In the Face of Disaster
Americans Respond with Their Hearts and Minds

By Jeffrey Byrne, President & CEO
Kansas City

National disasters bring out the best in the character of America’s citizens, as they rush to the aid of victims of catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina. As professional fundraising consultants, we are often asked about the impact of such a disaster on fundraising for other philanthropic needs.

Not surprisingly, the news is good. Americans respond with their hearts and their dollars, but don’t do so at the expense of other worthy causes. According to the Giving USA Foundation’s GivingUSA report on philanthropy, overall giving increased by 5% in 2004, a year heavily impacted by the tsunami. But this increase did not occur at the expense of other charities.

Most charities saw giving increase in 2004, although some shifts did occur. Recipients in healthcare saw the greatest increase while those in the human services sector experienced a slight decline. Yet in spite of one of the earth’s greatest disasters, charitable giving domestically still increased.

Now that we face the most significant natural disaster of our time, concerns are again raised. How will this impact total charitable giving in the coming year?

While we would expect Americans to react as they always do, with generosity, a word of caution is needed to ensure that donations go to the right place at the right time.

Unfortunately, this time of need and the corresponding giving by millions of Americans can negatively impact future donations because of unscrupulous fundraising efforts. The entire nonprofit community should join together to see that only legitimate support agencies are receiving these gifts.

To ensure maximum impact of any donations made during a time of disaster, professional fundraising organizations recommend that donors take the following steps before writing out a check and sending it off:

Check out the charity through groups such as GuideStar (www.guidestar.org) and the Better Business Bureau to ensure they are legitimate. Donate to reputable organizations such as the Red Cross (www.redcross.org) and the Salvation Army (www.salvationarmyusa.org), which are known for their expertise in times of disaster. And investigate to ensure that a high percentage (if not all) of your donation goes to a direct need rather than administrative costs.

First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers go out to the hundreds of thousands of people and their families that have been devastated by this natural disaster of once-in-a-lifetime proportions. Secondly, we want to encourage Americans to continue to give and to be wise in their giving. Proper stewardship of these generous gifts will help all philanthropic organizations for years to come.

What Non-Profit Leaders Can Do

While we can most certainly offer a word of caution to our friends and donors seeking to have some impact on the relief efforts, as nonprofit leaders, we may be faced with tough questions about our own fundraising from our constituents, our donors and our volunteer leaders. With the cost to rebuild from Katrina projected to be many times over recovery efforts of 9-11, we cannot yet estimate the full extent of the need. There are, however, a few things we can do as we move into what is typically the busiest fundraising season for most nonprofits:

1. Become informed. Your donors, volunteers, constituents and staff look to you to provide sound reasoning and a balanced perspective on what’s being done, how relief appeals and corresponding giving will impact your organization, and what is appropriate for near-future plans. Seek information from credible national resources.

2. Ask what you can do. If your organization is affiliated with a broader network or parent organization, learn how your counterparts have been affected and help your leadership and constituents understand how they can help. For example:

Kansas City-based City Union Mission is a member of the National Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. The Mission sent out bulletins to its supporters letting them know of needs of sister rescue missions in the Gulf region and is responding with offers of monetary assistance and supplies, as well as offering open shelter and camp space to individuals and families who’ve been displaced from their homes.

The YMCA of the USA has notified its member associations of its willingness to coordinate efforts to help YMCAs affected by the disaster and to help those associations respond to local needs, including offers of employment, housing and relocation assistance, and collecting and shipping supplies.

If you’re not affiliated with a national network or organization, learn what local resources are available to you. Take time in staff and volunteer meetings to discuss the need and what your organization can do.

3. Be sensitive and compassionate. While we are all aware that needs at home continue. Take time this year as you plan year-end appeals to pay extra attention to your message and how you communicate your needs. Be sensitive to what your donor will hear and read. Above all, resist the temptation to exploit the situation, which will backfire in the eyes of your donors.

4. Stay the course. While it is well-advised to be sensitive to what donors perceive in other causes asking for support in the face of disaster, you must continue to advocate for the needs of your nonprofit and the people you serve. Well-thought-out appeals underscoring your continued needs, tempered with a degree of sensitivity, will help you weather possible bumps in the road ahead.

Want to learn more or discuss the needs of your organization? Contact Jeffrey Byrne & Associates at 800-222-9233 and we’ll be glad to assist you.