6 Keys to Major Gifts Fundraising After a Disaster

6 Keys to Major Gifts Fundraising After a Disaster looks at the ways you can aid your community after a disaster has struck.

We have been praying for those affected by Hurricane Helene.  The lives lost, property devastation, and suffering feels overwhelming. Yet, there is hope. Thousands of people and organizations are working together to pour assistance into the lives of people left in the wake of Helene. In the same way we see images of destruction, we will see many illustrations of human empathy, strength, resilience, and togetherness.

For nonprofits serving in areas affected by Helene, now is the time to lean into fundraising efforts. With so many emergency needs in your communities, you may feel like you don’t have time to raise money.  Perhaps you think there are no extra minutes for anything but relief efforts.  Yet, carving out time for major donors will not only help you fund the need now, it will plant seeds for more gifts in the future.

Here are six keys to major gifts fundraising after a disaster that will help you get through this crisis and be prepared for the next one. By the way, these tactics work even if you aren’t in an area directly impacted by Helene.

1. Check on your major donors

Start by being a friend to your supporters by calling, texting, and stopping by to check on them. Listen to their concerns with genuine empathy and offer to help. Showing that you care is a vital element to nurturing key relationships.  Offering to pray with them is a way to provide comfort even if there is no direct action you can take to assist. You may also have ideas, resources, connections, or needed items that can help your donors. Regardless of how they are affected by the storm, an encouraging and supportive word goes a long way.

2. Tell the stories

Make a list of the ways your organization is helping in the midst of hardship. Take pictures and document how many people you serve and in what ways. Note specific stories that are moving examples of your work. Then tell these stories to your largest funders. They will appreciate knowing about your activity and seeing how your efforts fit into your overall mission. Your supporters will be impressed by your ability to act quickly, your creativity to find solutions, and your perseverance in the face of adversity. Even if your nonprofit is not involved in direct relief efforts, you need to show your donors how you continue to serve and connect the importance of your work to people directly or indirectly affected by the crisis.

3. Invite your major donors to volunteer or see your efforts

Everyone is looking for ways to help their neighbors after a disaster and you can provide opportunities for your donors to be involved. Offer to pick them up or meet them at a convenient location and plug them into how your organization is serving. Don’t be afraid to put your wealthy friends to work. They can pack boxes, answer the phone, make deliveries of needed supplies, clear debris, or take meals to people with no power. Even if you don’t have anything for them to do, you can take them on a tour and show them how your nonprofit is pitching in to help.

4. Be specific about where money is going

One of the biggest mistakes nonprofits make is talking too generally or with industry lingo about their work. Here is an example: “We collaborated with community organizations to empower people in need to provide critical resources and addressed individual concerns with direct sustainable assistance.” This may sound good on a grant application, but it says nothing. Rather than using buzz words, quantify the number of people you help and be specific about your work. For instance, “we delivered 624 meals to elderly shut ins, transported 89 people with disabilities to medical appointments, and bought $63,576 worth of diapers, baby formula, and children’s clothing for four area shelters.” Then ask for a specific gift for a clear purpose. “Would you consider a gift of $10,000 to enable us to take 2,000 meals to the elderly and people with disabilities?”

5. Increase communication

I’ve seen some nonprofits paralyzed by disasters and unsure how to communicate with donors.  I’ve even heard board members say, “now is not the time to be asking for money.” The opposite is true. Increasing your communication efforts to supporters following a disaster is the way to remind them how you are changing and saving lives. I’m sure you’ve already heard about response efforts from the big players like the American Red Cross or Samaritan’s Purse. Don’t let large organizations crowd out your messaging. You need to be top of mind during disasters for your major givers.  This is definitely when the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

6. Stay Positive

I know it’s overwhelming, exhausting, and painful to be in the middle of suffering and hardship, but positivity matters most. Your ability to be upbeat during the chaos will shine light into the darkness. Your employees, volunteers, and donors will be lifted by your positive spirit and you can help them see a way through the hardship.  Finding ways to smile, be thankful, make jokes, and be optimistic will not only make you feel better, but it will also be contagious for those around you.

Thank you for your heart for people in need! In many and various ways, I am inspired by the courageous efforts to recover from this disaster. There is nothing easy about your work in the nonprofit sector, but please know your efforts are important, inspirational, and life changing. You are our heroes!

6 Keys to Major Gifts Fundraising After a Disaster was first posted at INSIDE CHARITY

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