covid-19 Archives - Groupfinity

The secrets to nonprofit fundraising in the age of coronavirus – with Brock Warner.

#024 – Today I am speaking with Brock Warner. Brock is an experienced and skilled fundraising executive. He has over a decade of experience fundraising for social causes at senior levels in a variety of sectors.

Brock is a best-selling author, coach, and digital fundraising professor. He is a sought-after conference speaker, at conferences throughout North America. He is actively shaping the next generation of professional fundraisers by bringing practical experience to life with engaging, honest advice.

He shares some great nuggets, but one that really resonated with me was:

“Ask for what you need, not just what you think you’ll get”

He has a ton of free resources on his website – www.brockwarner.ca

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Resources

Website

Twitter

Book

4 Key Takeaways

#1 You need to remain PERSISTENT with your social media strategy;

#2 People give to people so you need to develop relationships with your donors;

#3 Understand why people are giving to your cause; AND

#4 You CANNOT say thank you enough.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[1:37] Since the pandemic started, there has been a rapid embrace of digital.
[2:27] Organizations that put all their eggs into a single offline basket struggled.
[4:25] Orgs that lacked email marketing lists and active social media communities were left scrambling.
[5:27] I work with organizations to help them understand where big opportunities might exist...
[8:14] Social media strategies could fit into two buckets: 1) Persistence AND 2) Hot or Miss
[9:35] Persistence strategy is a bit like investing in your 401(k).
[11:43] You should build relationships with people who have been generous enough to give you money.
[13:42] GOLDEN RULE of FUNDRAISING - people give to people.
[15:32] Work closely with the people who love you the most.
[16:29] Your ideal entry way to a new donor is through a peer.
[16:45] People want to fund solutions.
[17:50] Individuals think about causes and issues vs organizations.
[19:04] Find a good partner and ask for need vs funding a budget.
[19:51] Building relationships takes time and effort.
[24:49] Take time to talk to your donors.
[26:48] Tips and Tricks...
[27:43] You can't thank people enough.

Now you can boost your nonprofit’s fundraising without being a fundraising professional – Cindy Wagman tells us how.

#019 – Cindy is the Founder, President, and CEO of The Good Partnership. Her specialty is working with small organizations. In fact, her personal mission is “to help smaller organizations learn how to fundraise and better their systems and be more impactful”.

Cindy shows us how effective fundraising starts with mindset and habits. Instead of viewing fundraising as a necessary evil, something you dread doing, turn it into something you feel good about. By changing your mindset and then repeating the right habits, you can be much more effective.

Be sure to check out https://www.thegoodpartnership.com/ to learn more about Cindy’s work.

Cindy offers her Flipside Fundraising course a couple of times per year. Click on the link in the show notes to learn more.

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Resources

The Good Partnership

Apply for a Flipside Fundraising Scholarships

Flipside Fundraising Webinar – April 15th

4 Key Takeaways

#1 Don’t throw an event, if you don’t have a committee that can sell tickets and do sponsorships, because it’s not worth your time;

#2 Automating some things or even improving your systems incrementally, can have a HUGE impact on your organization’s time;

#3 the best fundraisers are deeply curious; AND

#4 Best source of information about your donors is directly from them. In this episode, Cindy shares her secret around the “Yellow Brick Road of Yesses”!

