CCS Fundraising

Type: Article

Endowments have long been an important tool for arts and culture organizations to promote financial stability and growth in their community. As nonprofits continue to shift programming and strategy in light of COVID-19,  CCS finds that 36% of cultural organizations and 56% of performing arts organizations are anticipating a significant decline in their fundraising in the short and medium term. Endowments are not the only component that promotes organizational stability during or following a crisis; however, they provide an important income stream when other earned revenues may have ceased. To illustrate how important endowments are, the Chicago Tribune spoke with leadership of local arts organizations to learn what the pandemic means for their endowments.

Endowment Growth

As organizations navigate the “Great Reset,” arts and culture leaders should consider implementing a five to ten-year endowment growth strategy, aiming for endowment totals that are eight to ten times their annual expenses. This type of transformational support will allow arts and culture organizations to move forward from a survival-mode mindset into the world of measurable sustainability. Because of this, leaders can and should initiate the process today.

You may be thinking – how could we possibly focus on building our endowment when we are trying to keep our donors contributing to the annual fund? The necessity to engage with your donors to secure immediate support should be the priority of the organization as you navigate moments of crisis. However, the elements of these conversations with your donors will be important first steps for future conversations as organizations embrace the new normal. In this post, we offer thoughts on how to engage and educate your board, lead donors, and artistic personnel on the importance of endowments as you explore this strategy.

Begin Conversations with Board Leadership First

For arts and culture organizations that have smaller endowments, having the “endowment talk” with board members may prove difficult. Some individuals believe endowment strategy shuts out funds that could be used immediately to solve budget short-falls or enhance upcoming programs. These early objections from board members provide an opportunity to educate them on the long-term benefits of endowment growth, such as:

  1. A well invested endowment will allow an organization to draw about five percent annually from the fund to offset operational expenses in perpetuity, barring any specified fund restrictions. For example, an organization with an endowment of $5,000,000 may be able to draw $250,000 a year to support its annual programs.
  2. Endowments provide the flexibility for organizations to explore expanded programming and artistic risks. With the presence of a well-funded endowment, arts organizations can be more thoughtful about ticketing strategies, artistic commissions, acquisitions, community partnerships, and the like.
  3. While allowing for artistic flexibility during stable periods, endowments also allow for stability during uncertain times. This uncertainty can be seen internally during times of leadership change, or externally during crises such as COVID-19.
  4. Endowment growth will demonstrate an organization’s commitment to sustainable financial practices, opening the door to a stronger philanthropic environment promoting legacy and transformational giving within your organization.

Build Awareness Across Key Constituencies

In addition to educating your board about the importance of endowment growth for the future of the organization, building support with your lead donors is equally important. Consider a virtual lunch-and-learn on the topic of endowments as an effective first step in engaging your donors in these early conversations. The conversation can be framed in this spirit:

“We are cognizant of and are working diligently to address the current issues we are facing. Ever more important, we want to be forward looking in how we emerge and grow in this new normal. As such, we are thinking deeply about the role our endowment plays in our organization today, and how the endowment can support this growth 5-10 years in the future. “

We recommend outlining the same concepts above with your administrative staff as well as your artistic personnel – creating a unified vision across your nonprofit. Musicians and artists want to hear more about what the organization is doing in both the short- and long-term to stabilize, strengthen, and support its work. Beginning these conversations now will build their knowledge and support surrounding the endowment. Many vocal advocates will be crucial if your organization considers a formal endowment campaign in the future. Musicians, artists, and performers are the face of your organization. When they can say, “We believe in the future of our symphony and we know that our leadership is thinking long-term,” the community will follow.

Prepare to Build Your Endowment with Four Key Action Steps

It is worth noting again, we believe that immediate engagement with your donors is imperative to the short-term challenges due to COVID-19. CCS Fundraising has many client partners today who are taking a multifaceted approach in addressing current challenges while positioning for a sustainable future. While the above recommendations will be ongoing efforts, here are four steps you can take today:

