5 Nonprofits Boosting their Donations through Reopening

When it comes to reopening, the logistics are probably what are top of mind. You’re asking yourself,

• If I’ve been working from home all year, what will my commute look like?
• Will my office have a mask policy?
• How long until we can hold an in-person event?

But regardless of what reopening looks like for you, your team, and your organization, it’s important to make sure your long-term fundraising goals and your donors are factoring into the equation. Far from just a transitional period, reopening can be a crucial time to reassess your organization’s fundraising practices, steward your donors into the “next normal,” and demonstrate the need for continued support even as we resume the activities we might not have undertaken since the pandemic began.

“Your attitude will affect how you step into this new phase and potentially your success,” says Kimberly O’Donnell, Network for Good VP of Fundraising. “#OpenforGood holds incredible potential. The entire nonprofit sector is rethinking the future of fundraising and you are invited to do the same.” And while your instinct might be to conceal that thought process from your donors, the reality is that we are all feeling the pushes and pulls of this transition together. Don’t be afraid to bring your community into this rethinking process by being honest and transparent.

But in such an uncertain time, it’s all easier said than done. If you’re daunted by how to strike a balance between reopening your organizing and rising to the occasion to meet your donors’ new expectations, you’re not alone. That’s why we started the #OpenForGood campaign — to celebrate a year of innovation and perseverance in the nonprofit sector as well as to look forward to what the future of fundraising might hold. It’s also why we have spent time identifying and learning from five nonprofits who have seized this reopening moment to apply the fundraising lessons they learned during the pandemic and continue to meet their donors’ needs. We’ve compiled our findings into the #OpenForGood Lookbook which you can download here. Learn how nonprofits are making reopening work for both their staff and their donors, as well as pick up some tips from pro fundraisers on how to navigate this exciting but unprecedented time. Then, put these tips to the test at your organization!