I work with my sisters. Believe it or not, we still like each other. So, when one of us was in a COVID-19 quarantine with her family due to a recent trip to Madrid, we stopped by for a visit (sensibly staying the requisite distance apart), and of course brought Corona beer to try to keep the situation light.

Any time we get together, the conversation inevitably turns to business, and over Coronas we discussed how the coronavirus would affect our clients - nonprofits and business startups. In particular, would we make our funding goals? After all, how could we effectively raise capital if we have to cancel all upcoming fundraising engagements, meetings, and events for the foreseeable future? 

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention and within the confines of these restrictions came innovative ideas: like text bubbles in a comic strip, they popped in my mind- focus locally...utilize living in the digital age… online campaigns… webinars..."TED" style talks... social media revamps… Zoom and Skype meetings - PIVOT!

Since many of us are in the same boat, I'm happy to share my thoughts on how to cope with the new restrictions we are facing in the age of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), utilizing my 25 years in the field working with nonprofits and businesses, both big and small, local and international...
 

1. Don’t travel. Now is not the time to take unnecessary risks. Postpone that upcoming trip and keep the option open for a later date. In the meantime there is much that you can still do to further the mission and goals of your organization or business...
    

2. Have a good long think - who are your current and potential funders? Where do they live?What are their demographics? Are they tech savvy? How do they like to be contacted?Make lists, divide and conquer. 

   • If you want to target a younger population, they are likely already on social media and are used to consuming information and communicating this way. Consider a special information sharing campaign which can culminate in a crowdfunding campaign. See what's trending and try to make it relevant. Encourage others to share. For many, their attention is primarily focused on the coronavirus at the moment. But that doesn't mean they have forgotten causes and opportunities that are important to them.
   • If your core demographic is an older population a snail mail campaign might be perfectly timed. The elderly are particularly susceptible to COVID-19 and many are wisely staying at home. However, unlike their younger counterparts, they are less likely to be spending time online making an old fashioned mailing a great communication tool.Many organizations have stopped doing these over the years and now might be the proper time to time to rethink that. Consider including a phone number among the "contact us" information on your mailing
   • Are business execs and industry leaders your target? Then they are most likely very comfortable with video conferencing options and might appreciate a more direct 20 minute virtual meeting utilizing Zoom (ZM) or Skype (MSFT)rather than an hour in-person solicitation anyway. 
   • Now is the time to get creative and try new things. With travel options drying up and offices quickly shutting down, take advantage of that extra time you used to spend traveling/commuting. Make that video you always wanted to create but never had the time for. Learn a new social media platform you were always curious about. Take an online course in an area you want to be more effective. Finally, test out those ideas you were unsure of in the past to see just how effective they may be. As one door shuts, others will open. 
      

3. Talk with your Board of Directors and active funders/investors. They know/understand their counterparts and contemporaries and will have insights as to how they would like to be engaged during this time. The lay/staff relationship is a dance - sometimes the layman is in the lead and sometimes the staff person is. Now is THE time to take your cue from your lay leaders to understand their personal preferences. Share your ideas and let them lead.
    

4. Change how you define "networking." For many, the key to attract donors or investors is to network, network, network. But how does one do so when networking events are being cancelled left and right, limits are being placed on the size of public gatherings and more and more individuals are afraid to leave their homes - or worse, quarantined outright? Both planned and spontaneous meetings are becoming sparse.
   
   It's time to utilize your existing network for virtual introductions to potential funders.Alternatively, with more and more people spending more time at home and online, now is an ideal time to raise money via less traditional methods, such as crowdfunding. Instead of raising significant amounts from a few individuals, with crowdfunding, companies can raise capital by raising smaller amounts for far more people.A for-profit company can raise up to $1.07 million per year through this method. But it's important to work with a reputable platform. Some leading options include Republic, MicroVentures, Netcapital, Wefunder, SeedInvest, and StartEngine. For non-profits, there are many reliable options as well, such as  CauseMatch, Fundly, Donately and more. There are also matching gift opportunities for the nonprofit sector.
   
   Crowdfunding campaigns are literally optimized for a situation like this, where people are focused online and on social media in particular. 
    

5. Be aware: people are reacting differently during this time. Some already have loved ones infected or are in quarantine themselves. Some are scared, others are skeptical and for those in the few regions which still remain relatively untouched by COVID-19, there are those still going about their lives as normal. Additionally, I've found that people's reactions to what is now officially a pandemic can be quite polarizing. You do not know what they are thinking, so be astute and respectful. Additionally, the pandemic has become a genuine emergency to many. Don't let your concern of how it will impact your fund raising efforts to cloud your judgement. Is your fundraising need really an emergency? Or are you just keeping in touch and stewarding your relationships? The messaging and method should always meet your need.
    

6. Think things through with others in your field.Now is not the time to get territorial. We are all searching for ways to effectively reach our target audience and continue to engage our existing and potential funders. Sharing ideas will bring forth the creation of more ideas and only help each other. But remember, in this day and age, there's no need to meet in person, have those conversations online or over the phone. Be safe and practice social distancing as much as possible.

If we are wise, we can use these new conditions to break free of our “same old” fundraising practices and even increase our success-- funders appreciate innovation and will likely appreciate the change of pace.

Best of luck to us all -- and wishing everyone continued health.

---
Danielle Berkowitz, with 25 years of professional experience in the non-profit and start-up sectors, is a founding partner in the boutique strategic development firm Reach3K.