  1. Peer Benchmarking – Explore the endowment landscape that exists in your own community and in your specific sector nationally. Are you a symphony orchestra in a mid-size city with an arts museum up the street? How does the size of its fund compare to the size of your orchestra’s? Similarly, if you are a mid-size orchestra, what trends and similarities can be seen at similarly sized organizations? This landscaping information is going to provide you with valuable insight to support your conversations with board members, staff, and artistic leadership.
  2. Review Gift Acceptance Policies – CCS recommends that organizations revisit gift acceptance policies to better understand how they are supporting growth in the endowment. Specifically, we have found that arts and culture organizations who designate all bequests to the Endowment Fund see a quicker rise in fund totals. Additionally, this encourages organizations to reduce reliance on bequests to cover annual budget short falls.
  3. Consider Special Endowment Requests – In addition to your normal annual gift or campaign gift request, you may consider adding 10% above the annual request amount towards the endowment. This can be used as a guidepost and will begin shaping the giving environment in preparation of an endowment campaign. For example, if you have an annual request of an individual at the $10,000 level, invite them to consider an additional gift of $1,000 – $1,500 to the endowment.
  4. Explore Named Gifts – A practice that has been embraced by higher education institutions and larger arts organizations is the employment of “endowed chairs.” Specifically in the arts and culture sector, this is a unique “naming opportunity” for the highest visible artistic positions in the organization. Consider endowing the Music Director Role, or your chief curator’s position. An important note: it has long been accepted to name these positions in perpetuity. This practice limits the organization’s ability to expand donor naming abilities in the future. CCS recommends considering naming agreements of 20-30 years.

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Members of the CCS team are highly experienced and knowledgeable across sectors, disciplines, and regions. With offices throughout the United States and the world, our unique, customized approach provides each client with an embedded team member for the duration of the engagement. To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

Relationships play an essential role in the success of any organization. Whether it is relationships within your organization, external partners, donors, clients, or volunteers, success is dependent on the support from others. Nonprofit organizations rely heavily on the engagement of teams and constituencies to ensure successful delivery of mission and sustainability for the future.

Strong relationships can take on many forms and we identify three characteristics commonly found in all: trust, respect, and authenticity. There are several strategies which help accelerate those relationships with your organizational staff, board, volunteers, and donors.

Three Pillars of Strong Relationships

Trust

Trust is an integral element to any successful relationship. Lack of trust equates to an imbalance in predictability which creates a culture where one or both parties feel a lack of control and foster an unwillingness to move forward and overcome challenges. Building trust can be implemented through some immediate best practices:

  • Prioritize learning and listening. Equal relationships are a two-way street, requiring both listening and understanding.
  • Be reliable and accountable. Following up and delivering items you have promised demonstrates you are committed to, and value, the time and ideas of your counterpart.
  • Perform tasks diligently and intentionally, show you can not only complete tasks but also go above and beyond to make that task meaningful and impactful. This is essential to building a strong sense of trust and loyalty.

When building trust with your constituencies, ensure that you are communicating transparently and providing consistent updates. Two successful trust building activities include: personal meetings/information sharing sessions and consistent stewardship publications highlighting organization success. These actions promote trust, which leads to a strong relationship between your organization and its partners.

Respect

As one of the most powerful elements of a strong relationship, respect is essential, especially when tasked with overcoming challenges.  Knowing that you have entered a cooperative partnership leads to successful collaboration.

Lack of respect reduces the opportunity to work collaboratively. If one or more party feels they are not heard, understood, or valued, the opportunity to overcome challenges is drastically more difficult.

Many well-respected organizations can be characterized by the level of engaged volunteers. These organizations find that managing volunteer engagement through orientations, trainings, and laser-focused activity charts fosters an elevated level of respect. Feeling fulfilled in their volunteer work only heightens the engagement of volunteers, ultimately raising the sites of the organization.

Authenticity

Those who bring their authentic selves into a relationship lead with courage, ask questions to strengthen a genuine connection, and create intentional environments of trust and respect. Entering a relationship authentically allows you to freely communicate your perspective while providing others with the same courtesy. Authentic relationships eliminate barriers created by feelings of unreliability and fear.

When our actions and thoughts are incongruent to our true beliefs, our outcome can come across as disingenuous. Easily identified by others, an insincere person will quickly fall out of favor.

Authentic leadership focuses on fulfilling the mission and vision of their organization. By articulating a strong Case for Support, leadership develops an action-oriented plan for their internal teams and a heightened sense of impact awareness among their external constituencies.

Developing Strong Organizational Relationships

Many chose a nonprofit career because of a deep connection to the organization’s mission. Respecting that passion is essential to building this relationship. Beginning with a foundation of mutual respect strengthens the relationship between manager and staff while valuing teams for the hard work and many sacrifices they make.

A staff culture built on respect and trust allows for leaders to effectively assess situations, garner support and input and forge paths forward. An authentic leader works to ensure that their staff is confident that everyone’s best interest is kept in the forefront of decision making. As you navigate the changing landscape of nonprofit leadership, keep in mind the pillars that make up a successful relationship and implement them in your daily team communication.

