This is the third article in our nonprofit leader series on managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic developed in collaboration with trusted Tampa Bay Area nonprofit consultants.
The government has passed several laws recently to help smaller organizations navigate the COVID-19
pandemic. Operationalizing these new regulations is a challenge for most organizations, large and small, as we all go through a trial and error period until the guidance becomes clear. There are many current policies that are significantly impacted by COVID-19 including HIPAA medical privacy laws, I-9 and immigration practices, OSHA, Workers Compensation, layoffs, furloughs, etc. Is your organization ready to welcome your employees back? Now is the time to review and update your policies and practices to reflect the current guidance in your workplace, so that your employees feel safe and healthy returning to your workplace.
34% of employees are currently working from home during this pandemic. Best practice benchmarks
indicate 30% of all jobs could be performed remotely. Will organizations look at remote work as a
threat or an opportunity? Lean into flexibility and find out how remote work could maximize employee
productivity while improving your bottom line and enhancing employee engagement and retention.
Consider formalizing your “work at home” policies on a longer term basis, including part-time work;
alternating shifts and schedules to achieve social distance; telecommuting; flexible work arrangements;
job sharing; and, the technology to support a work from home platform.
Most employers are not accustomed to managing a “physically” absent workforce. Communication and
change management tips and clues are now one of your most important toolkits in this environment to
help retain an engaged workforce. Employees need to know what “good” looks like moving forward -
are you measuring, recognizing, and rewarding tasks, or projects and goals? How do you shift your
performance measurements, and tackle some of those big ideas that have been sitting around waiting
for the right time? Work can be done differently, more effectively and productively. Start to plan for the
various ways you can measure “good” performance in the future, and how to recognize and reward your
employees for their accomplishments consistently. Establish a meeting plan, just as if you were all
together. Most if not all best practices should not change, regardless of locations.
If you find that your workforce is struggling with anxiety or stress returning to the office, consider
beginning an Employee Assistance Program and/or open discussion forum for staff concerns related to
health and safety. Develop an understanding of what is impacting each individual employee and stay
away from assumptions. Simply checking in, allowing people to voice concerns and designing policies
that will “meet them where they are” will show a more human side to your leadership style and
promote greater connection amongst your team.
Continue Fundraising… With Care & Caution
Every mission matters and is worthy of support. AS your organization gradually reopens, continue to be
proactive in personally communicating with donors, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers about current
and any upcoming events. Send emails, update social media posts, and share any changes to operations or events on your website. Let donors know what your organization is doing to protect the safety of patients, clients, members, employees, animals, and others served by your organization. Thank them warmly for their financial support which is critical to the organization’s ability to respond in a timely manner and continue providing services.
If you postpone an event where donations have already been received, ask donors and ticket holders for permission to apply these funds to the rescheduled event. If the event is cancelled, ask them for
permission to apply their gift directly to services. If donors request a refund, send it promptly and
cheerfully. Let donors know you value them and hope they will support a future event.
Consider reaching out individually to long-standing donors to ask for a one-time gift to ensure the
continuation of services if revenue is lost or delayed due to cancelling or postponing a major fundraising
event.
Use this time to engage board and staff members in thanking donors for their loyalty and wishing them
well during the crisis. Calls, personalized letters, hand-written notes, and customized video messages
are great ways to let donors know how important their support is to the people you serve, including in
times of crisis. While acknowledging the seriousness of this outbreak, don’t hesitate to be clever in
showering your supporters with some heartfelt donor love.
In lieu of planning an in-person event, dedicate staff time to determine your lapsed donor rate and
develop a plan for re-engaging people who stopped giving. This could include a special letter written to
LYBUNT [Last Year But Unfortunately Not This] and SYBUNT [Some Year But Unfortunately Not This] year donors. Don’t call them lapsed donors but do update them on how their previous gifts have been used to change lives and invite them to attend a future event, renew their membership, make a gift, or
volunteer.
Now is also a good time to look to the future. Research new grant opportunities or fundraising
strategies board and staff have not had time to pursue. Examples include learning more about
generational differences and how they impact giving; best practices for digital fundraising and direct
mail; and updating the case for support will help your organization raise more money in the future.
Wash more than just your hands! Take time to clean-up your donor records, double-check addresses,
and remove inactive records to maintain an accurate database of past and present donors, volunteers,
sponsors, and the like. Making these improvements now will save time, reduce costs, and improve
results from the next invitation list, newsletter mailing, or direct mail request.
