You can’t get together face-to-face with your board or committee members during this pandemic, so how do you keep them engaged? Your previously scheduled meetings have turned into video meetings and your volunteers are asking what they can do to help. Staff is stretched and money is tight. An answer might be: Stewardship, Cultivation, and Awareness.  All can be tools to keep volunteers engaged AND keep your mission top of mind during COVID-19.

Stewardship

1. Thank you calls and personal thank you notes go a long way. Ask board members to call or write your top donors to say “thank you” and let them know what your organization is doing during this crisis.
2. Run a list of new donors since COVID-19 started and ask volunteers to pick up the phone and thank each one for their generosity and share how their donation is making an impact.
3. Create your annual report or honor roll of donors and post on your website, thanking your donors. Ask board and committee members to share these documents/link to your website.
4. Call your foundation donors’ program officer(s) and be transparent about your organization’s current needs and your strategy during the recovery phase of COVID-19.
5. Send an e-blast to all your stakeholders to thank them for their support.

Cultivation

1. It might not be a time to solicit prospective donors, but board and committee members can continue to cultivate each of them by scheduling a phone or video coffee to review your mission and current needs.
2. Think about current donors who are coming up on renewal time. You may be holding off on your spring appeal, but staff or board members can reach out to thank donors and give each an update on the impact their dollars are making.
3. Involve your board and committee members to help increase your number of prospective donors by asking volunteers to suggest 10 individuals who should be added to your mailing list.
4. Run a list of your LYBNT/SYBNT (last year but not this year/some year but not this year) donors and ask board and committee members to call each and give them an update on your organization and let them know how their previous gift made an impact.
5. Send an e-blast to all prospective, lapsed, and current donors letting them know the status of your nonprofit during COVID-19, your impact, and needs.

Awareness

1. All board and committee members can tout your organization on their social media, sharing your organizational needs during COVID-19.
2. Make sure your website is up-to-date and addresses COVID-19 front and center. Ask volunteers to share your website with their circles of influence.
3. Send an e-blast to all your stakeholders letting them know how COVID-19 has impacted your organization and the steps you are taking to continue to serve.  
4. Ask board and committee members to email a quote about the impact of your organization and then display those quotes on your social media and website.
5. Update your marketing plan by holding a video meeting with committee volunteers to formally create your COVID-19 response and recovery action steps.

Please email April at april@armstrongmcguire.com with any comments or questions.

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