Published : 22 April 2020
Every spring or fall, one of the non-profit groups you support in your town likely has their annual dinner auction fundraising event. It is a great way to support your favorite charity and spend an evening with friends and other local supporters.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most fundraisers were cancelled this spring. A consequence of these necessary cancellations is thousands of dollars in lost revenue to support non-profit missions, programs, and services. Smaller donors, now faced with economic uncertainty, are keeping their dollars at home.
However, the needs of our most vulnerable populations are growing exponentially. Food banks and other social service groups are seeing unprecedented requests for assistance. According to a recent Kitsap Sun survey of 120 local non-profits, “1/3 report they are struggling to stay afloat” during this most critical time period. The Pearl Buck Center in Eugene, Oregon was featured in a recent New York Times article which highlighted their struggles to keep up with the increased needs of their 600 clients.
Thankfully, many larger foundations are immediately stepping in to fill the funding void. In Oregon, the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust quickly retooled their funding models by creating expedited grant programs to deliver immediate assistance to their current non-profit partners. This week, they awarded over $4 million in COVID-19 Emergency Support grants to Pacific Northwest nonprofits. The Meyer Memorial Trust has committed $1.3 million to fund nonprofit organizations across Oregon as the state grapples with the COVID- 19 pandemic and its effects.
Hopefully by next year, we can look forward to another season of chicken dinners and raising our auction paddles. Until then, foundation grants will likely be the lifeline for most non-profits. We’re here to help you unlock these new grant funding streams.
Contact Jean Majercin for to begin discussing the next steps to fund your organization.