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:15] We need to redefine what we think of as fundraising.
[3:07] Most smaller organizations don't really know what fundraising looks like when it's aligned for them.
[3:26] I call that a large size fits all approach
[4:19] Sometimes they can or should do the same things and sometimes they really shouldn't.
[4:43] Don't throw an event if you don't have a committee that can sell tickets and do sponsorships
[5:25] I call that the fundraising iceberg.
[6:57] Organizations have terrible systems. We're so afraid to invest in technology.
[7:18] We need a plan.
[8:33] Get everyone on the same office software.
[9:15] Where are we currently spending time?
[9:38] You have to understand what the problem is to find a solution.
[10:14] If you automate some systems, the impact on your organization's time is huge.
[12:45] Mindset change comes from a lot of different places.
[14:45] Clarity - you have to have a really clear sense of what it would be like if things were different.
[16:23] The best fundraisers are deeply curious.
[17:17] You have to understand how they think about it and why it matters to them in their words.
[18:23] We always assume who has and does not have money.
[19:29] I turned what was going to be a $250k ask into a $3MM donation.
[19:59] The Yellow Brick Road of Yesses.
[20:38] Best source of information about your donors is directly from them.
[23:22] I still always think that as you get started, you still need to have some conversations.
[25:22] What you're doing is building these relationships and getting to know and understand people.
[25:50] Most people in our sector see fundraising as a necessary evil.
[31:42] if we can do the work and get over those initial hurdles, our communities are going to benefit.
[0:01]

How to build deeper relationships with your donors and boost your nonprofit fundraising in 2021 so you can build stable donation streams for years to come – Dwight Adkins.

#018 – Dwight works at Swaim Strategies where he helps nonprofits maximize fundraising. His superpower is relationship building. He has been building and cultivating relationships his entire life. Dwight believes “relationships are the key to life and the more you invest in relationships, the more enriched life will be.”

2021 is NOT a time to relax. Spend the year investing in your donor relationships. Reach out to donors and figure out how you can add value to them. Even if people or companies can’t give this year, cultivating relationships now will set you up for future giving when they are in a position to give again.

Dwight walks us through 1) why this is important AND 2) how to do it. He gives us some great tips on how to develop authentic, deep, and mutually beneficial relationships. You need to commit to it, but the good news is, these are skills most of us already use in our personal lives.

Be sure to check out swaimstrategies.com to learn more about Dwight’s work.

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Resources

Swaim Strategies

4 Key Takeaways

#1 The fundamentals of development are the same as those in relationship building, listen to the donor and ask genuine questions;

#2 Treat them the same way you want to be treated; listen to their priorities;

#3 It’s easier to cultivate and steward an existing donor relationship than to go out & get a new donor; AND

#4 The most reliable and recession-proof types of gifts are from individual donors, not corporations.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:22] The fundamentals of development are relationship building and listening to the donor.
[2:45] Don't only talk to your donor when you want something.
[3:06] Treat them the same way you want to be treated - listen to what's going on in their world.
[3:50] Don't act like you are less than when asking for donations.
[4:30] Confidence shows the donor you are serious.
[5:50] It's easier to cultivate and steward a current donor than to go out and get a new one.
[6:23] You don't want to be asking for something every time you talk to your donors.
[7:55] When you don't ask, you are making the decision for the donor.
[9:40] Ask your corporate donors to introduce you to their counterparts.
[10:18] There's an art and a science to development - the art is relationship building.
[12:11] Most large companies show their giving priorities on their website.
[13:05] Most large companies list their Community Affairs Officer on their website.
[13:30] The most reliable and recession proof types of gifts are individual donors.
[13:50] If a corporate donor has a bad year, is bought, or goes out of business, you have a problem.
[14:49] Maintain a large prospect pool.
[15:55] Don't underestimate the value of the local bank branch
[17:04] As for communication, one size does not fit all.
[17:49] Consider an umbrella sponsorship proposal.
[18:49] You don't need an immediate answer.
[21:06] You need to come to the meeting with an opinion and agenda.
[21:18] Do your homework and know what is important to them.
[21:57] Kiss of Death - Asking for money in the 1st meeting.
[22:34] Donors' situations are dynamic so you should be ready for change.
[23:45] Make sure you are in touch with your contact in December.
[26:35] Figure out if the company matches employee donations.
[27:03] Board member to board member asking is oftentimes successful.
[27:45] Don't rely on the obvious donors or businesses.
[28:27] Always be prospecting and curious about who can support you.

Learn the little known secrets about how Facebook Fundraisers for nonprofits work from the Nonprofit Fixer – Sean Kosofsky.

