What worked before, may not work now

Fundraising has always been hard, but this current landscape is another level. We all know this - federal funding cuts have not only drastically reduced funding for nonprofits, but created a ripple effect of philanthropy going into “paralysis” mode (Shelly Helgeson of Connective Impact talks about how funders are now getting 3-4x the number of applications, and increasingly closing doors to open proposals, relying only on referrals which make smaller, more innovative organizations less likely to receive critical funding). Add on top a storm of policy changes that affect the very mission sand values of so many nonprofits. 

It’s a completely different fundraising landscape, and thus, it’s going to take creativity, innovation, and risk to adapt and find news ways to grow - or more likely, just survive. 

Here’s a few ideas I’ve seen organizations trying:

• Generosity of connections - rather than getting territorial over donors, I’ve seen organizations come together to bring like-minded donors together to discuss important issues and how they can act (or rather, donate!) 

• Radical transparency - communications with donors (especially in one on one settings) have prioritized the ugly truth over the pretty “PR” language. And donors are responding to that. They understand budget cuts, difficult decisions, and even turmoil. They might even have good advice to give you!

These are just a few of the things I’ve seen and noticed but I want to hear from you! What are you trying, and how are you innovating in this time to think creatively about fundraising and sustaining your organizations? 

Reply to this email and tell me - and I’ll share with you what others have shared with me! 

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