On top of all the horrible news related to the tragic killing of George Floyd and the pandemic, May was replete with challenging announcements directly related to our field.
We learned that there will be no Susan G. Komen 3-Day in 2020. There will be no Pelotonia ride this August. Riders will not gather in Massachusetts this summer for the Pan-Mass Challenge.
And the list goes on.
Layoffs prompted by the pandemic have generated major stress. Nearly one in five nonprofits have already eliminated or reduced positions, according to a new survey.
Yet there are glimmers of hope – some nonprofit leaders tell us they’ve been heartened by a spirit of collaboration they’ve felt among some organizations.
There are reports of fundraising volunteers continuing their efforts in the face of the pandemic. For example, May brought news that the Boston Marathon had been canceled for the first time in its 124 years. But it also brought news that the nearly 2,700 charity runners who were slated to take part in the marathon had already raised $29 million.
Peer-to-peer programs are experimenting with alternative ways such as virtual events to engage supporters. We – and our partners at top industry suppliers – are committed to bringing you news you can use to adapt. (See below for an example.)
Let us hope that this is a month in which we’ll be able to make progress together as a society and as an industry.
P.S. We’re concerned about community members whose jobs have been lost or are in jeopardy and want to help. If you have news to share about P2P furloughs, job openings, helpful resources or would like to network with fellow fundraisers, please email me now.