#016 – Sean Kosofsky is the Nonprofit Fixer. He has cracked the code on how nonprofits can improve fundraising with facebook fundraisers. He shares some of his little known secrets with us in this interview.

Sean says that if you have 500+ Facebook friends, you can raise $1,000. If 10 people in your organization do this, you can raise $10,000. It only takes a month

One secret is you have to do the work. The good news is, you likely already have the skills to do this. If you know how to post on Facebook you can do this.

Be sure to check out his website to access nonprofitfixer.com to learn all 8 of his secrets.

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Resources

The Nonprofit Fixer

8 Expert Tips for Raising $10k+ With Facebook Fundraisers

Brian Nash

4 Key Takeaways

#1 People are FAR more likely to give, if someone they know and like asks them;

#2 Get people willing to do it, have them invite their Facebook friends, and post daily;

#3 You will be surprised by the people who donate; AND

#4 Don’t assume someone doesn’t have money to give – don’t be both the buyer and the seller.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:53] Facebook has billions for nonprofits.
[3:10] Facebook has cracked the code. It is a giant database of billions of users.
[3:31] Peer to Peer Fundraising.
[3:45] People are FAR more likely to give or do something if someone the know and like asks them.
[4:24] 501(c)(3) organizations get the lowest fees.
[5:19] Sean made $20k in the first time he did this.
[5:37] It is like a Facebook event. You have to have i) a start date; ii) end date; and iii) invite your friends.
[5:56] Biggest mistake is that people only post to their own page.
[6:32] If you invite all of your friends, they will see your posts.
[7:21] #1 reason people give is because they were asked.
[7:31] The best fundraisers are the ones with a daily ask.
[8:09] No one goes to Go Fund Me 10x a day, but they go to Facebook constantly.
[9:18] What are the fees?
[10:06] Facebook's fees are nominal, maybe 2% or lower.
[11:09] Biggest day of giving on Facebook for giving is Giving Tuesday.
[11:37] Run your fundraiser for 2 to 4 weeks to create momentum.
[11:55] 30 sample Facebook posts.
[12:27] CEO - Chief of Enthusiasm and Optimism.
[12:53] You don't need any fancy graphics, just pictures and links.
[13:43] Organizations don't need followers. Individuals run the fundraisers.
[14:26] All that matters is you have individuals with their own friend groups
[14:32] The sweet spot is to get people with 500+ Facebook friends. They should be able to raise $500 - $1,000 each.
[16:10] You could be doing this year round.
[17:05] You will be surprised by who donates.
[17:45] Invite every single friend - let them decide if they want to give or not.
[19:05] Post once a day for 30 days.
[19:15] It is faster/easier to invite friends on a mobile device than a computer.
[20:12] Just spend a minute a day for 30 days.
[20:18] Invite all your friends on Day 1.
[21:24] Most people with 500 friends can raise $1,000 in 30 days.
[22:18] One group raised $100 million in a couple of months.
[23:40] One group had 28 fundraisers that raised $25k in 25 days.
[24:34] Get people willing to do it, have them invite all their FB friends, and post once a day. That's it!
[25:15] One board member went from raising $250 to $2k in weeks, satisfying her annual board commitment.
[26:14] It costs nothing to run a Facebook Fundraiser.
[27:32] Don't assume who does not have money to give.
[27:52] Don't be the buyer and the seller.
[28:30] You owe it to the people you serve to continue raising funds.
[30:04] 2021 is going to be rough for in person events.
[30:24] Sean's friend Brian Nash raised money via a live stream cabaret event.
[33:17] All 8 tips / 30 sample posts / Guide

How to run a custom face mask fundraiser without traditional fundraising risks. After helping over 50,000 groups raise more than $50 million, James Speirs shares how ABC Fundraising found their BEST FUNDRAISER EVER during COVID.

#013 – James Speirs from ABC Fundraising shares with us how they pivoted when COVID hit from fundraisers primarily focused on food items to selling custom face masks online. The face masks have been such a HUGE HIT, they’ve become their MOST POPULAR FUNDRAISING CONCEPT.

