ARTICLE
[ASK AN EXPERT] How Do We Rally Support When Public Funding Disappears?
Topics -
Updated - 07/01/2025
Our Ask An Expert series features real questions answered by Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE, also known as Charity Clairity. Today’s question comes from a nonprofit employee who wants advice on whether they should send a summer appeal to make up for their loss of state funding:
The organization I’m working with will be losing 30% of their state funding. Should our next appeal be focused on making up this loss with support from donors? We would include language about the organization’s impact in the community and how donors change lives. What are your thoughts about sending an appeal during the summer months?
— Afraid it’s a bad time to sound the alarm
Dear Afraid it’s a bad time,
When your funding is suddenly slashed—and people’s safety, health, or dignity are on the line—you don’t just have permission to sound the alarm. You have a moral obligation to do so.
Lives may hang in the balance. Services people depend on could disappear. And if your supporters don’t know what’s at risk, how can they step in to help?
But here’s the key: don’t just tell donors what your organization stands to lose. Call on them to protect what they value—what you’ve built together. Your donors give because they believe in your mission. When that mission is under threat, it becomes their fight too.
This isn’t just a budget problem. It’s a moment of decision—a chance for your community to intervene before it’s too late. So yes, sound the alarm. But be clear: your donor is the lifeline.
Here’s how that message can come through powerfully, depending on your mission.
Let’s look at a couple examples of how that can sound, depending on your mission.
Domestic violence organization
When your safety net is fraying, your message must be clear: this is a moment of consequence.
❌ Budget-based framing:
“We’ve lost 30% of our funding and may have to reduce services. Please help us fill the gap.”
✅ Urgent, impact-driven framing:
“A mother with two children called our 24-hour hotline last week, desperate to escape a violent situation. Because of you, an advocate picked up the phone. Because of you, she was connected to a safe place to stay, legal support, and trauma-informed care.
But now, with 30% of our funding gone, that lifeline is at risk. We’re facing impossible choices—fewer counselors, longer wait times, or reduced hotline coverage—unless our community steps up.
Your gift today can ensure that when someone is finally ready to reach out for help, someone is there to answer. You can make the difference between danger and safety, fear and hope.”
Immigration justice organization
If your organization provides life-altering protection, when it’s threatened you cannot stay quiet.
❌ Budget-based framing:
“With less government support, we need your help to continue our services.”
✅ Urgent, impact-driven framing:
“Last month, our legal team stood with a father in court as he fought to stay with his two young children—both U.S. citizens. He had done everything right, but without representation, he would have had no chance.
This work is life-changing. And right now, 30% of the funding that makes it possible is being stripped away. That means fewer attorneys, longer waitlists, and more families forced to navigate a broken system alone.
Your gift puts a skilled advocate in someone’s corner—and keeps families together when everything else is working against them. You can assure desperate people aren’t turned away. Not now, when they need us most.”
So… should you send this during the summer?
Yes. Without hesitation.
The season isn’t the issue—your silence is. When funding disappears and lives are at risk, your supporters need to hear from you now, not later. Urgency fades. Attention shifts. If you wait, the moment may pass—and with it, the chance to rally the community when it matters most.
Don’t let the calendar dictate your communications. Let the need drive your timing.
When something threatens your work, and the people who count on you, that’s exactly when your donors should hear from you. That’s when they’re most needed. And that’s when they’re most likely to step up.
So yes—send the appeal. Tell the story. Sound the alarm. And make it clear: this moment calls for action.
Bottom line
This isn’t just about closing a budget gap. It’s about standing between crisis and stability—for the people who count on you. Never be shy about naming the elephant in the room. When funding is cut, you don’t go quiet. You go louder. Because lives may hang in the balance—and your donors deserve the chance to help.
Silence is not an option when your mission is under threat. Speak plainly, avoid jargon and triggering phrases, and use the most powerful words you can. Name what’s at stake. And give your community a way to rise to the moment.
— Charity Clairity (Please use a pseudonym if you prefer to be anonymous when you submit your own question, like “Afraid its a bad time” did.)
Has your organization been dealing with a loss of public funding? Let us know in the comments.
Alleviate some of the stress of navigating uncertainty. Future-proof your fundraising with this playbook.
Comments