Our causes and our communities need fundraising more than ever. It is only with the skills and experience of fundraisers that charities will be able to raise the funds they need to cope with steep declines in income and increases in demand for their services and support.
But every one of our supporters will be experiencing this crisis in different ways, to varying degrees, so it is more important than ever that our communications be honest, respectful, empathetic and appropriate for each charity’s individual context. Think carefully about who you are communicating to, what they might be experiencing, and how this should impact how you engage with them. Focussing on the experience our supporters have of our fundraising, how it makes them think and feel, is vital to help make sure they come through this crisis with you – perhaps closer to your charity than before.
Fundraisers are doing amazing work in the face of impossible challenges – pivoting quickly from campaigns that no longer feel appropriate in this new context, launching frank and urgent emergency appeals, developing innovative partnerships, and upskilling in, and adapting to, digital tools. We have seen that people, our supporters and the public as a whole, want an opportunity to contribute to the impact we make in this crisis - we must give them that opportunity. Fundraising empowers and inspires individuals to make a difference, so make sure your supporters know in no uncertain terms what their giving can do.