How to Help Your Non-Profit Group Thrive in a Struggling Economy

It’s no secret that many non-profit organizations are feeling the bite of a starved economy. It’s terribly ironic that as the funds seem to decrease, the number of people who need help is vastly increased. So how are some agencies able to not only keep their doors open, but expand?

The Huffington Post reporter Gabrielle Cannon wrote an interesting article concerning how the recession is impacting many charities. Cannon explains, “In a new study released by the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), an organization that surveyed nearly 2,000 nonprofit organizations, 87 percent report the decline in the U.S. economy continues to impact their operations… This figure is largely attributed to the increase in demand for nonprofit services, as an upswing in unemployment, poverty, and government budget cuts, resulting from the recession, have put added pressure on nonprofits.”

There are several ways that non-profits are readjusting their spending and fundraising to accommodate these changes. “According to the Guidestar report, nonprofits facing limited resources to meet looming increases in demand have had to find new strategies, like partnership, to increase efficiency… [They also] diversify funding streams, focusing on outcome based programs that are more attractive to foundations,” writes Cannon.

Another way that organizations are continuing to bring in funds is through online giving. Last year alone online giving increased by 77%. With natural disasters such as the tsunami in Japan and the earthquake in Haiti, online giving was highlighted as the best way to aid the victims in these tragedies. Cannon reports that, “The study showed that peer-to-peer fundraising   and social media shaped this growth, in addition to increases in online response for disaster relief.”

“Non-profits in the US raise over $300 billion a year. Only 13% of this is being raised online, but large non-profits are growing online fundraising 56% per year. Plus, social media platforms like Fundly   enable non-profits to turn donors into fundraisers for their cause, which has the potential to grow this even more”, said Darian Rodriguez Heyman, co-producer of Social Media for Non-Profits  .

The best way to keep the funds flowing in a tough economy is to make it easy to give, get your message out using social media and use specific examples of how your organization is changing lives. Most important: never underestimate the generosity of your donors!