Three Effective Strategies to Strengthen Team Relationships

  1. Implement weekly all-team check-in call to increase transparency throughout team functions.
  2. Institute bi-weekly one-on-one phone calls or email notes to strengthen individual relationships.
  3. Discuss high-level department strategy on a quarterly, if not monthly, basis. Your team wants to understand leadership decision making and it is important that you encourage feedback to foster a collaborative environment.

Growing Board and Volunteer Relationships

Board and volunteer leadership are an organization’s greatest assets. Nonprofits rely on their leadership, their guidance, and their unwavering commitment to help further the day-to-day work. Focusing on the motivation of their involvement is the first step in deepening your personal relationship with these partners. When managing your board and volunteers, ensure that you are following through with promises to build trust in your work.

Conveying to volunteers and board members their importance and the impact of their time helps grow a new or challenging relationship. Elevating their level of engagement is possible through deepening their relationship with the organization and core staff members.

Three Effective Strategies to Strengthen Board and Volunteer Relationships

  1. Manage their time effectively: respect agenda items and manage activity tracking charts and expectations.
  2. Allow for proactive two-way communication: listen, implement suggested ideas, and follow up.
  3. Provide follow up reminders for tasks and expectations: volunteers give freely of their time and gentle follow up provides a roadmap of guidance.

Fostering Strong Donor Relationships

Nonprofit leaders focus much of their energy on the identification, discovery, and cultivation of our donor relationships. These relationships, the lifeline of the organization, are invaluable and should always be both a short- and long-term strategic focus. Being the bridge between the donor and the organization’s mission is the first step in developing deep engagement. It is best practice to employ all three pillars of a successful relationship as you become the financial steward of a donor’s charitable investment. Building an authentic, trustworthy relationship built on respect provides you the credibility to engage with donors in a meaningful way.

We know that individuals give because they are asked, and in relationship to who asks them. With this as a foundational principle, we understand the essential role relationship building has to our organization’s success.

Three Effective Strategies to Strengthen Donor Relationships

  1. Schedule listening sessions to understand what motivates each donor and how they see themselves as part of your organization.
  2. Develop detailed communication plans for donors to ensure they are aware of organizational updates and activities consistently and not only when asked for financial commitments.
  3. Provide comprehensive, personalized, and thoughtful gift acknowledgements and stewardship reports to demonstrate impact to the organization and appreciation.

Relationship development is a deeply personal activity and can manifest in several ways. When assessing your relationship dynamics are you thinking about respect, trust and authenticity? As you continue to deepen the engagement of your constituencies, keep these tools in mind to create strong and meaningful relationships.

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. As leading consulting experts in campaign and development strategy, we plan and implement fundraising initiatives to help nonprofit organizations make a bigger impact—locally, nationally, and globally. For over 70 years, CCS has empowered many of the world’s greatest organizations to advance some of the most important causes in history. While the results of our work are immediate, the impact of the strategies, tools, and tactics we develop with our clients are enduring.

To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

The Autumn months are typically a heightened activity period for charitable organisations. While elements of this year’s plan will change, it is still important to ensure that September-December remains a period of focused action which will yield financial results.

Here are five tips to help you get ready for September:

Tip 1: Develop a Calendar and Set Goals for the Period

  • Develop a one-page fundraising calendar that takes you to the end of the year.
  • Include any important dates or events (even if the format will be different this year) and consider how you can use these to progress fundraising conversations.
  • Include financial and activity benchmarks so you can continually assess progress and amend your plans as necessary:
    • How many meetings do you hope to hold each week/month?
    • How will you divide the financial goal across September – December?

Tip 2: Revisit Your Prospect List

  • Identify the top 25 most important relationships for your organisation in the coming months. For each develop a personalised plan which addresses:
    • The objective for each e.g. build affiliation, brief them on your plans, ask for their support, steward their gift.
    • What activities need to happen over the next few months to reach this outcome?
  • Make sure your pipeline is up to date. This may include adding new names to your database (e.g. new parents, recent graduates, new community members).

Tip 3: Prepare Your Materials

  • Spend time reviewing your fundraising materials and identify any that may benefit from updating.
  • Share information regarding how your organisation has responded during the Covid-19 pandemic and how this has impacted the support that you require to ensure that your priorities remain highly relevant.
  • Refresh your documents by incorporating updated images, statistics, infographics and testimonials to tell the story and encourage giving.

