When a recession hits, it may be tempting for a non-profit organisation to put their strategy
on the backburner, and reduce their programmes out of fear that donors will stop giving.
In reality, business as usual is what the experts recommend. Research and international
experience shows that loyal donors will remain as such as long as confidence in the
organisation is maintained, with NPOs staying true to their core vision and mission, keeping donors informed and involved. In some cases, fundraising income may actually increase during a downturn!

This will not be the case for all donors though. Corporate donations and foreign funding
streams will be cut back, potentially damaging NPOs which rely on ‘big gifts’ and grants for
survival. The only way around this may be to negotiate with companies for smaller gifts and
realign budgets to lessen the impact. NPOs should rather pursue smaller donations from
individuals and a reduced regular amount from generous philanthropic individuals.

Although some donors will fall by the wayside, some will be inclined to give more when
times are difficult. Ann Bown, in 2009 Forecast: Resilience and Change in Uncertain Times, outlined what would be key for non-profit organisations looking to survive the year ahead:

Leadership must show initiative - organisations “need to be practical and introduce
measures to work smarter and focus on areas that will influence the future”.

Do things differently, look for new opportunities – such as self-generating income
projects, taking advantage of the 2010 world cup and increased tourism opportunities.
The increased use of social media tools (e.g. Facebook) and online resources for
fundraising can widen the spread of your organisation’s message.