BUSINESS NOTES
Fundraising: Pandemic Edition By Drew Gieseke
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ost staffers at nonprofits will tell you fundraising isn’t easy. Most will also tell you this persistent effort has become even more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic. Local philanthropies were forced to pivot during the past year and a half from traditional in-person events to boost donor dollars to more unconventional virtual experiences. And as the delta variant continues its surge throughout the country, forcing many states and businesses to consider a return to lockdowns and mask mandates, area nonprofits are seeing no end in sight for these types of challenges. However, there are solutions that philanthropies can use in the coming months. “I think being flexible and able to adapt is really everything,” says Alicia Beck, vice president and director of philanthropy at UMB Bank. Beck’s team is responsible for managing endowment pools to support nonprofits’ operations and specific programs. They’ve found that often, exercising flexibility means scrapping traditional fundraising plans for unique alternatives that ensure the safety of everyone involved. In one case, a UMB Bank client did away with a racing event held every March and opted instead for something more immediate. “They came back to UMB with another opportunity to support a hospital week for nurses, doctors and other employees of the hospital,” says Brande Anderson, vice president and institutional investment management relationship manager at UMB Bank. “I think they did a fantastic job of going this other direction to make sure they’re still supporting their community and associates.” In other cases, organizations that pivoted during the pandemic retained the same spirit of past philanthropic events but tailored their approach to accommodate safety best practices. The result? A memorable fundraising opportunity that supported local restaurants in need. “Some organizations that maybe hosted an event with entertainment and a dinner for various
16 August 20, 2021 | LadueNews.com
sponsorship levels, they were allowing you to select a dinner from local restaurants that you could pick up,” Anderson says. “I just thought that was a really creative way to break bread in celebration of the organization, even though perhaps you were watching a performance online.” Pandemic or not, both Anderson and Beck
agree that fundraising ultimately comes down to two things: knowing your donors and engaging with them in meaningful ways. “I recommend, if nonprofits aren’t doing that already, to really strategically think about how they can get to know their donors,” Beck says. “Not only this generation but the next one, too.”
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