During the COVID-19 pandemic, non-profit organizations have been more relevant than ever to help those struggling. However, it can be difficult for these organizations to secure the funding they need to continue operations. Many people have had to scale back on their own budgets, either from losing their jobs or fear that they will lose it sometime soon. Non-profit organizations have stepped up their appeals by honestly explaining why they need funding at the moment. Take these steps in mind if you are running a non-profit organization through this pandemic.
Acknowledgment
As people are trying to stay afloat, they might genuinely not understand how much your organization might be struggling, too. Many people incorrectly assume that anonymous, wealthy benefactors contribute to non-profits all the time. To gain more funding from average Americans, make sure to get your message out there by using as many mediums as possible. Social media is a great way to put the word out. It also helps to restate how your organization helps others and what you could accomplish if you had more. This could mean explaining how much people could be helped out with a simple donation or how much funding you have to pay employees and keep the lights on. Acknowledging your struggles is just one way to can get people to sympathize with you.
Progress
While you might promise people what their money can do for others, they might not honestly believe it yet. More than 1.5 million non-profit groups exist in the United States. Many people have decision fatigue and are wary of trusting a potential scam. Describing your non-profit organization’s progress is crucial in making sure that you get the funding you need. To do this, lay out your mission statement and your company goals. Make a point of emphasizing how you have stuck to those goals and how many people you have been able to help. You must be transparent with all financials. The more open you are about donations and spending details, the more confident your donors will feel about their contributions. Make sure that you always describe your progress to any willing donors of your non-profit organization.
Asking for Donations
Many people out there are not necessarily struggling in terms of money, but they have little free time to research non-profit organizations to sponsor. You can reach out to these people through various methods online or via the post office. To reach your audience, create a clear, concise message about your purpose and your success stories to-date. Keep active on social media with news about your organization and how much donations have helped. Word of mouth is a great, free form of advertising, and even busy people will be more willing to donate to a familiar-sounding name, given that they don’t have to go out of their way to search for you. Ensure that you always ask for donations ethically and by the book and that you keep looking for ways that you can bring in even more donations.