Last month, I wrote about the federal funding pause roller coaster that many nonprofit organizations were beginning to experience following a memo President Trump sent to federal agencies on January 27, 2025, to institute a pause in federal funding assistance. Since that time, several organizations have filed lawsuits and offered resources to help nonprofits navigate these dynamic times. Two organizations in particular, the National Council of Nonprofits and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, have done an exceptional job to ensure that the sector’s leaders are well-informed. 

Since late January, I have been observing how organizations have been responding to the crisis and as expected, there has been an uptick in the number of emergency appeals. While diversifying revenue is always a good thing to mitigate the risk associated with losing significant funding like the federal government, many organizations will not achieve the results they need to weather this most recent storm from Washington. Why?

1. There are too many “urgent emergency appeal” emails flying in the ether.

While whatever is happening in your organization is tragic —whether it is laying off staff, cutting programs, or reducing the number of clients you can serve — that same experience is being lived out in thousands of nonprofits across the country. And if they all email their donor lists soliciting donations, many people who are on the receiving end of those emails are getting barraged with too much information that they cannot process. As compassionate as people are, another email about more children going to bed hungry, more women living in their homes in fear of domestic violence, and more elderly people not being able to access the care they need will begin to make people numb to the need. It is also important to remember that major donors do not invest in perceived ‘failures’ of organizations (lack of diversified funding in this case). They invest in aspirational goals.

2. The email messages aren’t personal.  

Just today, I deleted 28 emails that I didn’t read. Didn’t have the time to read. Annual Letter from Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea. Standing Up for Science. Serving Older Adults. And more. There is nothing in those subject lines that compelled me to open them, even the one that came from a former U.S. President and his family. I’m sure that they all have important things to say, but nothing in their subject line inspired me to open them. And I don’t know if I will find anything in the message that speaks to me and what might motivate me to give. It’s almost like these organizations do not know me and are just pumping out messages like a machine to get a donation out of me like a money machine. I don’t like it. It doesn’t make me feel good about helping an organization in peril.

3. The people you are emailing do not care enough about you to save you.

Many nonprofits have protocols in place in which they remove their closest friends and biggest donors from the general email distribution list so that they do not annoy them. These friends include board members, major donors, corporate partners, and foundation leaders, people who are the first people who nonprofit leaders contact when they are in trouble. That leaves “everyone else” – the socialite who made a $100 donation last year when they attended your gala, the woman who sponsored her niece in a marathon three years ago, the person who served on your board ten years ago but hasn’t made a gift to you since. I’m not suggesting that you purge these people from your distribution lists – rather, I hope that you will not be disappointed when the beautifully-worded (yet generic) email yields a lower financial return than you would like.

So, what do I recommend to mobilize your supporters? Here are three strategies:

1. Mobilize your board to make financial contributions and outreach.

In theory, your board members are your best friends who know your deepest fears. They meet with you on a regular basis and you share with them your highs and lows. They are responsible for the well-being of your organization, including fiscal oversight and long‑term sustainability. They also should be among your biggest donors – not because they necessarily have a lot of money, but because they believe in you. Before asking anyone for money, you should first speak with your board and invite them to make a stretch gift to help your organization through this difficult time.  Depending on the results, you might even be able to frame the board’s donations as a challenge match or to inspire external donors.

In addition to inviting them to increase their giving to you, ask them to help you in reaching out to key stakeholders to inform them of the situation and invite them to increase their support. No doubt, your organization may be stretched thin as you have had to make difficult cuts. And board members who are vested in your work will want to step up and help in any way they can – even if it’s challenging.

2. Invest your limited time in making phone calls and personal outreach to people you know will support you.

While it seems more efficient to send bulk solicitation email messages, that time is wasted if no one opens the email or responds. Rather, consider reviewing your list of donors with your board and staff who interact with your supporters and determine which people are the most likely to respond to a personal invitation requesting help during this urgent time. This process should help you focus on the people with whom you have the closest relationship – those donors who made gifts within the past year, who you know on a personal basis, who love what you do. Because these calls will take time, it is important that every board member and staff member share the responsibility of reaching out to these people in a personal way. See #1 above as a reminder. 

3. Host a small group briefing for your closest supporters to have a frank conversation about the impact of executive orders – and how they can help.

I was on a Zoom the other day when one of the speakers noted that the chaos in Washington right now is just like the COVID crisis. And one of the positive effects of chaos and crisis is that people seek community. Hosting a group briefing to bring your closest supporters together will draw them closer together and to you. And be frank about what is happening to your organization because of the executive actions. You need not be delicate about how devastating a significant cut is to your organization. You will not inspire a generous response by trying to be balanced. To be clear, ranting about the situation and the people who ignited it will make people walk away without a sense of agency. Sticking to the facts about how changes mean you will be able to serve less people, let go of staff, or cut programs – and inviting people to rise to help you – will provide people with a sense of empowerment and gratitude for being able to make a difference during these challenging times.

So, stop sending emails, pick up the phone, and personally invite people to jump into the trenches with you.