A tornado rips through a nearby neighborhood, displacing families from their homes.
An animal hoarding case is discovered, resulting in hundreds of pets in need of immediate medical care and adoption.
A power outage hits a community food bank, resulting in the spoilage of a devastating amount of donated groceries.
Crises like these make people feel compelled to help, to volunteer, and to donate. For nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable populations, there may be periods of time where every day feels like an emergency. When crisis strikes, a well-crafted campaign can bring in a lot of funds very quickly benefiting the donors (giving them a way to help), the organization, and most importantly the clients served. However, it is important to avoid slipping into what I call “fight or flight” fundraising – using messages of desperation or crisis to compel people to give to your organization on a regular basis. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
