We are all feeling the strain of the Covid-19 pandemic. From the impact it’s having on our organisations to the emotional impact of isolation and missing friends and family.
Charities and not-for-profits have been particularly badly hit with fundraising and income streams decimated but it’s amazing to see the great resilience shown by so many organisations, as they adapt and pivot to find innovative ways to continue their work and support their vital communities.
It’s not easy staying positive, but in uncertain times like these, focusing on these things you can control can be very rewarding.
Supporting service users
Amidst all the uncertainty, it’s really important that you continue to reach out to your service users and members to reassure them that you are still there for them. Vulnerable, older and people that may already have underlying conditions are feeling scared and vulnerable now, so it’s really important for them to know that your organisation is still there for them.
It may just be by email or by posting relevant, accurate up-to-date content on your website and social media channels so that your service users know you are still here for them.
Staying in touch with supporters and donors
The supporters and donors you had before quarantine have not gone away so it’s really important that you let them know that your services still need their support; and the ways in which they can continue to do this.
Everyone is experiencing disruption, but that doesn’t mean that your fundraising should stop, you need to be creative about the approach and the campaigns you develop to ensure the pathways to engagement remain open.
It’s true that your supporters can’t physically attend fundraising events and some donors may themselves be experiencing financial difficulty but it’s important that you think of new ways to fundraise and that your organisation has the tools to engage with your supporters online.
Staying in touch with your team
How can you keep your team motivated as a manager or stay connected as a team member when everyone has scattered? You may have had to make the really difficult decision to let some of your staff go, but hopefully this will only be a temporary situation.
It is really difficult to maintain momentum, but using platforms like Zoom, Google Meets or Gotomeeting can help, not only with keeping workflow moving but also with maintaining structure and meaningful contact with your team.
Make sure you make the most of the social opportunities offered by these platforms, by taking the time to share personal stories and finding out about the joys as well as the challenges of working from home!
Planning for the future
When activity has slowed or changed in a way you had never predicted, it’s a great opportunity to ‘Go back to basics’ and start evaluating what resources you do have and what resources you might need to pull through.
Start by considering what you can do better, what areas need improvement.
- Are there changes you can make to internal processes to make them more efficient?
- Are there better ways you can engage with supporters or the general public?
- Have you access to the technology and tools you need to fundraise online or run digital campaigns?
- What is your supporter/ donor, service user data like? Does it need work?
- Have you compliance issues that you need to resolve?
- What are your organisation’s most stable revenue sources?
- Do you need to start planning for a more secure, recurring revenue model?
Staying calm & being positive
Easier said than done! BUT it is true to say that having a more positive outlook and ‘putting on a brave face’ can have a positive effect on those around you.
Resilience is about how you act, respond and recover from what happens to you. The ability to adapt and move forward from adversity requires a unique combination of behaviors, thoughts, and actions, all of which can be learned.
While things may seem scary and uncertain right now, this won’t last forever and we will emerge from the crisis.
Feeling in control and staying focused at this time will help you bounce back to normal (the new normal !) sooner.
Remember, we at CHAMP CLOUD are here for you, so if there is anything that we can do to help or support your during this time, please get in touch @ info@champcloud.com
