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Surviving Election Season: What Every Nonprofit Needs To Know Now
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Many Americans are worried about who will win the 2024 presidential election. In my lifetime, I’ve never seen candidates with more starkly different agendas, values, and ideologies. Beyond worrying about who will win, many fundraisers are also stressing over how to survive fundraising in an election season.
I can’t blame them.
Recent political events have shown that political candidates can raise impressive amounts of money immediately following major events. It’s important to remember that these spikes in political fundraising don’t necessarily impact charitable giving.
As a fundraiser, this might worry you. But it shouldn’t.
You should have zero doubts, worries, fears, or concerns that the presidential election will hurt your fundraising. Zero! Nada!
While the race will dominate the national media’s attention, it won’t impact a penny you raise through the end of 2024.
To what do I owe my brazen self-assuredness? One word: history. Every four years, nonprofits ask me whether the oncoming flood of emails and direct mail from the presidential race will hurt their fundraising.
It won’t, dear fundraiser. Want proof? Analytical Ones studied giving patterns among 50 nonprofits for the past 10 years. They found that giving across these organizations increased incrementally each season, regardless of whether there was an election. There was no correlation whatsoever between money raised and election years.
Author and legendary fundraising copywriter Jeff Brooks makes another distinction clear: Donors to political campaigns and donors to charity have largely different motivations for giving.
Few people redirect their typical charitable giving toward political candidates. Why is that? Political campaign donors often give out of loyalty to a party, support for a particular candidate, or passion for a specific political ideology. Their contributions are aimed at advancing a political agenda or influencing election outcomes. On the other hand, supporters of charitable causes are driven by a heartfelt desire to make a difference. They give to help those in need, support community well being, or further a mission they believe in. Their generosity is fueled by altruism and the tangible impact they see from the nonprofits they choose to support.
So, what’s the lesson here?
Do *not* cancel or cut back on your digital or direct mail appeals just because it’s an election year. Drop every appeal with enthusiasm. Stride into every face-to-face ask with your head held high.
As Jeff Brooks said during the COVID pandemic, “Any fundraising you don’t do is guaranteed zero revenue. It’s also a lost opportunity you can never get back.”
Jeff does have some advice for you if you are fundraising among donors who live in one of the big battleground states: Consider pausing some of your communications around election week—from the week or two before until immediately after—leave some open space so your messages aren’t landing in overcrowded mailboxes. But don’t cancel anything!
Don’t let any fears hold you back, dear fundraiser! You have a big mission to fulfill, and the world is counting on you.
Now that I’ve (hopefully) put your fundraising fears to bed, let’s talk strategy!
If your nonprofit should find itself with an opportunity to leverage current events with humor to your cause, take it!
Case in point: Humane Society of Northeast Georgia’s spoof on Carole Baskin for their peer-to-peer fundraiser at the peak of Joe Exotic’s Tiger King popularity.
Hungry for ideas? Look to the current news cycle for inspiration.
You may not have an opportunity to lean into current events with humor, or cat memes. Not all nonprofits can.
One thing you can do, however, is be prepared. While events leading up to the election won’t necessarily affect fundraising, election results—including the upcoming presidential election—will likely have a funding impact for your nonprofit. Be sure to prepare your communications ahead of time, so you’re covered for either potential scenario.
I hope I’ve helped you put those election jitters to rest. Just remember: History has our backs—charitable giving stays strong, even in election years. So, stay laser-focused on your mission and keep your fundraising gears turning without hesitation. Prepare for whatever the election brings, and don’t forget that your cause is too important to let any political buzz slow you down. Keep pushing forward, and your nonprofit will shine brighter than ever!
How do you plan to survive fundraising in an election season? Let us know in the comments.
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Kristen Hay
Duru Ahanotu