Congratulations to Facebook and the Red Cross for making it ridiculously easy to support those devastated by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines!
Even if you don’t have the connections or relationship to get this type of top billing on Facebook, there are loads of ways you and your nonprofit can support the relief efforts.
Support typhoon relief in mission-related ways
As I told my Fundraising Kick email subscribers earlier this week, if your nonprofit community wants to help, seek mission related ways to help.
- If your cause is animal related, consider supporting an animal related rescue effort.
- If your cause is water, look to see who’s already on the ground and support them.
- If you run a homeless shelter, look for aspects of emergency relief that resonate most deeply with your mission and support those. Maybe sending money to programs that provide soup or blankets.
There are so many creative ways to help. And remember, most relief agencies say money is the most important help. Don’t send the blankets or the diapers, send the money to help them buy them.
Don’t stop asking your donors for your own nonprofit
And most importantly, don’t stop asking donors for your own nonprofit! This is the most charitable time of the year. Your mission is still worthy of funding. So get out there and ask for it. If you live in an area devastated by the typhoon, this will need some nuancing. But in times like this, your nonprofit is probably needed more than ever.
How to answer the relief effort objection
If you don’t, here’s what to say when a donor says, “We’re giving to the typhoon relief effort instead.”
“So are we! The devastation is mind-boggling, isn’t it? So as an organization, we’re giving money to [tell them about the project you chose that reinforces your mission]. While that is happening, we are seeing more need for [food, shelter, education, land conservation, political action, whatever your mission addresses]. Would you consider increasing your gift from last year?
