P.O. BOX 757 Marstons Mills, MA 02648

Monthly donors, your ‘insurance policy’ during disasters

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn

As part of the country is cleaning up after Hurricane Matthew and others are bracing themselves for it, I was thinking about disasters and the tremendous impact on fundraising, especially in prime giving season.

For example, if you’re local, based in Florida, Georgia or South Carolina and your donors have to evacuate in the middle of your busy appeal season, that will definitely have an impact! Just think back what happened with Katrina or Sandy several years ago and with 9/11 now 15 years ago. The whole country was focused on supporting the disaster relief efforts. Mail was not being delivered. People were not reading their emails because smart phones were not really there yet. People were trying to help each other as they should and the last thing on their minds was supporting non-disaster organizations.

So, here you are,a fundraiser trying to raise funds for the homeless, the sick, kids, animals, anything but disaster. And you’re looking at this key giving time.  You cannot afford to lose this revenue, right?

Well, if you had a monthly donor program in place, the funds would continue to come in, no matter what state of disaster your area is in, regardless if your mailings go out or your emails are sent. Monthly donors are your ‘insurance policy’ during disasters.  So, if you don’t have any monthly donors yet, or if you’ve not paid that much attention to it sofar because it’s one more thing on your list of to-do’s, consider it for right after the holidays.

So, start asking your donors to join your monthly donor program with their credit or debit card or through electronic funds transfer so that the money will keep coming in, whether you have the opportunity to ask or not.  And if you’re an organization that deals with disasters, now is a good time to ask donors to give a monthly gift so that you have the funds to respond no matter what happens and when and where it happens. You’re prepared for giving season and the funds will come in, whether your appeal can mail or not.

I’m already a monthly donor to several disaster relief organizations (and non-disaster organizations), locally and nationally, so I recommend you join them now or in the future with a monthly gift and consider doing the same with those organizations you care about, so that they will have ongoing funds coming in so they can continue to do what you as a donor want them to do.

In essence, even if you’re not a disaster relief organization, you too have to prepare for disaster! Are you ready?

My thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by hurricane Matthew and any other disasters yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Sign up for my blog so you’ll receive future posts on monthly giving, practical tips and tools. And if you’re interested in finding out how to start or grow your monthly giving program, just contact me!

 

 

Highly flexible, affordable services and wide knowledge base for non-profits.

 Contact Details

In office meetings by appointment only.
Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 757
Marstons Mills, MA 02648
Phone: 508-776-1224
E-Mail: info@adirectsolution.com

© Copyright ADirectSolution 2021. All Rights Reserved