How Charities Can Keep their COVID19 Donors
Even in the darkest of times, the generosity of the human spirit finds a way to shine through. In the face of the COVID19 pandemic, wealthy Americans and businesses donated more to charitable foundations than ever before.
The surge of donations in 2020 made a huge impact on helping those most affected by the consequences of the pandemic. But as the war against COVID wages on, many of these charities (and several others) are struggling to keep pace with the continued need for their services in the face of waning donations. This uphill battle has spurred conversation in the charitable community about how they can encourage their generous donors to stay on board and continue to lend a helping hand.
The War on Waning and Waxing Donations
Close to half of the wealthy households that made charitable donations in 2020 did so in a direct response to the pandemic, with donors particularly focused on serving the needs of their local communities. Nonprofits that fall into the human services groups saw a significant influx of funds, with an 8.4% growth in donations from the previous year. These groups focus on meeting basic needs and include, among others, food banks, homeless shelters, youth programs and social services.
In addition to human services groups, a large portion of giving responded to the economic trouble and social turmoil that surged as a result of the pandemic. Public-society benefit organizations, like United Way, recorded the most growth in gifts and donations at a 14.3% increase. Organizations focused on racial justice and protecting civil or voting rights experienced a historically steep climb in donations. Many larger gifts went to funding COVID19 research, which actually counts as giving toward education, not health.
These donations have been essential as we continue the journey to understanding, curbing and defeating our microbial enemy and the devastating effects the pandemic has had on our society as a whole. Unfortunately, as Americans grow weary of fighting a war that seems to have no end in sight, donations toward these essential charities and causes are beginning to level out or decline, a shift that could carry severe consequences.
In order to continue the fight and help those still in dire need, charities need to find a way to appeal to their donors and keep their funding. Without continued donations, these organizations will be forced to shutter operations, leaving hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people desperate for help.
Speaking Up for the Cause
At the beginning of 2020, the need for help and donation was obvious. Every American could see those around them struggling (not in-person, of course) as we watched the world succumb to lockdowns, sickness and death. Two years later, the crisis continues, but many have become desensitized or blind to the ongoing devastation.
To appeal to donors, charities must reach an audience that is currently much less affected by ongoing pandemic-related issues than those they are helping. It needs to be made clear that the fight is far from over. With unemployment still a huge problem, largely due to the current crisis in childcare, many Americans are still fighting hunger and the inability to meet their own basic needs. The crisis in racial justice, civil rights and voting rights has only gotten worse as tension from the pandemic continues.
In this time, charities should be open and loud about how their work has helped us survive the pandemic, and that their work is still ongoing. By helping donors see the way their previous generosity made such an impact, charities can inspire those individuals and businesses to continue making a real difference and making their significance felt.
Giving Going Online
In addition, charities should utilize innovations made in digital and online giving. As in-person events and galas are no longer a responsible option for raising funds, nonprofits can utilize online opportunities to help raise donations. Digital auctions, for example, have been successfully used in many organizations to raise significant funds.
Crowdfunding has also become a powerful phenomenon in charitable giving, with sites such as GoFundMe contributing to a massive influx of useful donations. Likewise, social media platforms have become popular places for charities and nonprofit foundations to encourage and receive significant gifts. Charities with a significant online presence stand to reach donors more directly and effectively, and individual donors are much more likely to give through an online platform than any other.
Promise for Progress
Even amidst a crisis that asks us to keep a physical distance from others, we can still support each other and our communities throughout. Charitable donations have been the lifeline that changed the projection of the COVID19 crisis for so many Americans and the helping hand that pulled them out of hopelessness. Speaking up loudly about the ongoing need for help, and sharing the impact of those gifts, can inspire the spirit that spurred them in the first place.
As the pandemic’s long-term effects continue to unfold, we must focus on the promising pattern we’ve seen in charitable generosity. There is hope that the digital innovations developed to facilitate continue giving in our new and ever-changing environment and that they can help both donors and nonprofits as they adapt and plan for the future ahead.