Three Tips for Tough Times

It’s certainly no secret that times are tough. Nonprofits in our community are facing mounting pressures as inflation drives up operating costs, pandemic-era relief funds have expired, and demand for services continues to climb. At the Community Foundation, we are honored to work with local charities that are powering through the obstacles to engage donors and keep charitable dollars flowing to support important work, all while keeping an eye on long-term prospects for legacy gifts and endowment growth. Here are strategies that are working for many charities:

Focus on financial basics
Of course, during good times and bad, nonprofit organizations are encouraged to strengthen financial management practices by closely monitoring cash flow, improving transparency, and enhancing reporting to build trust and stability with stakeholders. What’s new for some organizations in 2025 is stepping up communications with donors on these fundamental topics, both in marketing strategies and in one-on-one meetings. For example, if your organization’s endowment fund is managed at the Community Foundation, it’s worth considering leaning on that as a talking point to inspire confidence among your donors.

Stay innovative
It’s easy to see why some organizations get caught in “hunker down” mode when times are tough. Perhaps counterintuitively, though, challenging economic conditions can often serve as inspiration for nonprofits to innovate operationally—streamlining processes, adopting new technologies, and rethinking traditional service models—to improve efficiency and impact. This is also an area where the Community Foundation can help. To streamline your ability to accept gifts of noncash assets, for example, the Community Foundation can serve as your back office to receive “alternative” donations.

Cultivate current donors
Taking care of your biggest fans is tried and true advice. Certainly you’ll always want to be on the lookout for new donors, but that work ought not diminish ongoing efforts to build strong relationships with your current donors. Recurring donations, for instance, not only offer nonprofits a predictable and stable funding stream, but they’re also a strong sign of donor loyalty. Indeed, recurring donors demonstrate significantly higher retention and tend to remain committed for many years compared to one-time donors. Long-term donor relationships also pave the way for meaningful conversations about legacy and endowment giving.
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Please reach out to the Community Foundation anytime. We are happy to be a sounding board to help your mission stay strong, in good times and in bad!