Tip 4: Plan Events for the Autumn

  • Consider your events calendar, although the format of some events may change it is important to create opportunities throughout the year to engage with your community.
  • Spend time now on the core elements such as defining the guest list, confirming the format and making key stakeholders aware of significant dates.

Tip 5: Celebrate Recent Wins

  • The last few months have been challenging for all organisations, spend some time reflecting on the ways in which you adapted and the progress that was made.
  • By documenting your successes, you may even find that you have new content to share with your community about the ways in which your organisation responded to the crisis and continued to drive activity in line with your mission.

COVID-19 has forced organizations of all sizes and sectors to adapt to a digital model, with impacts that will likely last beyond the pandemic. Churches are no exception. As the pandemic spread in March, parishes and dioceses across the United States closed their doors and suspended all in-person gatherings and events. While doing so was the right decision to help limit the spread and flatten the curve, it had two immediate impacts:

  1. Millions of people lost an essential part of their lives in the suspension of weekly Mass/service
  2. Parishes faced a financial crisis without the weekly collections

Many parishes across the country – primarily larger congregations – already had virtual footprints embedded in their communities, utilizing online and mobile giving, regularly updated websites, and social media platforms such as Facebook or YouTube. However, countless others were not so fortunate at the outbreak of the pandemic and had to make decisions and investments very quickly to adapt their parishes to the new normal for worship. Through an analysis conducted by CCS Fundraising of over 2,400 Catholic and Episcopal parishes across 29 dioceses in the Mid-Atlantic and the Southeast United States, it is clear to see these investments and adaptations are paying off both financially and spiritually. Parishes that are using this opportunity to expand their digital footprints and utilize a variety of communications strategies are realizing financial benefits that will last far beyond this pandemic crisis.

Given the uncertainty of how long the pandemic would keep churches closed to in-person worship, one of the first actions parishes took was to learn how to stream Masses/services. Our research has found that 66% of parishes are streaming their Masses/services via Facebook Live, YouTube, or Zoom. Beyond that, many are also virtually hosting weekly coffee hours, daily prayers, and ministry meetings. Doing so has allowed these parishes to continue gathering for the church. While worshippers still may not be physically going to church, the use of streaming technologies has allowed the sense of faith, hope, and community that comes from in-person weekly worship to continue.

Church closures and the absence of in-person gatherings also have complicated manners of communicating valuable information to parishioners. What once was an announcement at Masses/services or disseminated in print bulletins also had to be adapted to the new remote lifestyle. Questions then arise: What methods of communication will be most useful or accessible for our community? How do we maintain contact with as many parishioners as possible? How do we communicate with older parishioners who may not have the same technical capabilities for virtual methods?

While simple phone calls to check-in with families are often the most personal and successful, the above questions (among many others) show the need for a variety of methods. Our research finds that 89% of parishes use websites for communication, and 80% use Facebook or other social media platforms, yet only 46% are continuing to publish bulletins/newsletters in digital formats. It is important to note these data do not overlap, as parishes may only be utilizing one or two of the mentioned methods. Using multiple communication methods makes it easier to reach all parishioners and maintain the sense of community vital to parish life.

COVID-19 presented a significant financial crisis for most parishes, removing their primary method of collecting revenue (in-pew collections) indefinitely. Many did not have existing online or mobile giving platforms, leaving them to rely on families dropping off or mailing their donations to the office. The opportunity arose for most parishes to adapt and implement new systems into their communities. We have found that 54% of parishes have an online or mobile giving platform, allowing their families to donate from the comfort – and safety – of their home.

Communicating the importance of offertory is crucial, yet only 45% are doing so on their websites, 15% on Facebook, and 22% in their bulletins/newsletters. Parishioners need to know the importance of continuing their contributions to their churches, and this proves to be an area of opportunity based on our findings.

While the ideal scenario for a parish would be to include all methods listed above – and more – as part of their pandemic strategies, it is not necessary. However, what is necessary is that every parish adapts its digital environment and frequently communicates through a variety of methods. The chart below shows one diocese in the southeastern United States that followed these recommendations through CCS’s SECURE program beginning on April 2nd. While parish finances lagged behind pre-pandemic levels, the immediate digital adaptations and communication strategies led to remarkable financial gains.

