Unity and community
These are uncertain times. Everyone has so many unanswered questions.
How long will this last?
Will the organization I work for survive?
How can I raise money in times of crisis?
How can I be a strong leader and make decisions for my organization during this crisis?
Will I have a job?
What are the economic impacts of something like this?
I am so stressed out – how can I find relief?
The internet is filled with tips and tools and loads of advice on how to survive the crisis from a fundraising perspective, nonprofit perspective, leadership perspective and for individuals. Local and regional leaders are working to help with financial resources for individuals, small business and more. People are coming together to help each other.
In times of uncertainty and scarcity, comes unity and community.
Recently, we convened the AFP Golden Gate Chapter board via an online meeting. As board president, I began the meeting by asking each of the twenty-five fundraising professionals who joined us, to share their stories, their fears and what, in some cases, they saw as the opportunity that working at home might afford them. The comments varied widely and yet were very much the same, in many respects. People shared their fears of financial losses in their personal and business lives. People shared their fears about the resiliency of their organizations, the donors who support their organizations, their clients. In those same breaths, however, people shared ideas, and stories of success throughout crises of the past. People shared their plans to clean garages and closets and desks more. People shared their tips for creating home offices. People offered their services to one another, their advice and wisdom, their friendship, their kindness, and their generosity.
In times of uncertainty and scarcity, comes unity and community.
I don’t pretend to know more than others about what may come of this crisis in terms of the economy, the health of our nonprofit organizations, the potential for financial security, etc. Rather, we at Cook Silverman Search applaud our colleagues who have offered valuable tools and provide for our readers a list of excellent articles, tips, and resources that we feel can be helpful during a particularly challenging and uncertain time. As always, we remain committed to excellence and the use of best practices, which include transparency, generosity, kindness, and professionalism, amongst many others.
The Cook Silverman team has curated a shortlist of helpful resources for your convenience. Please feel free to share any of these resources. We hope to be helpful to you and your organizations today, and always.
On marketing/communications strategies during a crisis:
For a cause communications toolkit, click here.
For CCS Fundraising webinars, click here.
For Campbell & Company's webinar, click here.
For AFP Golden Gate's webinar on Fundraising in the face of COVID-19, click here.
The last time we found our nation in a financial crisis of this magnitude (2007/2008), the Council of Nonprofits was a resource on data pre- and post. They remain a relevant and important resource and for their latest information, click here.
If you live in California and are going to file for unemployment then the New York Times has gathered important information. To read it click here.
For information on how to donate supplies to local hospitals in the Bay Area, click here.
Consider supporting local businesses that are working hard to be helpful and remain in business – like local farmers, booksellers, store owners and more. Many are providing delivery and pick up services. For tips on how to support small and local businesses, click here.
This Coronavirus resource kit is a collective open-source compilation that features resources from disabled, queer, elderly, Asian, and indigenous people, and mutual aid projects across the nation. To read it, click here.
This editable document tree is a resource for people looking out for themselves and their communities through personal preparation, collective care, mutual aid, and advocacy. To read it, click here.
And finally, some tips to consider wellness:
Headspace, the app, is offering a free trial and healthcare providers are able to receive some free services during this time. Click here.
Online resources for yoga and mindfulness include Yoga with Adriene and many more options on YouTube.
To all our friends - stay safe, be good to yourself and your family, and help others wherever you can.