We have compiled a library of crisis fundraising advice, articles, opinions, webinars, videos and resources in the wake of the new coronavirus and its impact on the nonprofit sector.
This page will be updated. To suggest additions, please email steven.shattuck@bloomerang.co.
For the most up to date information on COVID-19, please refer to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.
Get notified when additions are made to this page:
Funding
[INTERACTIVE MAP] COVID-19 Response and Recovery Funds from the National Center for Family Philanthropy
Coronavirus and COVID-19 Funds from GivingCompass
Legislation
[WEBINAR] Nonprofits and the CARES Act
[WEBINAR] Briefing on Emergency Coronavirus Funding for 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
FAQs – COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits
U.S. Nonprofits and Suppliers: What You Need to Get an Emergency Forgivable Covid-19 Loan
COVID-19 Relief Bill Passed – What Does It Mean for Nonprofits?
Cutting Through the Jargon: How the CARES Act Works for Nonprofits
SBA loans and related relief under the CARES Act
CARES Act: Understanding SBA Loan Programs to Determine Eligibility and Best Fit for Your Company
The CARES Act: What You Need to Know About Emergency Small Business Relief
Financial Relief & Impact Tracker For Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Case Studies
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Peace Community Center
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Ada Jenkins Center
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Boys & Girls Club Boone County
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Naperville Education Foundation
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Maggie’s Place
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – B.E.A.M. (Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry)
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – CommUnity
- COVID-19 Fundraising Success Stories – Willamette Humane Society
Groups
COVID 19 Charity Preparedness Group (Facebook)
Nonprofit Happy Hour (Facebook)
Other Curated Lists
Clairity Click-It, from Claire Axelrad, J.D., CFRE
COVID-19 Resource List: #NPCOVID19, from Beth Kanter, et al
COVID-19 Resources, from Lynne Wester
COVID-19 Resources for Nonprofits, from Pamela Grow
Curated list for Australian orgs, from Philanthropy Australia
The State of Volunteer Management during Coronavirus
Self-Care
[FREE DOWNLOAD] Bloomerang Blossom Coloring Book
Examples and Templates
A public Google Drive folder of examples, from Julia Campbell
A public Google Drive folder of examples, from Lori Jacobwith
Coronavirus Appeal Templates, by Mark Phillips
COVID-19 and Your Fundraising Cheat-Sheet, by Sean Triner
Thank you call script, by Pamela Grow
Your COVID-19 Fundraising Event Toolkit, by Swaim Strategies
How to continue fundraising for non-pandemic causes, by Care2
Webinars and Podcasts On-Demand
Donor Love and Vulnerability in the Era of COVID-19, w/ Jen Love and John Lepp
Donor Communication In The Wake of COVID-19, w/ Rachel Muir, CFRE
How Nonprofits Can Navigate COVID-19, w/ Pamela Grow and Beth Kanter
COVID-19 and Your Cause, w/ Sean Triner
What Your Board Should Do During the COVID-19 Crisis, w/ Simone Joyaux and Jeff Brooks
The New Normal: Fundraising in the Wake of a Covid-19 Coronavirus Market, w/ Cherian Koshy
Virtual Support for Nonprofits Who Provide Support Groups, w/ Sarah Olivieri
How to Manage Your Capital Campaign in Uncertain Times, w/ Andrea Kihlstedt and Amy Eisenstein
During Fear & Uncertainty – How to Fundraise?, w/ Lori L. Jacobwith
Organizational Management in COVID-19 Era, w/ Zachary Kester
The Caring and Funding Podcast, from CAF America
Discounts and Offers
- LinkedIn Makes ‘LinkedIn Learning’ Courses on Working From Home Available for Free Amid Coronavirus Changes
- Cisco, Google Hangouts follow Zoom’s lead in offering free video conferencing features amid coronavirus outbreak
- 90 Day Free Trial of Boardable
On The Bloomerang Blog
Articles Across the Web
20 Virtual Fundraising Ideas During COVID-19 [Updated Spring 2020] – “If you’re in need to quickly create a virtual fundraising opportunity, we’ve thought of some great virtual fundraising events that can help your organization keep revenue flowing while the world grapples with the need to keep physical distance.”
