DONORS & DAFs
FPLG COVID-19 RESPONSE
DONORS & DAFs
[UPDATE: November 16, 2020]
Donors have continued to step up in a big way. Donor-advised funds, too, have responded with increased grants.
But many organizations needed additional significant help from the government which has been stalled in Washington, D.C. Private philanthropy, however generous, cannot make up the difference.
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[UPDATE: May 26, 2020]
The worst fears of the nonprofit sector – that donor support would evaporate because of the widespread financial disruption in society – have not happened. Donors have stepped up in a big way. Donor-advised funds, too, have responded with increased grants.
But there are worrisome statistics about overall contributions. And – of course – for many organizations, including those that rely on ticket sales, the lost revenue has been crippling. They will have a more difficult time during the COVID-19 crisis.
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[April 3, 2020]
The coronavirus outbreak is different than past emergencies or disasters precisely because it’s affecting everyone around the world at about the same time.
This is a period of confusion and disruption; many organizations may wonder if this is an appropriate time to connect with donors. But experts, including those who have conducted fundraising campaigns in difficult circumstances, say that it’s critical to communicate with supporters right now.
There is also a consensus that the time is right for donor-advised funds to play an important part in the support and recovery of the nonprofit sector. DAFs control an enormous amount of wealth that can, and should, be distributed as soon as possible.
Charitable giving rebounded in the second quarter of 2020, boosting total giving in the first six months of the year by nearly 7.5 percent on a year-over-year basis, a report from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project finds.
— Lori H. Overmyer (10/8/20)
…[I]s it realistic to expect a healthy stream of charitable contributions in the midst of the worst economic situation since the Great Depression?…. Absolutely — if you approach the right people. Because even as unemployment soars, as tens of thousands of businesses close, and as default and eviction rates rise, a small but significant portion of the population is doing just fine, thank you.
— Alan M. Cantor, 9/17/20)
Keep your donors informed of how the organization is pivoting. [They] expect healthy organizations to alter course – while staying on mission – when outside influences demand change.
— J. Erik Rogers (6/17/20)
The coronavirus outbreak has shut down entire school districts and turned bustling commercial corridors into ghost towns, but there’s one sector of society that’s busier than ever: philanthropy.
The charitable acts have come in all shapes and sizes. Small checks to food pantries, foundations issuing emergency grants to desperate nonprofits and, most conspicuously, billionaires doling out big-dollar gifts with all the attendant publicity.
— Laurence Darmiento, LA Times (4/20/20)
The coronavirus pandemic has touched off an explosion of grant making from donor-advised funds, according to a spot check of the big national donor-advised fund-sponsors and community foundations of all sizes.
— Michael Theis, The Chronicle of Philanthropy (4/7/20)
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Warning Signs About the Fragility of Nonprofits in the Pandemic Era (November 12, 2020) Tim Delaney, National Council of Nonprofits
- How Donor Behavior Has Changed in 2020 (and What It Means for Year-End) (November 4, 2020) Laura Rhodes, CFRE, CGW, letstalknonprofit.blog
- Charitable giving increased 7.5 percent in first half of 2020 (October 8, 2020) Lori Hunter Overmyer,
- Are the Rich the Last Hope for Philanthropy? (September 18, 2020) Ruth McCambridge, The Nonprofit Quarterly
- In a K-Shaped Recovery, Nonprofits Should Lean on Major Donors (September 17, 2020) Alan Cantor, Harvard Business Review
- Staying Afloat: Adjusting Your Crisis Fundraising Strategy (September 6, 2020) Mary Cahalane, Hands On Fundraising Blog
- The essential nonprofit fundraising guide for the rest of 2020 (August 31, 2020) Alyssa Conrardy & Walker Post, Fast Company Blog
- Commercial DAFs Keep Touting Their Donors’ Crisis Giving. Here’s What They Aren’t Saying. (July 22, 2020) Alan M. Cantor, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Planned Giving Is Having a Moment During the Pandemic (June 30, 2020) Eden Stiffman, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Nearly Half Of Donors Just Giving Locally (June 29, 2020) Richard H. Levey, The NonProfit Times
- 4 Tips From a Consultant Who Critiques Hundreds of Charity Appeals (June 18, 2020) Emily Haynes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Five Steps to Keep Donors Engaged in the Midst of Turmoil (June 17, 2020) J. Erik Rogers, Giving USA Blog
- 10 Must-Know Stats About COVID-19 Donors (June 6, 2020) Nonprofit Tech For Good
- Ask an Expert: Setting Fundraising Goals and Priorities During a Crisis (May 20, 2020) Eden Stiffman, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- 73% of Charities Worldwide See Decline in Contributions (May 18, 2020) Dan Parks, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Community Foundations Study Finds Surge in Donor-Advised-Fund Grant Making (May 14, 2020) Michael Thies, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Coronavirus-Related Giving Tops $10 Billion Worldwide (May 7, 2020) Dan Parks, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- As COVID-19 Pushes Some Nonprofits to the Brink, at What Point Do Donors Abandon Ship? (May 7, 2020) Mike Scutari, Inside Philanthropy
- One in Five Donors Has Stopped Giving, Survey Says (May 6, 2020) Michael Theis, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Ask an Expert: Donor Fatigue and Taking the Helm During a Pandemic (May 6, 2020) Eden Stiffman, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Fidelity Donor-Advised-Fund Account Holders Have Directed $230 Million for Covid Response (May 6, 2020) Michael Theis, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Will Donor-Advised Funds Meet Their “Rainy Day” Promise? (April 28, 2020) Jeanne Bell & Steve Dubb, The Nonprofit Quarterly
- Replacing Lost Revenues for Charities: Ways to Consider Charitable Giving Diversification (April 28, 2020) Elizabeth Manchester, Esq., Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP
- Fundraising and Your Board During a Pandemic: Lean into the Trends (April 28, 2020) Dave Sternberg, BoardSource Blog
- Handling Gifts in Kind and Donated Services During COVID-19 (April 22, 2020) Nicole Riley, CPA, Pannell, Kerr, Foster of Texas P.C.
- Donors that are stepping up right now (April 23, 2020) Helen Brown
- Charity is off the charts amid the coronavirus. Is that a sign of America’s strength or weakness? (April 20, 2020) Laurence Darmiento, The Los Angeles Times
- Silicon Valley’s favorite charity is asking its donors to give away hundreds of millions of dollars. Right now. (April 20, 2020) Theodore Schleifer, The Los Angeles Times
- Non-Profits Benefit from Relaxed Charitable Deduction Limitations (April 17, 2020) Davis Brown Law Firm
- Coronavirus and Fundraising: What to Expect and How to Prepare (March 28, 2020) Gail Perry, Fired-Up Fundraising Blog
- Let the Donor Decide: Don’t Assume Giving is Off the Table During a Crisis (March 25, 2020) June Bradham
- Bluefrog Fundraising share free resources for creating a coronavirus appeal (March 19, 2020) Mark Phillips, BlueFrog Fundraising Blog
- Experts Urge Charities to Communicate Their Needs Clearly to Their Donors (March 17, 2020) Maria Di Mento, The Chronicle of Philanthropy
- Tips for Communicating with Donors During Uncertain Times (March 12, 2020) Bo Crader for SG Engage
- 10 Important Donor Types to Communicate To During the Coronavirus Outbreak (March 2020) Bloomerang Blog
- COVID-19 Resources: How to Reach Your Donors and Volunteers (March 2020) Aspen Leadership Group
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