Figure 1: How rapid digital adaptations benefited one southeastern diocese financially

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented need for change at parishes of all denominations and sizes across the country. Those who embrace this opportunity and adapt accordingly will benefit both their parish community in providing effective occasions for gathering remotely and the economic well-being of their parish to withstand the hardships caused by this pandemic. Those who put in these efforts now will see lasting benefits even beyond the pandemic crisis.

Proven Tips for Effective Adaptation:

  • Embrace change and try new ideas. These are uncertain times for all, and churches are feeling an impact. Some churches already had digital communities before the pandemic, while others did not. Use this time to learn new technologies and integrate them into your parish communities.
  • Use a variety of platforms and strategies for communication (e. websites, social media posts, video messages).
  • Regularly update the information provided on these platforms daily or weekly.
  • Be transparent about finances. Parishioners will not understand the economic hardships presented to churches by COVID-19 unless they are explicitly told via church websites/social media pages, newsletters, or even phone calls.
  • Know your parishioners and be creative. Every method discussed above has proven to be beneficial for parishes of both Catholic and Episcopal faiths in these regions. However, each parish has its own unique community, and some ideas may work better than others.

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Members of the CCS team are highly experienced and knowledgeable across sectors, disciplines, and regions. With offices throughout the United States and the world, our unique, customized approach provides each client with an embedded team member for the duration of the engagement. To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

In recent months, our global community has faced extraordinary circumstances that have forced long-standing institutional and systemic inequities to the forefront of our collective consciousness. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on the disproportionate impact of health crises on our most vulnerable populations, and the Black Lives Matter movement galvanized global attention and action around systemic racism. These events may seem unrelated, but the root of both is simply injustice. While these issues are not new, the attention, momentum, and urgency to address these problems are. CCS Fundraising’s Inequity in a Global Crisis webinar series was originally conceived to discuss inequities amplified by COVID-19, but because of the intersectionality of this work, we hope our research will serve as a catalyst for critical thinking and innovative solutions to create a more just and equitable society.

The ramifications of the current global health pandemic and corresponding economic crisis are not universal. Due to inequities that existed long before the coronavirus, their disproportionate effects on certain populations have been heightened and compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women; black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC); LGBTQ+ communities; people with disabilities; and those experiencing homelessness or economic insecurity are among populations facing challenges that far exceed others. Individuals who form these constituencies are experiencing a significantly greater degree of:

  • Institutionalized economic insecurity and the concurrent lack of a financial safety net.
  • High unemployment rates and high risk of exposure through “essential” jobs.
  • Limited access to routine healthcare and historically higher incidences of underlying health conditions.
  • Discrimination by implicit or explicit bias, isolation and a vulnerability to hostile or violent behavior.
  • Limited access to necessary and life-sustaining services.
This image shows six panels: 1. Prior to the coronavirus, 25% of domestic workers lived below the poverty line. Currently 72% of Latinx domestic workers report unemployment in the US. 2. Globally, women comprise 76% of the healthcare workforce in nursing homes, doctors' offices, outpatient clinics, and health delivery centers other than hospitals. They also make up more than 80% of workers in other direct care professions including day care for children and seniors, occupational speech and physical therapies, home health and living assistance, and other service industry support roles. 3. Black Americans have historically higher incidences of underlying health conditions most likely to increase the chance of death with COVID-19. Homeless populations have a high circumstantial risk of developing COVID-19 and subsequent barrier to care. 4. Diasporic Asians are experiencing xenophobia and discriminatory threats by misguided association and false information. 5. LGBTQ+ dedicated violence prevention hotlines have seen a 30% increase in calls during the pandemic as a result of stay-at-home confinement living arrangements. 6. Life-sustaining medical treatments are at risk for the 61 million Americans who live with a disability and the 350 million individuals worldwide who are affected by a rare disease diagnosis.

While the risk of contracting COVID-19 is universally threatening, the lasting impact of inequity will burden these communities long after the pandemic has ended.

Many of these effects can be minimized with robust support from the broader philanthropic community. However, doing so successfully will require more than a “one-size-fits-all” fundraising effort to alleviate the unique suffering experienced by these underserved populations. Fundraising to alleviate the long-term effects of the pandemic and concurrent economic crisis requires empathy, agility, innovation, and a dynamic perspective in order to meet the diversity of needs these communities face.