It is pretty simple. You give them your logo & background color and for a low initial $40 fee, you get a web-store with about 20 face masks available in both adult and youth sizes. Eight are custom with your logo and the remaining are either general (eg American Flag, blank, dog, cat, etc….). The variety makes customers buy more.

Their process reduces the risk to the group / organization because:

-You don’t need to carry expensive inventory.

-Low 50 face mask minimum (not 50 orders, 50 total face masks)

-Masks are prepaid – they only produce the face masks that are ordered and pre-paid.

-Very low upfront costs – only $25 set-up fee plus a $15 web-store fee.

-Your group gets a check when the campaign ends a few weeks later.

Customers place their order and pay directly in the web-store. The variety in the web-store (20-ish masks) AND a discount when you buy 3 or more, results in 80% – 90% of the customers buying 3 or more face masks.

This has been a HUGE hit with schools, churches, youth sports, local businesses, and non-profits of all sizes.

You simply send your logo and the ABC team will work with it and provide you with 8 custom face masks plus some generic options for your web-store. You can be up and running in 24 hrs and have your funds in a month.

One of his groups earned $2,000 on a $40 investment – that is a WHOPPING 5,000% Return on Investment. AND FURTHERMORE, they’ve opened their store again. Once you pay the initial $40 fee, you can open and close your web store whenever you want.

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Resources

ABC Fundraising Face Mask Fundraiser

5 Key Takeaways

#1 Ease of entry – simply email your logo (in any file format) and background color to get started;

#2 Everybody can play – the upfront cost is only $40 and they have a low minimum of ONLY 50 face masks (not 50 orders, 50 face masks – 1 order could include 3 masks);

#3 You get a web-store so it is compatible with social distancing

#4 It’s Fun; AND

#5 You can be up and running in 24 hours and have your funds about a month later

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[3:05] We made it as easy as possible
[4:00] Everybody can play...
[4:26] Ease of entry - simply email logo & background color to get started
[4:55] Order taker brochure
[5:18] Group gets a web-store - text to friends family & promote on social media
[6:00] You can be up and running with in 24 hours
[6:40] Send your logo in whatever file format you have
[7:30] You get 8 versions of face masks
[8:11] 8 Custom and a couple dozen generic masks
[8:44] 80%-90% of customers buy at least 3 masks
[9:08] Customers get a discount when buying 3 packs
[10:28] Timeline to get started
[11:15] You need to share your link with friends and family to get better results
[11:53] Profit check is cut immediately when web-store closes
[12:18] From start to finish - 3 weeks
[12:45] You can re-open your web-store at any time
[14:02] Minimal ($40) upfront cost
[15:06] How does payment occur?
[15:37] No pre-order guessing / Masks are prepaid / No checks to count
[16:00] Web-store automation saves you time
[16:45] Volleyball team sold more than 370 masks, well over their original target
[18:17] Works for anyone with a logo
[20:00] This removes a lot of the risk
[21:00] Variety results in more sales
[21:20] 50 masks minimum does not mean 50 customers
[21:44] Adult and child sizes
[22:08] Mask quality
[24:14] Mask cost
[24:50] Most custom masks in the market are in the $20 range
[25:08] Volleyball team earned $2,000 in profit on 378 masks
[26:17] Fundraising moving online in a post COVID world
[28:22] Connect with James

How do you produce virtual events for fundraising? Auctioneer Greg Quiroga shares the secrets he’s learned from doing virtual events for charity and fundraising galas during COVID-19.

#012 – Greg Quiroga from Stellar SF Fundraising went from 100% live fundraising galas to 100% online events in a matter of weeks. His customers are nonprofits and schools and they all shut down their scheduled events when we went to Shelter at Home in March. Greg quickly pivoted and started advising his clients on virtual events.

