Covid-19 & Nonprofits Part 1: Donors

Why Now?

Nonprofits have been canceling events.
Organizations are sending employees home to self-isolate.
Government and private funders require receipts or proof that the nonprofit spent money on programs.
Grants tend to be bound by restrictions on program execution and timeframe.
Grant-dependent organizations will be the hardest hit.

Understand.
- Nonprofits operate on slim margins because the goal is to put money back into the community.
- In order for a nonprofit to serve, it needs to pay personnel, rent, utilities, and so much more.
- Small organizations may have less than 90 days of cash on hand.
- Services may shut down temporarily.
- Nonprofits are losing tens of thousands of grant dollars.
- Continued services to the community may shut down forever without unrestricted, contributed support.
Give.
- Donate the money that you spent on a pre-bought charitable event back to the organization.
- Increase your annual gift. Even an increase of $20 will help a small nonprofit stay afloat.
- Running services remotely will be challenging and nonprofits may need more money.
Support.
- For those working to help others, it is crushing to be away from clients.
- Send words of support to the nonprofit. A card, letter, or email will do.
- Call out the good work that a nonprofit did last year, by saluting them on social media and providing a link to the organization’s website.