We can’t fundraise because people are afraid, anxious, overwhelmed and dealing with too much right now:

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• They have lost family members, jobs and their ability to give. It’s inappropriate to ask now and would be seen as insensitive. 
   

• No one cares about non-Covid-related organisations right now. We don't want to come across as tone-deaf and uncaring by asking for donations. We have to be careful about how the message will land.

People are feeling anxious and stressed, and part of what feeds that anxiety is the loss of control. We can’t see this virus and we don’t really know when this will end. We wait anxiously for the daily report of the numbers; we feel helpless as the death toll mounts around the world.

 

But what is also happening is a sense of community that stretches across borders, languages and boundaries. We are finding that we have much in common. One of the things we do have in common is a desire to share and experience compassion.

 

The act of giving allows donors to demonstrate compassion. We know that donors are far less likely to give if they are not asked. It is our duty to our beneficiaries to ask people to give and, in turn, their decisions to give allow donors to gain a sense of purpose and control.

 

Giving may be different these days in terms of size and frequency. This is the widow’s mite at work. Each small gift rolls up into something larger. Giving together provides us with collective control in our communities, in our countries.

 

In a time of social distancing, people are looking for ways to feel connected to each other; giving can offer that sense of connection. The growth of informal activities – like honouring our frontline workers during the pandemic – is one example of how people will organize themselves in order to feel a sense of connection and purpose. Charities that invite donors to give can also offer a sense of control and focus. 

 

People want to find a sense of worth, a way to contribute, a way to find joy.  

 

This pandemic gives us an opportunity to deepen relationships with our donors. 

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