How Arts and Culture Organizations Can Fundraise During COVID-19
This is an incredibly difficult time for so many businesses and organizations -- including nonprofits. The current pandemic presents a messaging challenge for organizations that are not providing direct medical or social services. How can arts and culture organizations fundraise effectively while recognizing the unprecedented events of our present moment? Below are my suggestions for how to position your cause with donors and prospective donors:
Don’t sensationalize.
First and foremost, don’t overstate your need, or the relative importance of your mission. For those who have lost their livelihoods, a dramatic plea for support could sound out of touch. For those who have fallen sick and those who will lose loved ones to this virus, your organization’s budget shortfall is likely far down their list of priorities.
Understand that while your organization’s plight may feel like a crisis, relative to these greater crises it is not. Every single cause is in need right now. Recognize that your situation feels dire because it is personal.
Right now, many people are making difficult decisions about what worthy causes most require their reduced financial support. For some of your past regular donors, your organization may not be among their current priorities. Be patient. This will likely change in time, especially if you don’t burn those bridges now by sensationalizing your predicament.
Be transparent about your need.
Make your case for support with honesty and integrity. Ask for what you need and be clear with donors about the consequences if that need is not met. What will it take to keep staff on payroll through the end of your fiscal year? Have you had to lay off staff? If so, what will it take to bring them back? Let your donors know exactly, whether that’s $40,000 or $400,000.
That said, if your organization is stable at present, be wary of sounding the alarm prematurely. Donors are sensitive to when it seems like organizations are ‘crying wolf.’ This situation is developing rapidly, with new information from the CDC on a near daily basis. We just don’t know what things will look like in May, let alone in December. You may need to turn to your donors to help you then. Oversolicit now and you run the risk of donor fatigue when you most need them.
If you’re doing okay, don’t fundraise simply because everyone else is doing it. If your organization is lucky enough to have an endowment or cash reserves, make use of those resources. Let the organizations without that safety net take center stage right now.
Donors want to know how to support their community.
As communities band together to address the pandemic, we become increasingly aware of our own interconnectedness. Right now, donors want to know that their funds are going to support an organization that supports a broader community.
This is a great time to do a partner drive to raise funds for the local food bank or medical center. For example, for every gift made to your organization, you’ll donate $5 to a partner organization. The two-for-one of a partner fundraiser makes it a great way to gain new donors.
Can you create a relief fund for staff you’ve had to let go or regular contractors you are not able to pay? Give your donors the opportunity to split their gift or make an additional gift to the relief fund along with their general operating gift.
Make sure to let your donors know about any opportunities to advocate for government funding that supports your cause or the nonprofit sector at large. Make it easy for them to take action by sharing contact information for elected officials and linking directly to petitions.
From strategy to tactics.
Now that I’ve gone over strategy, let’s get into some specific tactics for raising funds in this unique climate.
Make the case to new donors
This is the time to make a case for support that appeals to new donors. These are folks who are already in your orbit and on your mailing list, but who have never before made a contribution. State your need clearly, and they may step up to help for the first time.
Leverage matching funds
Spur giving with a matching challenge. Contact your existing funders and ask them if your current operating or project support can be leveraged in this way. Alternatively, approach a board member or long-time major donor to ask for challenge funds. Many major donors love to put up challenge funds because they like to see organizations using their gift to attract new donors.
Master the soft ask
Ask for support gently but persistently. Don’t forget to provide a Donate Now link on all your email correspondence and social media posts, even if the content doesn’t include an explicit call to action. And on that subject, make sure any correspondence contains something interesting and diverting for your constituents. This is especially important if you are a museum or performing arts organization that is not able to serve its core constituency in the traditional way. Get creative--can you curate a reading list or a playlist? Is there archived video content you can release?
Play the long game
Last of all, remember that even if your donors’ current funding priorities are focused on organizations directly tackling COVID-19, building donor relationships is a long-term investment. Keep them connected and informed, and in time they’ll come back to you.