Costs are up. Response (for many) is down. Donors (some of them) are distracted and not paying as much attention. You can’t get the supplies you need.
Welcome to 2022.
What should you be doing to survive all the weirdness?
Read this post from The Agitator: 7 Survival Tips for 2022. This will really help…
- Don’t Whine. Sure, things are difficult. They may be especially difficult for you. But that’s life. Grit your teeth, build a plan, and stick to it.
- Re-Project and Take it Upstairs. Realistically, are you going to hit your numbers this year? If you don’t see a path to doing that, let your boss or board know. Denial only makes things worse.
- Advance the timetable for your year-end campaigns. Will supply chain issues improve over the coming months? Don’t count on it. Start projects early and be prepared to negotiate with production houses. Don’t be caught short mailing weeks behind schedule!
- Resist Your Natural Instincts. It’s natural to want to hide, cut back, and avoid taking chances when things are hard. Cutting back on fundraising — especially new donor acquisition — basically guarantees that the hard times will last five to ten years longer than it will for those who stay on track right now.
- Engage your core donors as you never have before. Your best donors are your best hope for sustaining your income in the months ahead. They will understand your predicament, and historically have increased their giving during rough times. Now’s a great time to get on the phone with them or send them a letter explaining why you need them more than ever. Believe me, they’ll respond.
- Do not lose the courage of your convictions. Keep connecting with your donors. Tell them the truth about the challenges you’re facing. Don’t decide for them that these times will keep them from giving. That’s their call, not yours!
- Don’t expect that the “good old days” will ever return. If your long-term plan is “hunker down until things get normal again,” you are heading for a lot of pain. Assume that the old days are gone and act accordingly.
Jeff Brooks has been serving the nonprofit community for more than 35 years and blogging about it since 2005. He considers fundraising the most noble of pursuits and hopes you’ll join him in that opinion. You can reach him at jeff [at] jeff-brooks [dot] com.
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