This effort begins with a commitment to reduce stigma and build community resilience by:

This image shows 10 suggestions: 1. Sharing the need for social and financial support for marginalized groups 2. Maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those seeking healthcare 3. Quickly communicating the risk or lack of risk associated with products, people, and places 4. Raising awareness about COVID-19 without increasing fear 5. Sharing accurate and accessible information about how the virus spreads 6. Speaking out against negative behaviors and the exclusion of marginalized groups 7. Being cautious about the images that are shared to avoid reinforcing stereotypes 8. Engaging with marginalized groups in person and through social media 9. Thanking healthcare workers, responders, and those providing essential services 10. Nonprofit leaders: having discussions with your board about the relationship between justice/equity and your mission.

The question then becomes: how do we contextualize this information when building a responsive funding strategy? Philanthropists and nonprofit organizations can transform the future and help rebuild the fabric of society by viewing their mission through a lens that acknowledges these inequities. This will help align their existing work with the needs that have been brought into global focus.

Consider:

  • Acknowledging the complex challenges that emerge from the intersection of this virus and the inequities that have long existed in our society.
  • Demonstrating a direct link between the challenges faced by these constituencies and your mission, vision, and goals, advocating for these constituencies, and strengthening your organization’s connection.
  • Seeking proportionate and adaptable solutions for the underlying causality to competently address systemic inequities.
  • Planning in a strategic, thoughtful, and measured way and setting inspirational goals and clear benchmarks for success in all aspects of your mission.
  • Supporting local organizations who serve, and businesses owned by, these populations
  • Partnering with and centering the voices, experiences, and perspectives of the populations you serve.

Although increased access to resources is the common theme, we should examine the structures in place that have created these inequities. Philanthropists and nonprofit organizations can begin to address these issues in some of the following ways:

  • Cisgender Women – Seek opportunities to collaborate and build partnerships with women who are already serving in various community leadership roles and strengthen these relationships with empathy and engagement.
  • BIPOC – Ensure the stability of businesses owned by people of color by investing assets, funding equitable growth, and empowering equitable skills training.
  • LGBTQ+ – Alleviate historical stigma and discrimination by facilitating education, conversation, and the spread of accurate information tailored to specific identities.
  • People with Disabilities – Enhance the lives of the disabled by addressing the shortage of life-saving medical equipment and services.
  • Homeless & Economically Insecure – Help fill the gap between need and government funding for the critical shortage of housing and wrap-around services.

For more information on these topics and fundraising strategies to address inequities amplified by the current pandemic, we hope you will view our webinar presented on June 3, 2020. We also encourage you to access these Inequality in a Global Crisis documents that provide resources and references for each of these constituencies.

For most nonprofit organizations, the future of fundraising remains uncertain. This is especially true of educational institutions that must also prepare for a new school year which may feature distanced learning or an adapted model. However, these institutions also have a summer break that can allow them some time to plan ahead for any contingency. In particular, the summer months allow time to assess and plan a fundraising strategy for the short and long term.

A great example of this is the Berwick Academy in South Berwick, ME, an independent school that is dedicating its summer to planning ahead. In a new video, Bob Weston, a Senior Consultant with CCS Fundraising, speaks with Jim Hamilton, Head of School at Berwick Academy, to learn about how the school is adapting to the COVID-19 crisis.

As Jim says, the summer is a chance to spend the time “building the type of program that is going to allow for us to be successful in the future.”

Berwick Academy is a Pre-K-12 private school and the oldest educational institution in Maine. Jim became Head of School at Berwick Academy in 2018, and is emphasizing the importance of the summer to find new ways to engage parents, reach out to alumni, and create new relationships in a robust and targeted way.

“If we don’t emerge from COVID-19 a stronger, wiser institution, then we will have missed an opportunity,” says Jim.

For more up-to-date information, visit ccsfundraising.com

To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate and major impact on nonprofit fundraising in the first few months of the crisis. While the picture still remains challenging for many organizations, new data from a large-scale CCS Fundraising survey of nonprofit organizations suggests that the philanthropic landscape has improved markedly thanks in part to innovative approaches to fundraising.

The results, which reflect survey responses from 1,014 individuals representing nonprofit organizations across sectors, track performance and perceptions between May 1 and June 1. This report is a follow-up to an initial CCS survey that captured activity between April 1 and May 1. Here are three key takeaways:

Fundraising Performance is on the Upswing

In the latest report, 23% of respondents cited fundraising increases, while only 14% noted increases in the previous survey. Additionally, the June 1 report showed decreases to fundraising being reported by 56% of respondents, a drop from the 63% reporting decreases a month prior. While these new numbers are notably more positive, the picture remains challenging with more than half of respondents citing declines in fundraising.

