Stewarding Your Donors

What You Can Do for Your Donors During the Pandemic

By Elaine Weber Nelson, SCC Consultant
Capital campaign counsel, interim development and executive director, board development, strategic marketing planning and execution, annual and major fundraising expert

It is truly during difficult times that we see leadership emerge. Our world is worried – and rightly so. What we knew as “normal” is no longer the case. We all need to pivot to meet the demands the coronavirus has brought about. For fundraising, that means identifying our urgent needs and communicating with our donors. First and foremost, we need to keep people healthy, housed, and fed. If your organization does one of these things, reach out to your donor base and share what you are doing and ask for continued support to keep going. Emails, videos, texts – most of our work is done online today. Not only do you want to share the important work you are doing, but you want to provide hope. Share a story of someone helping someone else. We need positive news during a dismal time.  

If your organization is engaged in other sorts of opportunities, you too have an urgent need – and an important story to share. Arts organizations are focusing on offering alternatives to the 24/7 news cycle – poetry readings, videos, art-at-home projects for children – these programs contribute to keeping us all sane right now – and are important to share with your donors. Environmental groups are focusing on the benefits nature brings during this period of sheltering-at-home. You get the idea. 

What is your raison d’être and what can you do right now to help those who love and support you cope with the current state of the world? That should be your primary focus today. Tell your donors what you are doing, offer them a way to be part of it, ask for their support, and remind them that your organization is doing its part.