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Webinar Recap: Engaging Donors in Times of Crisis

March 24

On March 24, ABA hosted a webinar for our members and the broader arts community on donor management in periods of crisis (watch it here). We were fortunate to have three experts in this area join us:

Greg, Kathleen, and Ron generously shared lessons learned from their past experiences of fundraising during times of crisis to help others think through the actions they need to take today to sustain their organizations through and after the pandemic.

There was one theme that was echoed continuously throughout their comments: lean into your donors right now, it is not a time to retreat. The following key takeaways break down what that means in terms of the conversations you should be having with your donors right now.

Be there for donors, as they have been there for you.

Kathleen emphasized the importance of leading conversations with a simple question, “How are you?” Everyone is in a different place in terms of how they are processing the current crisis, and that changes daily.

Asking this simple question at the start of conversations with donors not only shows that you care, but it also helps you understand where the donor is mentally at that moment. It may be clear that some are not ready to even have a conversation about giving, while others may be looking for an outlet and would appreciate an opportunity to do something good.

Bottom line: lead with an empathetic and listening ear.

Lead with your mission.

US Trust’s Annual Survey of High-Net-Worth Individuals shows that the primary factor influencing HNW individuals’ decision to make large gifts was alignment with personal values (78%). Only 6% reported that it was because of a compelling pitch.

Your donors love your organization – that is why they have chosen to support you in the past. When asking for support use clear messaging on what your organization needs in order to continue delivering on its core mission and values.

Consider donors and board members as an extension of your team.

While it may be tempting to retreat from your donors and board members right now and make decisions in isolation behind close doors, now is the time to invite them into the “war room,” as Ron put it. If these individuals are part of the conversation, they are much more likely to dig in and find ways to help meet the organization’s needs.

Kathleen shared a story from her time at the American Red Cross Association following Hurricane Katrina.  The organization’s CIO called upon CIOs at major corporations across the country for help. These were outsiders with no relationship to the organization who showed up for a two-day meeting in the Red Cross cafeteria and worked tirelessly to find solutions to the challenges at hand.

In times of crisis, many people are looking for opportunities to be of value to their communities. When we give donors and board members the chance to come forward and invite them in, it can actually be a gift to them - they feel good that they can do something during a time of such uncertainty.

The expertise of board members and donors may be of equal value to their financial contributions as organization’s work through management of this crisis.

Make your needs explicitly clear.

While our panel experts advised against the total crisis messaging of “we need xyz or we’re going to have to close our doors” (or as Ron put it, offering naming rights to a lovely cabin on the Titanic), they all agreed it is important to be prepared to share with donors exactly what you need right now to continue delivering on your mission. For example, many of the immediate needs may be related to technology as arts organizations work to stay connected to their audiences without live performances.

Donors want your organization to succeed – they won’t be scared off by knowing that the organization needs help, but they will want to have a role in shaping how you can move together to identify solutions.

Be a facilitator of generosity.

All members of our panel agreed that this is a “both and” moment for many people right now. While there are certainly people who may feel hesitant to give during a time of economic uncertainty, there are many more who are looking for ways to give back.

In fact, we polled webinar participants about giving they have received in response to the coronavirus and the results were encouraging. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported they have received small gifts from existing donors since the start of the pandemic, while another 41% report they have received major gifts. Additionally, 44% of participants have received gifts from board members. Donors want to support organizations that they already trust and believe in.

One webinar participant asked about how to ensure you don’t seem insensitive asking for money to support the arts while there are other urgent needs in our communities, such as medical supplies. Kathleen responded that should be acknowledged in the ask. “You have been a strong supporter in the past and we appreciate that. In addition to other giving you may be considering at this time, I wanted to let you know what our organization needs to fulfill our mission…” This is our time to facilitate the generosity that is out there and help people make wise decisions about where to place their giving.

Toward the end of our webinar, Ron left us with a simple, but powerful recommendation: When in doubt, ask a donor.

Watch The Recording Here: