Every four years, the GiveMN team momentarily pauses our Early Giving Give to the Max Day messaging to make space for the presidential election. As our state and nation navigate this week’s results, many of you may be wondering if and how you need to adjust your fundraising strategy. So, we've put together some resources and tips to help you map out your next step.
Let's face it, elections and everything that comes with them -- media, political fundraising, voting, and more -- can be incredibly stressful. As nonprofit leaders, we're the "helpers" who are here for others. We often prioritize the needs of community members ahead of our own, but now is the time to take a moment to put on our own oxygen masks before we can help anyone else.
Before you dive back into your fundraising strategy, create some space to process, decompress, and take care of yourself. Whether that means drinking a glass of water, going to a yoga class, calling a friend, or something else, take time to be gentle with yourself. We can only fundraise effectively when we're healthy and supported. So, in service to your loved ones, your colleagues, and the community members who may be looking to your organization for guidance, we encourage you to prioritize your well-being in the way that's right for you.
Depending on the nature of your organization's work, you may or may not feel the need to adjust the tone of your fundraising messaging moving forward. Here are some things to consider when re-evaluating your strategy:
1. Are we a political or a partisan organization?
We often see political and partisan used interchangeably. However, the term "political" encompasses a wide range of activities and services including those that influence policy and governance. Being political does not necessarily mean being affiliated with a specific political party or ideology; it means engaging in matters of public interest and governance. On the other hand, "partisan" actions or statements explicitly support or oppose particular political parties or candidates.
2. Does our mission require and/or encourage us to change our messaging in light of election results?
You may not need to change your messaging at all! Not every organization may feel the need to respond to the election results either directly or indirectly. Consider what types of messages your audience is used to hearing from you as well as how your organization may have handled post-election messaging in previous years.
3. What might our audience need to hear from us right now?
Each organization's audience will be different - that's the beauty of the diversity of nonprofits and schools we have here in Minnesota! However, based on your organization's mission and your audience's values, consider if you may need to adjust your tone in fundraising communications. Community reactions to the election results will vary greatly so it's important to strike a tone and voice that responds to the moment and resonates with the individuals who are engaged with your mission.
The best thing you can do as our state and nation navigate what's next is continue to fundraise.
Our community needs your leadership and your organization's programming and services. Nonprofits and schools are integral to the civic fabric of our state and your organization's ability to continue its work is crucial. Your ability and willingness to fundraise this fall and beyond is a gift to our community because you're offering an opportunity for people to enact their values and make a difference in the world.
The way nonprofits and schools weather turbulence and change is by continuing to lean on our audiences and one another for support. Inviting others into your work is a gift and you hold the power to provide people with actionable ways to get involved.
To continue to help you think through your GTMD and year-end fundraising strategy, we've developed a new values-based messaging worksheet. This guide is designed to help you take your organizational values and translate those values into mission impact and a clear call-to-action.
Download the Values Messaging Guide
And, our GTMD24 resources are available at no cost to you on our Resource Hub. From guides about peer-to-peer fundraising to press release templates, we've got you covered with the tools you need to fundraise successfully this fall and beyond.