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A Crisis Communications Checklist for COVID-19 – “Here are six steps you can take to ensure the work you’re doing to help the most impacted communities is in the news during the coronavirus crisis. We’ve also included a list of all the “How to Help” news roundups you could be pitching for your nonprofit during the crisis.”
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Anatomy of a Coronavirus Nonprofit Email + Thank You – “Let’s face it. All folks are thinking about today is coronavirus. If you ignore this fact, you’ll come across as out of touch and even insensitive. So begin every communication with some acknowledgement of what people are going through. Not just you. Them.”
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How long… will this be going on? – “Find the silver lining here, and use this time to connect more meaningfully with your constituencies than ever before. Looking outward, take care to extend a little extra love and fun (with some fundraising thrown in, of course) to your supporters. Looking inward, you can also use this time to improve systems, policies and procedures you’ve had on the back burner.”
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Raising Funds in Tough Times – “This article was originally published by Jerry Panas during the 2008 financial crisis. It has been republished here with permission from the Panas estate.”
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CDC Foundation Has COVID-19 Guidelines For Nonprofits – “What can nonprofit leaders do in this time of uncertainty and concern? Judy Monroe, MD, president and CEO of the CDC Foundation, offers five steps or initiatives that leaders of all nonprofits and philanthropies can take or consider.”
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Coronavirus Pandemic and Fundraising – “Lots of advice for fundraisers trying to figure out what to do about the Coronavirus pandemic is floating around. Roger Craver at The Agitator has selected a sampling of some of these.”
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Coronavirus and Fundraising: What to Expect and How to Prepare – “Gail Perry shares a guide on what to do and say right now, and what to expect from major donors and capital campaign prospects.”
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How Nonprofits Can Connect Virtually During Trying Times – “With the current state of coronavirus, Claire Axelrad shares her advice on how nonprofits can still connect virtually during this time.”
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March 3: Corona virus – how will it impact charities? – “John Lepp, Beate Sørum, and Jen Love discuss the effects on legacy giving and donor acquisition with the COVID-19 panic.”
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Avoid the 3 Biggest Mistakes of Fundraising in a Recession – “Since the coronavirus outbreak, stock markets have been on a roller coaster and oil producers are waging an ugly pricing war. What is a nonprofit fundraiser to do? Check out this advice from Marc Pitman.”
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A few things for nonprofits and foundations to consider in light of the Coronavirus – “This virus reveals several of the weaknesses of our sector and our society. Vu Le brings up critical points for nonprofits and foundations to consider.”
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8 Steps for Successful Fundraising During the Coronavirus Crisis – “Your donors are anxious. Your board members are freaking out. It’s up to you to lead the way. So what’s a fundraiser to do? Check out these 8 steps from Amy Eisenstein to weather the coronavirus crisis.”
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What you can do for your donors and others in Times of Crisis: COVID-19 Edition – “No matter where you are globally, the past few weeks have probably been a roller coaster of uncertainty, emotion, and even sometimes anxiety. To help, here’s some advice from Lynne Wester for your relationships with donors during this time.”
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[PODCAST] From Stock Market Crashes to Crushing Goals – “In this episode, RAISE Podcast is joined by Jim Husson, Boston College’s SVP of University Advancement to discuss stock market crashes.”
Listen now >>
Our Events Were Canceled: Here are 10 Customer Engagement Strategies We’re Trying Instead. – “Here are 10 customer engagement strategies from Sruthi Kumar that can still give you valuable time with your prospects and customers even when your events are cancelled.”
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COVID-19 and Your Cause – “Some bosses are about to cripple their charity’s future with one bad decision around COVID-19. Sean Triner has identified several key areas where you could be impacted.”
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Training remotely: A facilitator’s guide – “If you aspire to provide training or facilitation from a geographic distance, here are Andy Robinson’s 7 tips on what you need to know for effective remote training.”
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Fundraising in the Time of COVID-19 – “There is nothing like a global pandemic to create a bit of uncertainty in the minds of EVERYONE! Larry Raff shares some workarounds for how we conduct business.”
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A Huge Mistake Nonprofits Make in Preparing for COVID-19 – “Our brain’s main way of dealing with threats is the fight-or-flight response. Gleb Tsipursky at NonProfit PRO shares the 3 cognitive biases we need to watch out for.”