You can’t stop fundraising because of COVID-19. As Greg puts it… “if you don’t ask them for money one year, it will be harder to get it the next year.” In this episode, Greg takes us inside some of his recent virtual events for fundraising and shares what is working.

If you are struggling with the decision to take your fundraising event virtual, there is something here for you. A lot of it is ATTITUDE! You have to get over your fears and BELIEVE you can do it.

Greg talks about using a variety of platforms including Zoom, YouTube, Facebook Live, and Twitch. He says it is best if you can get guests to stream the event to their smart TV to limit distractions on the computer.

These are tough times for sure, but many organizations are still raising money. Your organization’s costs are not going away so you still need to fundraise.

-Your supporters have likely done a number of virtual events for charity by now so they are accustomed to them.

-There are a number of virtual events to raise money around a number of great causes.

-Virtual events for adults are quite popular right now.

-In some cases, people are looking for virtual events to attend.

Virtual events in 2020 are exploding. We even came across a recent post titled “Virtual Events To Attend This Week”. If you are not asking, those funds are going somewhere else.

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Resources

Stellar SF Fundraising

Stellar SF Fundraising Blog

Stellar SF Fundraising Virtual Event Resources

The Lux Productions – AV Company

Groupfinity COVID-19 Q&A

3 Key Takeaways

#1 On average, virtual events are netting 90% of what they did as live events.

#2 A lot of your success rests in attitude. You have to believe you can do it.

#3 Keep it to 45 minutes to 1 hour. People’s attention span likely can’t take much more than that.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:46] We've seen different results in different parts of the country
[3:06] Some organizations have gone virtual and have achieved results in line with their live event
[3:49] I had no idea I would raise $1.4MM in front of my camera
[4:22] A lot available resources
[4:45] You can do something with low production value that still yields really good results
[6:11] If you are worried, you can do something that is low end
[7:09] Guests care about the guest experience
[8:45] Get people away from their computer screen and onto their TV screen
[9:16] Professionally looking virtual events...
[10:10] We did rehearsals every day for 2 1/2 weeks
[11:58] Gross is down, but the net is up
[12:10] Virtual events are netting 90% of what live events were doing
[12:55] You still need to build a community of supporters for your virtual event
[13:18] Expenses are down 50%
[13:33] Just because you're going virtual, it is NOT FREE!
[14:44] It is more important to raise money than ever before
[15:01] If you don't ask someone for money one year, it is harder to get money the next year
[15:19] The ones who've made the decision to go virtual are having an easier time
[15:44] You have to BELIEVE!
[16:00] online fundraising levels are comparable to those at in person events
[16:57] We're blazing a new trail
[18:49] Greg's school fundraising story
[19:53] People want to engage
[21:27] Four Phases of Fundraising in 2020 and 2021
[22:34] Plan on having a virtual component to your live events going forward
[24:40] That small virtual group raised more than if they had been together live
[25:55] You have to define your event differently
[26:35] Live events with a virtual component will be produced like a broadcast event
[27:52] Make sure presenters have a good internet connection
[28:10] You still need to do the work to get people to your event
[28:29] Keep it to 45 minutes to 1 hour
[28:53] Break your content up into 6 minute chunks
[29:38] Try to get your guests to stream to the TV
[30:04] Do the fundraising early

What if your organization is forced to cancel its annual convention in the wake of COVID-19? How Dondrell Swanson and his team reacted.

#011 – Dondrell Swanson and his team were hosting a 400+ person annual convention in March. Then the state and local governments put restrictions on large gatherings and ordered people to Shelter at Home. He and his team had to decide whether to reschedule to a future date or cancel. The venue was putting pressure on them to reschedule to a later date. This particular event is in the springtime every year. Moving to a later date was risky. They were unsure as to how it would perform later in the year.

Dondrell shares the team’s thought process at arriving at their decision and what they learned. If you face this situation now or if you will face it in the future, there are takeaways you can apply to your situation.