Contributing Authors:
Heather Grzelka, APR, Madeira Public Relations
Laurie Huebner, SPHR, People Solutions
Sheryl Hunter, Esquire, Hunter Business Law
Shelley Sharp, MBA, Connect For More
Hardy Smith, Hardy Smith Consulting
Alyce Lee Stansbury, CFRE, Stansbury Consulting
Liz Wooten-Reschke, MPA, CGT, Connect For More
pandemic. Operationalizing these new regulations is a challenge for most organizations, large and small, as we all go through a trial and error period until the guidance becomes clear. There are many current policies that are significantly impacted by COVID-19 including HIPAA medical privacy laws, I-9 and immigration practices, OSHA, Workers Compensation, layoffs, furloughs, etc. Is your organization ready to welcome your employees back? Now is the time to review and update your policies and practices to reflect the current guidance in your workplace, so that your employees feel safe and healthy returning to your workplace.
34% of employees are currently working from home during this pandemic. Best practice benchmarks
indicate 30% of all jobs could be performed remotely. Will organizations look at remote work as a
threat or an opportunity? Lean into flexibility and find out how remote work could maximize employee
productivity while improving your bottom line and enhancing employee engagement and retention.
Consider formalizing your “work at home” policies on a longer term basis, including part-time work;
alternating shifts and schedules to achieve social distance; telecommuting; flexible work arrangements;
job sharing; and, the technology to support a work from home platform.
Most employers are not accustomed to managing a “physically” absent workforce. Communication and
change management tips and clues are now one of your most important toolkits in this environment to
help retain an engaged workforce. Employees need to know what “good” looks like moving forward -
are you measuring, recognizing, and rewarding tasks, or projects and goals? How do you shift your
performance measurements, and tackle some of those big ideas that have been sitting around waiting
for the right time? Work can be done differently, more effectively and productively. Start to plan for the
various ways you can measure “good” performance in the future, and how to recognize and reward your
employees for their accomplishments consistently. Establish a meeting plan, just as if you were all
together. Most if not all best practices should not change, regardless of locations.
If you find that your workforce is struggling with anxiety or stress returning to the office, consider
beginning an Employee Assistance Program and/or open discussion forum for staff concerns related to
health and safety. Develop an understanding of what is impacting each individual employee and stay
away from assumptions. Simply checking in, allowing people to voice concerns and designing policies
that will “meet them where they are” will show a more human side to your leadership style and
promote greater connection amongst your team.
Continue Fundraising… With Care & Caution
Every mission matters and is worthy of support. AS your organization gradually reopens, continue to be
proactive in personally communicating with donors, sponsors, vendors, and volunteers about current
and any upcoming events. Send emails, update social media posts, and share any changes to operations or events on your website. Let donors know what your organization is doing to protect the safety of patients, clients, members, employees, animals, and others served by your organization. Thank them warmly for their financial support which is critical to the organization’s ability to respond in a timely manner and continue providing services.
If you postpone an event where donations have already been received, ask donors and ticket holders for permission to apply these funds to the rescheduled event. If the event is cancelled, ask them for
permission to apply their gift directly to services. If donors request a refund, send it promptly and
cheerfully. Let donors know you value them and hope they will support a future event.
Consider reaching out individually to long-standing donors to ask for a one-time gift to ensure the
continuation of services if revenue is lost or delayed due to cancelling or postponing a major fundraising
event.
Use this time to engage board and staff members in thanking donors for their loyalty and wishing them
well during the crisis. Calls, personalized letters, hand-written notes, and customized video messages
are great ways to let donors know how important their support is to the people you serve, including in
times of crisis. While acknowledging the seriousness of this outbreak, don’t hesitate to be clever in
showering your supporters with some heartfelt donor love.
In lieu of planning an in-person event, dedicate staff time to determine your lapsed donor rate and
develop a plan for re-engaging people who stopped giving. This could include a special letter written to
LYBUNT [Last Year But Unfortunately Not This] and SYBUNT [Some Year But Unfortunately Not This] year donors. Don’t call them lapsed donors but do update them on how their previous gifts have been used to change lives and invite them to attend a future event, renew their membership, make a gift, or
volunteer.
Now is also a good time to look to the future. Research new grant opportunities or fundraising
strategies board and staff have not had time to pursue. Examples include learning more about
generational differences and how they impact giving; best practices for digital fundraising and direct
mail; and updating the case for support will help your organization raise more money in the future.
Wash more than just your hands! Take time to clean-up your donor records, double-check addresses,
and remove inactive records to maintain an accurate database of past and present donors, volunteers,
sponsors, and the like. Making these improvements now will save time, reduce costs, and improve
results from the next invitation list, newsletter mailing, or direct mail request.
Contributing Authors:
Heather Grzelka, APR, Madeira Public Relations
Laurie Huebner, SPHR, People Solutions
Sheryl Hunter, Esquire, Hunter Business Law
Shelley Sharp, MBA, Connect For More
Hardy Smith, Hardy Smith Consulting
Alyce Lee Stansbury, CFRE, Stansbury Consulting
Liz Wooten-Reschke, MPA, CGT, Connect For More