With bad economic times here to stay for the foreseeable future many nonprofit leaders are thinking about reduced funding, resulting in program cutbacks, but what other options do they have? Here are a few ideas:

Find a way to link your work to the negative consequences of the downturn. For example, if you provide crisis intervention, credit counseling, emergency food assistance, or similar services, emphasize the link between the growing need for these services and the down economy in your communications to donors.

For theatre groups worried about patrons with limited discretionary dollars, lower some show prices, and emphasize escapism and fun in your shows – think comedy over drama! In bad times people love a deal, and they need a laugh.

Convene others in your community or field to discuss the current economic situation and seek local support for the effort. Position your organization as a resource for the community as it tries to deal with the consequences of the difficult times. Being seen as a leader will help to make your organization even more indispensible to the community.

Tags: nonprofit

This entry was posted on Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 2:36 pm and is filed under Strategy, Trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.