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Resources

Groupfinity COVID-19 Q&A

3 Key Takeaways

#1 Get key stakeholders together and do not make big decisions alone

#2 Make the easy decisions fast and keep them easy

#3 Don’t make human decisions financial decisions

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:13] Important convention takeaways for members
[3:30] In February we knew we had to start paying attention to this
[4:00] We were in the final throws of planning
[4:47] Governor recommends events greater than 250 people be canceled
[5:10] Hotel wanted to enforce the contract
[5:32] Mayor recommends gatherings greater than 50 people be canceled
[5:49] Hotel wants them to reschedule
[6:11] The decision matrix
[7:58] Nuances with the decision to reschedule
[9:13] They did not officially release us from the contract until after we canceled
[9:34] Force Majeure
[11:40] How we handled deposits with vendors
[12:18] Decision to refund or not refund registration funds
[13:28] Our first choice was not to automatically refund
[15:35] Do the right thing by your membership
[16:37] Don't hesitate to get key stakeholders together
[17:26] Make the easy decisions fast and keep them easy
[18:05] People remained committed to the organization and wanted to contribute
[19:30] Do the right thing by your members
[19:40] Don't make human decisions financial decisions

Did coronavirus cancel your school auction? Here is what one elementary school did – with Becky Urbano

#010 – Becky Urbano is the auction chair for her elementary school. Their auction was scheduled to take place just days before the shelter in place was ordered due to the coronavirus pandemic. She and her team had to scramble to change course fast. In a matter of days, they had to cancel vendors and move their event online to a virtual one. They lost deposit funds paid to vendors, but they were able to minimize other losses and still had a successful event. They used social media more than they had in the past to inform the community and drive excitement.

They had to scramble fast to scrap their physical event and go virtual. They did the best they could with the hand they were dealt, but still raised money. Do what you can and don’t worry about what was planned. This covid-19 crisis has taught us that we have to do things differently. You have to think out of the box.

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Resources

SchoolAuction.net

Other Resources

Groupfinity COVID-19 Q&A

Facebook Live

3 Key Takeaways

#1 Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to donate their ticket funds

#2 Be proactive and emotions must take a back seat

#3 Prepare for the worst case scenario

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[1:51] We were under pressure from the district to postpone 4 days before the event
[2:35] We were proactive and we looked at other options
[3:36] It was very clear that our event was not going to happen
[4:02] We lost our deposits, but we did not have to incur additional costs
[5:24] All guests donated cash paid for tickets
[7:15] Our decision to go virtual
[8:28] We had to go through our items to determine what could still be offered
[9:16] We quickly pivoted to an online event
[9:41] Using SchoolAuction.net was a big benefit to us
[10:53] We had to adjust our expectations
[11:20] The online only event did not generate as much as the historical live event
[12:43] We generated about 50% of what we would have fundraised
[14:00] You always have to be prepared for the worst case scenario
[14:30] The biggest thing I learned was the importance of being proactive
[15:20] We used social media more than ever before
[16:20] I had not done Facebook Live and now I've done several
[17:24] How we used Facebook Live

Coronavirus impacting your fundraising? Here’s what to do – with Christy Noel

#009 – This is my interview with Christy Noel, VP of Marketing at MobileCause. Nonprofits use MobileCause’s online and event fundraising software to boost their fundraising efforts. This episode was recorded in early April when organizations were faced with having to cancel or postpone their events due to the coronavirus pandemic crisis. The social distancing and stay at home orders as a result of the coronavirus pandemic are adversely impacting nonprofit organizations’ fundraising events. You may have to decide to cancel your event. Local authorities may force you to cancel your event. Christy shares what you can do. Specifically, she talks about transforming “in person” events to virtual ones.

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Resources

MobileCause

MobileCause Resources

What do do if your event is canceled due to coronavirus

Live event thermometer video

Enhanced text messaging video

Coronavirus communication templates

Virtual fundraising ideas

Other Resources

Groupfinity COVID-19 Q&A

Vimeo

3 Key Takeaways

#1 Don’t drag your feet on moving to a virtual event.

