In 2001, as the world watched the attacks on the Twin Towers in horror and disbelief, news stations turned on their news tickers (hint: that scrolling bar at the bottom of your TV screen). This wasn’t the first time — tickers had been used in elections and to announce breaking news for years, but something interesting happened after 9/11. The news tickers were never turned off.

Stations realized that without the added urgency of a ticker, their viewership declined.

And now, the same thing may be happening in direct response fundraising.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, with adrenaline and uncertainty at an all-time high, almost all non-profit sectors saw a significant bump in fundraising.

However, now that we’ve returned to “normal” many audiences are responding less to annual campaigns — even 2022 calendar-year-end efforts were lackluster for many. In fact, in 2022, the only non-profit sectors that saw growth were those impacted by or responding to emergencies – like the devastating war in Ukraine or the unthinkable repeal of Roe v. Wade.

We’ve seen this phenomenon before (the “Trump Bump” after the 2016 election). However, unlike other ebbs and flows in the news cycle, many fundraisers are beginning to feel as though something fundamentally shifted after COVID.

Like broadcast news stations, have we trained our donors only to respond in the most remarkable of circumstances? And if so, what can we do about it to ensure long-term fundraising success?

Let’s take a look at some of the things we’ve learned from our long history of work in the internal relief sector — where disaster fundraising urgency has always reigned supreme.

Be authentic:

Don’t manufacture a crisis to garner attention and funds. The reason pandemic fundraising efforts were successful is because the urgency was real. Creating false emergencies won’t just deteriorate your reputation, it could have long-lasting impacts on your retention rates since most emergency donors don’t retain at the same rate as their non-emergency counterparts.

Go back to basics:

As you create your campaign strategy consider two of the most basic fundraising questions:

Why should people give? And why should people give right now?

Answering these questions is the key to communicating your case for support clearly and effectively. If you don’t have a great response for both, other than “I need to run a summer fundraising effort,” it’s time to rethink your campaign.

Amplify your sustainer efforts:

Despite a lull in one-time gifts, sustainer giving is still a bright spot for many organizations. Get creative with your program to expand your recurring giving — especially for disaster donors. Consider promoting annual sustainer gifts for lapsing donors in order to retain them and make every effort possible to convert current sustainers to EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer).

Continue investing in acquisition:

Between changes in donor behavior and the threat of a recession, fundraising is challenging for everyone, especially new donor acquisition. But don’t let that deter you. We’ve seen time and time again that the organizations that endure challenging times are those who continue their investment in acquisition rather than pulling back.

Be ready for the next emergency

While you can’t predict an emergency, you can plan for it. Focus on advance preparation in order to capitalize on important moments connected to your organization’s mission.

Your fundraising team should be prepped with emergency communication templates across channels and response plans outlining staff roles. This will ensure when the next urgent need strikes, you’re ready to communicate with your donors and deliver support where it’s needed most.

This new era of fundraising may feel different, but the tools that have made your organization successful in the past still apply. Always balance urgency with authenticity. Communicate clearly and often. Thank your donors regularly. Never sacrifice your mission — it’s what your supporters love about you.

About the author: Zoe Clarke is a Senior Account Executive at Mal Warwick Donordigital. She has eight years of experience in leading best-in-class fundraising and communication campaigns. Zoe believes in challenging the status quo and investing in creative and inspiring new fundraising tactics to engage donors, shape communities, and build a better world.