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Coronavirus And Your 2020 Fundraising Goals: What Nonprofits Need To Know – “Alyssa Wright at Forbes shares a few tips to ensure we all stay on track to hit our annual goals and drive change all across the globe, regardless of how many galas we have to cancel or meetings we must postpone.”
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Free resources for creating a Coronavirus Appeal – “With emergency appeals related to the pandemic now moving beyond discussion, Mark Philllips thought it might be helpful to provide a couple of template letters that could be useful should you need to launch an appeal for additional support, either now or in the future.”
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Love for fundraisers in a time of coronavirus – “Fundraising is never easy but currently it looks even more challenging as we all face a coronavirus pandemic which is having severe social and economic consequences. Howard Lake shares his thoughts at this stage to give some perspective and some tips.”
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Preparing Your Fundraising Event for a Public Health Crisis – “Here is our guide for making hard decisions and creating pre-event communication plans that take public safety into account.”
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Coronavirus: What you Need to Know About Cancelling an Event and Liability Risks – “Of course, attendee safety is the number one priority, but a canceled event can mean massive losses for both planners and their partners. If you have to cancel, will you be on the hook for compensation claims? What might your insurance cover?”
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The Extrovert’s Guide to Working From Home – “Remote work is hard, not because of a lack of productivity, communication, or coordination, but because of the fundamental lack of trust it can breed when handled inappropriately.”
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Catching the News: Coronavirus Edition – “If your work involves vulnerable communities—people without financial resources, immigrants, those who are incarcerated, people without insurance or those without a home—you could be speaking up, advocating for your people, and shining a light on their dilemmas.”
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Fundraising From Home – “Jim Eskin shares his thoughts on how frontline fundraisers are still strategically positioned to continue achieving success in their roles while working remotely.”
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Remote Workplace Equity – “For those of you who are adjusting to a remote work model, here are some considerations around remote workplace equity from Jessica Lawmaster.”
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Loving with One Voice – “Jessica Lawmaster shares ways that you can make a profound impact on your organization and its employees in your own heart-centered way.”
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[PODCAST] How to Fundraise During a Pandemic – “If you are tasked with raising funds, check out Mary Valloni’s tips so you are never in a state of panic during this time.”
Listen Now >>
[PODCAST] How are Nonprofits Handling the Pandemic? – “How are nonprofits handling this unprecedented situation? Hear from nonprofit leaders Kate Hibbard Gaines from Three Square Food Bank, Jamie Weller-Lafavor from Boys and Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, and Heidi Parker from Immunize Nevada.”
Listen Now >>
Nonprofit Guide to Virtual Fundraising in 2020 — Source: OneCause
How to Lead Through a Crisis – Source: Center for Creative Leadership
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From Sustainability to Survivability: 5 Steps Nonprofits Must Take to Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic – Source: Steve Zimmerman; Spectrum Nonprofit Services; Nonprofit Leadership Center
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No Business Continuity Plan? Take These 4 Steps – Source: Nonprofit Risk Management Center
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Resources for anxiety and your mental health in a global climate of uncertainty – Source: Shine
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What Nonprofit Board Members Should Be Doing Right Now to Address the COVID-19 Situation – Source: BoardSource
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A Quick Summary of the New Emergency Leave Law – Source: Civitas Strategies
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Nonprofits Seek $60 Billion Federal Aid Package – Source: The Chronicle of Philanthropy
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A Call to Action: Philanthropy’s Commitment During Covid-19 – Source: Council on Foundations
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How to cultivate donors and ask from a distance – Source: Sandy Rees
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How to salvage your fundraising event during the COVID-19 crisis – Source: Sandy Rees
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What to Do If You Have to Cancel Your Event Because of COVID-19 – Source:
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4 Tips for Hosting a Virtual Peer-to-Peer Event – Source: Qgiv
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4 Tips to Turn a Silent Auction into a Virtual Party – Source: Qgiv
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Generational Giving: How to Apply Donor Preferences to Emergency Fundraising Strategies – Source: Qgiv
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Best Practice Examples from Food Banks Fundraising During COVID-19 – Source: Qgiv
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Should We Send Our Scheduled Appeal/Newsletter/Annual Report in the Midst of COVID-19? – Source: Pamela Grow
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Coronavirus digital trends and media consumption insights – Source: Sophie Thurber
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Remote Work For Nonprofits in the Time of COVID-19 – Source: Alison Schwartz
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