#2 Don’t assume you need to refund your ticket/registration funds. Communicate with your guests and sponsors and come up with a way forward that works for both sides.

#3 Add value to your sponsors by continuing to promote them.

You need to continue communicating with your guests and sponsors. Let them know what you are doing. Let them know how they can help. Don’t assume they know.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[2:02] Spring events are going virtual
[2:33] Organizations are continuing to fundraise
[3:30] Organizations are pulling the plug on live events scheduled in the next 3 months
[3:57] Outside of June, organizers are moving ahead cautiously
[4:34] Going forward, live events will have a virtual component
[8:25] Communicate - don't assume you need to refund ticket sales / registration funds if your event changes
[9:00] Ask your guests and sponsors how they want to handle the funds they paid
[10:02] Continue to promote your sponsors
[10:58] Multi-channel communication
[14:15] Recalibrate your expectations when you go virtual
[14:40] You still need to promote your event after you decide to go virtual
[17:00] Livestream your event
[20:15] Test your set-up before you go live (livestream)
[21:37] Make sure you have good audio
[22:46] Do not drag your feet about going virtual
[24:40] Virtual events can expand your reach

Will Coronavirus (COVID-19) stop my nonprofit event? Sam Swaim shares her insights.

#008- This is my interview with Sam Swaim who is the co-founder of Swaim Strategies and we explore the question – Will coronavirus stop my nonprofit event? Swaim Strategies works with nonprofits, large and small, to bring people together through events. This episode was recorded shortly after many local government authorities implemented restrictions on large gatherings due to the coronavirus crisis. Many organizations had events planned and were wondering if they could or should still host their event. In this episode, we talk about what the decisions leaders of organizations are grappling with. Sam shares what she is seeing and hearing from nonprofit event organizers. On the one hand, you don’t want to host an event that is not safe for your community. On the other hand, you may have extended substantial financial resources towards the event. What happens if you are forced to cancel your event because your local authorities have put a “shelter at home” order in place. What can you do to protect your organization’s finances?

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Resources

Swaim Strategies

The Show Must Go on – Fundraising Despite the Odds

Zoom

Google Hangout

Vimeo

COVID-19 Fundraising Principles by Steven Screen

3 Key Takeaways

#1 If your event is before May 2020 you have 3 options:

Cancel
Postpone
Go virtual

#2 Be open, honest, and transparent with your community, vendors, and partners

#3 Everyone is challenged so don’t ignore what is going on and don’t be tone-deaf.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode

[4:10] Events between March and May are being canceled, postponed, or are going virtual
[4:30] Be careful moving forward with a live event - you may be taking on liability
[4:50] Don't stop fundraising
[5:06] It is a good time to invest in donor relationships
[5:18] Are you still obligated to fulfill your event contract(s)
[6:15] This is not a time to think individually, it's a time to think collectively
[7:35] Vendors are working with event organizers to move to another 2020 date
[8:43] Be honest, be open, and be collaborative with your partners
[9:29] Force Majeure clause can free you from your contract
[10:55] Get on the phone and collaborate
[13:30] Creative ways to move forward with your event
[16:23] How do you strike the appropriate tone while fundraising during these times?
[16:52] Talk about how the coronavirus crisis is impacting your organization
[17:40] What should I do with the funds from tickets/registrations?
[18:52] You need to offer a refund as an option
[20:00] How should I communicate my plan? How far in advance?
[20:37] Cancel, postpone, or go virtual
[21:56] If your event goes virtual, have clear communication before, during, and after your event
[22:55] Meet your donors where they are communicating
[23:49] Put your plan on your website
[25:15] Change your social media messaging - the world has changed
[26:58] Include consignment travel in your auction
[30:41] Use challenges in your fundraising
[31:55] Ask your partners to match gifts
[32:50] Make sure you engage in your virtual events
[34:09] Tools people are using
[38:18] What happens when this is over?
[39:00] Start planning for what comes next
[39:40] Resources

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