Great Tips for Non-profits during a recession

From the Las Vegas Business Press:

Reframe the message for recession:
Instead of gauzy appeals to a higher good, emphasize practical, tangible uses of donations. In that line, Bob Evans, a principal with EHL Consulting Group in Willow Grove, Pa., has noted a decrease in big capital projects and a shift from touting the elegance of the ones that go ahead to how they meet basic human needs.

Get the Board out of the Boardroom:
Members of boards of directors often get the positions because of their prominence in the community. Set goals for each of them to bring in a certain number of new members.

Communicate:
Major donors should hear again the message of why they should contribute, with a phone call or personal visit being more effective than a letter. Donors who have skipped contributions for a couple of years should also be reached to try to reignite their interest.

Endowment:
Paradoxically, a slow economy may be the best time to build a reserve. Although potential donors may be tight with money, the argument for an endowment to help a nonprofit ride out economic cycles becomes more compelling.

Respect anonymity:
Evans has noted a trend of donors declining public recognition even as they write checks because they don't want people to know they are doing well financially or don't want to flaunt it. Although this may diminish the prestige of a nonprofit's benefactors list, it can help bring in dollars.

Keep trying!!!