Lessons learned from Lockdown #1. A fundraising toolkit.

When lockdown hit, charities were braced for impact, with NCVO forecasting £4 billion lost in just 12 weeks. Never has a charity fundraiser’s job been more important. But how to fundraise when people are losing loved ones and livelihoods? Here’s what we learned:

LESSON 1: Donors still want to give

It might seem like the worst time to ask, but donors are still willing to give. Yes, the landscape is volatile (to put it mildly) but it is by no means non-existent. CAF showed charitable giving levels in April 2020 to be on par with 2019. That’s a really good sign. Now more than ever, people understand the role and need for charities. They want to help, and we have seen some amazing emergency campaigns these past few months. Proof that if you pitch it right, people are open to being asked. 

SURVIVAL TIP: Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst someone can say is no. 

LESSSON 2: AND they’re being flexible

We never thought we would see the day Trust funders offered flexible deadlines, expediated decision-making, and the chance to ask for core funds. But here we are. One of the absolute silver-linings of COVID-19 is the new found flexibility in grant funding, and the conversations that are emerging between donors and organisations. 

SURVIVAL TIP: It’s now or never. Take a deep breath and ask for what you REALLY need.

LESSON 3: Don’t be so wrapped up in the ask you forget to ‘check in’

Relationships are a two-way process. Instead of simply asking for money, we have seen lots of charities go the extra mile. Extending and bending their services to meet user needs. Checking in on their supporters – just because. Charities and donors need each other like never before, and amidst all the angst and anxiety a deeper bond has formed.

SURVIVAL TIP: Think donor stewardship and plan for touch-points that put donors over donations. 

LESSON 4: If you haven’t – get ready to go cashless

We have had our eye on cashless giving for a while, but no-one could have predicted this year’s surge. As life moved online, so have donors. With fears around contaminated cash, contactless giving has also risen, and more charities are buying into the ‘tap’. 

SURVIVAL TIP: Invest in cashless giving and online charity fundraising. 

Be the disruptor, not the disrupted 

COVID-19 pushed three years of digital development into three months. Where digital fundraising skills have been a historic gap, COVID times have seen organisations dive right in - with 41% investing in new technology. When it comes to digital disruption, COVID-19 has shown us that: 

LESSON 5: Homeworking works

In what has become the world’s largest remote working experiment, COVID-19 has forced the traditional office regime wide open. As charity fundraisers discover the wonders of remote working, there are no shortage of tools (including our own cloud-based charity CRM) to help you make the most of your virtual office environment.

SURVIVAL TIP: Count outputs not hours, and make sure your team has the technology to deliver.

LESSON 6: Relationships still build when they’re digital

Just because the world has gone virtual, you do not stop building relationships with donors. There are lots of ways to engage with charity donors online. Video calls are just one. Whether you’re working with new, current or lapsed donors (or all three) there is an art to engagement. Think thank you’s, updates, anniversaries, spotlights, event invites, and good old fashioned conversation. There are so many ways to keep on cultivating donor relationships – don’t miss them!

SURVIVAL TIP: Harness the power and potential of virtual relationships.

LESSON 7: You can do pretty much anything when you try

From virtual events, to conferences and training, the bar for digital fundraising gets higher every day. COVID-19 has given people the permission, impetus and confidence to deliver on digital. Have you? 

SURVIVAL TIP: Never stop learning. Take the time out to assess your digital maturity and plan for the next phase of development.

Don’t forget to look forward 

It might feel like there is no end in sight, but we WILL get on top of the corona crisis, and fundraising will keep on moving forward. Don’t be so distracted by your short-term needs that you forget about the future.

LESSON 8: The fundamentals of charity fundraising still apply

During the first few months of lockdown life, it seemed the sector had a crisis of confidence. But you’re fundraisers, and the fundamentals of fundraising still apply. Even in a global pandemic. 

SURVIVAL TIP: Trust your instinct and experience. You’ve got this! 

LESSON 9: Diversify your income

Individual giving. Major Donors. Trusts. Corporates. Institutional. It is hard to think of an income stream that hasn’t been hit by COVID-19. Keep all your eggs in one basket, and the storm will knock you over. Diversify your income and give yourself the foundation you need to stay strong in these challenging times. 

SURVIVAL TIP: Now is the time to invest in fundraising, not furlough it!

LESSON 10: Think lifetime value

So much of everything that has happened is out of our control. Your 2020 strategy might have gone out the window, but that does not mean it’s worthless. Your charity still needs to play the long game. If it doesn’t you might survive the right now, but you risk coming up short in the future.

SURVIVAL TIP: Get your 2020 fundraising strategy out the bin and adapt it for the future.   

Remember, we are in this together 

Whatever your organisation has gone through – or is going through – we guarantee that someone else is too. Reach out and connect with your peers. Be part of the conversation. Learn from those around you, and do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. You will be surprised by how much support is out there, just waiting to be tapped.

You are not alone. We will get through this.