Nonprofit Groups Must Avoid Fear During Recession

January 05, 2009

Nonprofit Groups Must Avoid Fear During Recession

Nonprofit groups must avoid adopting a hunker-down mentality in the face of the current recession, urges Roger Craver, a veteran fund-raising consultant.

Writing to members of The Chronicle‘s new forum on the networking Web site LinkedIn, Mr. Craver says fund raisers will win big after the recession if they view the current economic troubles as an opportunity.

“Sadly, the economic and financial crisis will continue to dominate the minds of non-profit boards and executives,” Mr. Craver writes. “‘Sadly’ because fear masks opportunity. The opportunity that comes from being aggressive when others are pulling back. The opportunity that comes from experimentation when times are tough.

“The winners — and I mean big winners for 2010, 2011 and 2012 — will be those NGO’s [nongovernmental organizations] who use the current crisis in 2009 to sharply focus on the ‘best’, ‘most loyal’ segments of their donor bases, to aggressively experiment with the use of truly integrated channels (mail, telephone, new media).and to turn the clock back to a personal and accountable focus on recognizing and involving the best of their donors.”

For more from Mr. Craver, check out the transcript of the Chronicle‘s recent live discussion on the future of direct mail.

And to discuss the outlook for nonprofit groups in 2009, join us for a live discussion this Tuesday at noon Eastern time.

— Peter Panepento

Comments

Roger: I couldn’t agree more with you! This is a time to build upon the strengths of your nonprofit organization, work on fixing limitations, and finding those hidden gems in your donor database that will continue their investments with your organization. These investments will ensure sustainable measures for your nonprofit, in both the short and long-run.

Maria Semple, Principal
The Prospect Finder LLC
http://www.theprospectfinder.com

— Maria Semple Jan 5, 02:46 PM #
As the Capital Campaign Manager for Evergreen Freedom Foundation in Washington State, I’m working through the balance between launching new projects while communicating that we are be fiscally responsible. Yes, I see it as an opportunity BUT the message to our donors, many of whom are suffering serious financial set backs takes sensitivity.

— Judy Parkins Jan 5, 03:58 PM #
So much of what I’ve read in your publication encourages us keep moving forward undeterred, and to be more aggressive than we’ve been in the past. In ’09 I’ve asked my staff to be prepared to send out a minimum of 20 % more grant requests (based on solid research ) than we’ve sent out the last two years; also, to redouble our cultivation effort, re-examine our case statements to see if we can strengthen them both on paper and in fact to face cultivation meetings. If anything all this will keep us focused and energized and I predict we’ll be successful.

— Robert Jan 5, 05:38 PM #

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Nonprofit Groups Must Avoid Fear During Recession

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