Major Efforts Continuing with Modifications

Following trends seen in the first edition of this survey, most nonprofits report that they will continue with their major pre-existing campaign plans with appropriate adjustments.

The data shows that organizations have also used technology and innovation to continue large fundraising initiatives. For example, just under two-thirds of respondents reported that they were either considering or had already held a virtual fundraising event amid the widespread inability to host in-person gatherings. Similarly, nearly two-thirds of respondents reported undertaking a special appeal or emergency fund amidst the pandemic.

Donor engagement methods leveraging technology also rose during the month of May, with an increased percentage of respondents citing their use of social media and other online methods of engagement, like webinars and podcasts.

Nearly Three-Quarters Have Not Made Staffing Changes

The number of nonprofits reporting layoffs and furloughs of fundraising staff increased slightly from the last survey, though a majority of respondents (72%) reported that they had no staffing changes. Hiring, on the other hand, remains stagnant as most organizations have not added new staff during this time.

Click Here to Access the Full Report

CCS will continue to roll out new installments of this survey in the coming months, in addition to offering insights on how the data should inform short- and long-term fundraising plans. If you have questions about the report or would like to discuss your fundraising strategies, contact CCS today.

For more up-to-date information, visit ccsfundraising.com

To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.

An external crisis such as COVID-19 causes significant shifts for a nonprofit’s operational and strategic funding needs and plans.

Today, many organisations require immediate revenue to overcome the short term challenges presented by the impact of the pandemic.  Simultaneously, they are concerned about how these conversations will affect long term campaign commitments.

With a focused request strategy, it is possible to secure short term support without jeopardising future discussions.

In this post, we lay out the key considerations to keep in mind when planning for such a request:

1.  Prioritise your prospects. Review the potential in your pipeline as well as your recent major gift donors to identify which prospects you will approach. Be guided by affinity, ability, and access.

  • Ask: Who do we consider our insiders? Who is briefed on our long-term needs and understands our current situation? Who would be receptive to an additional or increased request? Whose involvement might inspire others to commit to our immediate needs?

2.  Develop your case. Articulate the necessity of short-term support and link this to the wider campaign and organisational mission. A strong and clear alignment of immediate and long-term requirements will strengthen your message, allowing you to stay true to the overall organisational ambition and show how a contribution now fits in to the bigger picture.

  • Your case should address core questions, including: How much funding is needed to support your immediate operations? How will this advance your long term, strategic plans?

3.  Embrace flexible strategies and gift structures. A change in your cultivation and gift request strategy should be rooted in flexibility. It is likely that you may be asking prospects and donors to accelerate or increase their existing gift and therefore you need to offer various giving options and payment schedules to fulfil this combined or increased donation.

4.  Update and steward regularly. Demonstrating the impact of your donors’ generosity will help to progress your future campaign request. Also, a frequent update on your needs leaves the door open for additional giving in the future.

Future Considerations

As you activate these conversations, keep the following questions in mind:

  • Which donors will step up again if COVID-19 continues to impede our ability to raise annual revenue?
  • Will our present operational need impact our campaign case, strategy, projections, and timeline?
  • What have we learned about our donors’ interests and gift structure preferences through this process?

In a changing environment, nonprofits are exploring new and innovative ways to engage with audiences effectively. A key consideration is how to excite prospects and donors virtually to yield the same impact as in-person meetings.

Below are some factors when you are planning your next virtual call:

  1. Turn on your camera! It may sound simple but it is a critical part of making connections with whom you seek to engage. Don’t forget to give thought to your background to ensure that you are portraying the professionalism of your organisation on every call.
  2. Make time for rapport building. During in-person meetings there are natural opportunities for small talk with individuals to ask how they are and share anecdotes. There can be a temptation virtually to ‘dive straight in’ to the content but it is important to allow time to develop relationships. You may wish to start the call by saying: “thank you for your time today, there is a lot I hope to discuss with you but before we get started I wanted to ask how you/ your family are doing?” This will signal that you value the individual’s time whilst still enabling rapport building.
  3. Consider visual aids. Often during in-person meetings there is the added benefit that participants are able to visit the organisational headquarters or view documents as part of the meeting to create a greater sense of your ethos and mission. During virtual calls, this is still possible but may require more forward planning. The following tools are effective:
    • Pre-read – work back from what you hope to achieve during your call and ask yourself: what information is it useful to provide in advance to pave the way for this outcome? Keep any pre-reads short and concise, they should whet the reader’s appetite and provide foundation information which can be expanded upon during your conversation.
    • Slide deck – this doesn’t have to be detailed and you should avoid too much copy, use a small selection of striking images that punctuate your main points and help to navigate through the discussion in a structured way.
    • A short video – though there may be additional work required to pull together a video, there is great value in being able to share a ‘live’ portrayal of your organisation from afar. Content may include a visual tour of a new building or testimonials from programme beneficiaries. If you do decide to use a video, think about sending it in advance to set the context for discussion and ensure that the quality is optimised.
  1. Plan your narrative. Think about the time that you have for the meeting and plan your time accordingly to ensure that you are able to cover all the content you require. The benefit of a virtual meeting is that you can rely on more notes than you may use in-person so don’t be afraid to use this to your advantage.
  2. Make it a conversation. Engaging participants in virtual calls does require more effort than in-person meetings as you are not as readily able to pick up on their cues. To mitigate this, weave multiple opportunities for engagement into your narrative; ask questions, seek their feedback and confirm understanding. This will allow you to gain a much greater sense of their interests and views to tailor your discussions in the future.

