you find a local foundation willing to give you a capacity-building grant?
• Maybe the board would be willing to front such a grant?
• Perhaps a donor will give you in-kind expert marketing or website assistance?

It’s also a good time to cooperate with other nonprofits with similar missions.

I’m a firm believer a rising tide raising all boats, so consider your natural collaborators. Don’t worry about losing your donors to other nonprofits. Philanthropy is not a competition. Most donors give to a cause, not an organization. They’re concerned, first and foremost, about making a valuable impact. If you show them you’re teaming up with others, the psychological influencer of “social proof” will kick in. When other people respect and admire you, this acts as a decision-making shortcut inclining people in your direction.

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.” ~Peter Drucker

> Take your fate into your own hands and do what you must to see and be seen. <<

Image by Chris Barbalis on Unsplash