Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with nonprofits in crisis. These are challenging times when the powerful mission of an organization runs into the financial realities of delivering that mission.
While every nonprofit is a little different in how it funds its activities, there are some things I’ve learned while walking side by side with staff and volunteers during a financial crisis.
A nonprofit in crisis is looking for revenue wherever they can find it, be it from municipalities, major funders, collaborative partners and others. It’s easy to dismiss the relatively small donations that may come from a direct mail campaign or other fundraising effort, but a strong annual campaign process provides not only additional revenue to help offset other losses, but it also energizes your nonprofit in a number of critical ways.
I hope that your organization never finds itself in a financial crisis, but if you do, I’d encourage you not to give up on the fundamentals. When the conversation is all about what to cut, knowing what not to stop might make all the difference.