An external crisis such as COVID-19 causes significant shifts for a nonprofit’s operational and strategic funding needs and plans. Whether it’s for a campaign or operational sustainability, through a focused and clear request strategy, your organization can secure immediate support from your closest and most capable supporters without compromising future strategic funding requests. In this post, we lay out the key considerations to keep in mind when planning a combined or sequenced request.

  • Prioritize your prospects. Review the potential in your request pipeline as well as your recent major gift donors to identify which prospects you will approach for this type of request. Be guided by affinity, ability, and access. Ask: Who do we consider our insiders? Who is briefed on our long-term needs and understands our current situation? Who would be receptive to an additional or increased request? Whose support might inspire others to commit to our immediate needs?
  • Develop your connected case. You will need to articulate the need for immediate support, the importance of your strategic vision or campaign impact, and the connection between these needs. A strong and clear relationship between your immediate and long-term needs can lead to successful combined requests. Your case should address key questions, including: How much funding is needed to support your immediate operations? How will immediate annual support help advance your long term, strategic plans?
  • Lead with your mission and be transparent. As you approach your lead supporters for a combined or sequenced request, ground the request in your mission and the essentiality of your organization. Provide a clear outlook on your immediate needs and acknowledge that they may shift, given this ever-changing environment.
  • Embrace flexible strategies and gift structures. A pivoted solicitation should be rooted in flexibility. You are likely to navigate an accelerated solicitation timeline and should therefore offer your donor various giving vehicles or payment schedules to fulfill this combined or increased commitment.
  • Update and steward regularly. Demonstrating the impact of your donors’ operational support can help advance your future campaign request. Additionally, a frequent update on your immediate needs leaves the door open for additional support should your annual operations needs grow.

The Request Conversation

As you prepare for these requests, develop language to help articulate the urgent need alongside your long-term plans. Your conversation may include the following language:

  • Our organization has had to be flexible in this unprecedented time, and we anticipate we’ll need to continue to shift our plans as we respond to changes in our environment. Your partnership is critical as we navigate this situation. As one of our closest friends, we need your support to uphold our mission while advancing our campaign plans.
  • Our campaign plans remain the same, but COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our annual needs. The sooner we can address our current operating needs, the sooner we can advance our campaign mission.
  • With these needs in mind, would you be open to discussing your (future campaign commitment OR current pledge) and how you could have an impact on both our immediate needs and the future of our organization?
  • I invite you to consider a combined gift structure that provides us with immediate support while helping to activate our important long-term strategy.

Potential Gift Structures

We recommend developing several options that will allow flexibility for your donors and your organization. Based on the current prospect relationship and strategy, you can develop a combined or sequenced approach to secure funding for immediate and future needs.

Future Considerations

As you activate these combined gift strategies, keep the following questions top of mind:

  • Which donors will step up again if COVID-19 continues to impede our ability to raise our annual revenue?
  • Will our current operational need impact our campaign case, strategy, projections, and timeline?
  • What have we learned about our donors’ interests and gift structure preferences through this process?

CCS Fundraising is a strategic fundraising consulting firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Members of the CCS team are highly experienced and knowledgeable across sectors, disciplines, and regions. With offices throughout the United States and the world, our unique, customized approach provides each client with an embedded team member for the duration of the engagement. To access our full suite of perspectives, publications, and reports, visit our insights page. To learn more about CCS Fundraising’s suite of services, click here.