Three Effective Ways Small Charities Can Fundraise During A Pandemic

Dr. Lilian Ajayi-Ore is the Founder and CEO, Global Connections for Women Foundation. A Chief Learning Officer and Adjunct Professor at NYU.

The global pandemic limited nonprofit organizations' ability to raise funds using their traditional practices. Nonprofits were projected to have lost more than $25 billion in funding in 2020 due to the pandemic. Other reports suggest that one-third of nonprofit organizations may not survive the downturn of the global pandemic. Small nonprofits are known to be more vulnerable to funding challenges in a time of crisis, according to the Washington Post (paywall).

Based on my experience as a nonprofit leader, here are three recommendations on insightful ways that small nonprofits can create more opportunities to increase funding and obtain meaningful partnerships.

1. Identify a champion for peer-to-peer fundraising.

If there were ever a time for a champion, now would be the perfect time to solicit the support of an organization's champion to fundraise for your cause. A champion is someone willing to reach out to their networks to support your organization in raising funds and building awareness for your programs because they understand the challenges. For example, Facebook reached a $2 billion fundraising milestone from peer-to-peer fundraising practices on their platform, and the platform received $1 billion of that amount within the last 12 months. The platform has been credited for being the world’s largest social networking platform for successful peer-to-peer fundraising.

Peer-to-peer fundraising played a unique role during the pandemic. For instance, the board chair of my organization and PR executive, Francesca Vuillemin, missed volunteering with a group of friends at St. Joseph’s Soup Kitchen. To give back to New York City, she partnered with the support of her peer and friend, Cate Brown, an award-winning interior designer, to work together with other prominent New York designers to create the “Helping Hearts” line of designer toss pillows. The proceeds of the project go to New York Cares, New York City’s largest volunteer organization that supports the communities that Covid-19 has impacted.

Champions are strong advocates of the charity or NPO, and every charity should learn to develop a closer relationship with their community now more than ever. In developing a closer relationship with their community, NPOs must first understand why their supporters choose them. Second, they must understand how their mission benefits their community, and third, they must learn how to grow their community effectively. To increase their community effectively to derive peer-to-peer fundraising champions, nonprofit leaders should also learn to leverage the community for knowledge and support. By creating a space for exchanging ideas and offering additional ways to support our mission, nonprofit leaders might be surprised by how many individuals within their communities are willing to invest their resources and serve as community champions for their mission. This can lead to more peer-to-peer fundraising opportunities.

2. Work with retail stores to host a give-back program.

Retailers understand that their customers are also likely to feel good about supporting a company that donates to charity. According to Squareup, giving back boosts a company's image and customer loyalty. Many retail stores have give-back programs or social corporate responsibility programs to support nonprofit organizations with a percentage of their total sales. Charity organizations should enlist retail stores' support whose values and interests align with their organization's mission.

Take Kendra Scott, for instance, a well-known jewelry brand that supports philanthropic organizations, including Girls Inc. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and Toys for Tots. My organization has actually raised funds through this give-back program. With the give-back programs at Kendra Scott, charity organizations can choose from various engagements like in-store events, request donation items, and/or get a percentage of the product sales donated to the nonprofit organization. Through this give-back program, Kendra Scott has hosted more than 30,000 events and donated more than $30 million to various charities to date.

The principal tenets for hosting a successful give-back program are as follows:

1. Find a retail partner whose give-back program understands and supports your NPO’s mission.

2. Compose an email list of strong supporters.

3. Make sure you are clear on the retail store’s give back policy — meaning what percentage of the proceed will be contributed back to your organization or however the program is set up.

NPOs can find brands that closely align with their mission through the brand's mission statement or the brand's corporate social responsibility statement.

3. Partner with small brands to fulfill your organization’s mission.

It is no surprise that most mission-driven organizations are coping with the setbacks of the current climate. The role of partnership in fulfilling the organization’s mission becomes increasingly important to small charities' survival.

One partnership that's illustrative of how small brands banding together can evoke real impact, is that of Baby2Baby and Grin Natural Products. Over the course of the pandemic, Baby2Baby "has distributed over 60 million critical items including diapers, formula, clothing, soap, cribs, shampoo, school supplies, hand sanitizer, masks, food and more to the most vulnerable children across the country impacted by the pandemic." To further this impact, Grin Natural Products, an oral care brand aiming to close the dental health inequities gap, plans to deliver $50,000 worth of products to Baby2Baby.

Most brands have a social good agenda that mandates that they support their community by supporting nonprofit organizations. However, it is much easier for nonprofit leaders to approach smaller brands than bigger brands regarding a potential partnership. However, one effective way NPO leaders can approach small brands is to present them with a partnership engagement strategy. The partnership engagement strategy should elucidate the partnership's expectations, whether it is in-kind support that is required or a monetary contribution from the small brand. Providing the partnership engagement strategy up front to a small brand gives them more time to focus on the feasibility aspects and return with a plan of action that is mutually beneficial.

Small nonprofits and charities should aim to get creative with their fundraising strategies and support each other during a time of great uncertainty.

Forbes Nonprofit Council is an invitation-only organization for chief executives in successful nonprofit organizations.

Dr. Lilian Ajayi-Ore is the Founder and CEO, Global Connections for Women Foundation. A Chief Learning Officer and Adjunct Professor at NYU. Read Dr. Lilian Ajayi-Ore's