Team Tips from the Rapid Response Webinar: Mobilizing Your Community to Bridge the Federal Funding Freeze
If you missed Common Great’s February 2025 webinar, here’s the deck with some useful resources. The session was not recorded due to the rapidly evolving situation with federal funding. Our team shares their top tip below.
Accelerate Higher-Dollar Donations Now
To access more high-dollar donations quickly, target funders with high-liquidity giving vehicles—like donor-advised funds (DAFs), private foundations, and family foundations. These donors have funds ready to activate with the right motivation. Mobilize existing assets by redirecting restricted gifts (with donor approval) and asking major donors to accelerate their giving cycles. If needed, borrow against quasi-endowments for strategic investments. Have impact data and financials ready for conversations. Don’t wait—act now to unlock funding that can drive immediate results.
- Renate Raymond, Senior Consultant (Book a Power Session to Learn More)
Don’t Wait for the Emergency to Draft An Emergency Fundraising Campaign
If your funding is at risk, now is the time to prepare, not once the funding is gone. Unlike an EOY campaign, this requires full-team alignment—including programs—to ensure a quick, effective response. Get internal buy-in now so you have the runway to act fast if needed. First off, outline your plan. Draft your messaging, define potential funding gaps, and engage major supporters . Map out scenarios, identify key channels, and plan for media outreach. Being prepared means you can mobilize quickly when it matters most. Future you is going to thank the current you if you plan now.
- Caroline Rensel, Consultant, Development (Book a Power Session to Learn More)
Be Prepared with a Crisis Communications Plan
In uncertain times, clear and timely communication is essential to maintaining trust and support with your donors. Take time to develop (or revisit) your plan, ensuring it covers key areas like when to communicate, who approves messaging, and what core messages to reinforce. Use our check-list in a pinch or Bloomerang’s template for building a full plan. Here’s a pro tip—draft messages in advance for scenarios like funding loss, program closure, or legislative challenges. You’ll thank yourself later.
- Kirsten Rogers, Senior Consultant, Marketing and Communications (Book a Power Session to Learn More)
Navigate Instability With Transparency
Now is the time to get everyone on the same page about what your response to losing funds would be. Decision points will start coming at you fast and hard, and you need to be prepared to act. This isn’t the kind of situation where decisions can be made “in the dark,” and the strategy for dealing with this uncertainty can’t be built in a silo. You need to tend to your organizational culture - if the going gets rough, everyone needs to understand why certain decisions are being made. When handled transparently, a crisis can forge new bonds between your team members (and between you and your donors).
- Ariel Glassman, Founder/CEO (Book a Power Session to Learn More)
