Home › Blog › In Uncertain Times: 5 Ways Donors Can Help Address Communal Needs
by Sara Brenner, Executive Director, Jewish Community Foundation
Federal layoffs are deeply impacting our region and forcing families as well as Jewish agencies and area nonprofits to grapple with financial insecurity. While the full impact of changes to the federal workforce is still unfolding, we know that when someone loses their job it impacts their and their family’s engagement in Jewish life, and that fewer resources and more needs will hit nonprofit organizations—from Jewish day schools to human services–particularly hard.
These same organizations are also navigating policy changes, the likelihood of budget shortfalls due to federal and state funding cut, inflationary pressure, and increased demand while providing essential services when it comes to Jewish identity, community, education, and peoplehood. They are the ones ensuring the vulnerable in our community get the care they need, including families, children, the elderly, individuals of different abilities, victims of domestic violence, and those struggling with their mental health. They are the ones standing up against antisemitism, hate, and bigotry. And the ones providing the programs that enrich our lives and infuse our communities with joy and connection.
While private philanthropy cannot replace the loss of federal funding and impact of mass layoffs, together we can be there for those in need by sustaining and strengthening the nonprofit sector. Here are five recommendations for how donors can help organizations meet and transcend this moment:
1. Contact the Organizations You Support: It is important to check in with the organizations you care about to ask what they need most right now. We recommend reaching out to a contact with whom you have an established relationship or the organization’s development director or community relations director. A simple conversation can go a long way. Understanding their immediate and long-term needs can help you align your giving in the most effective way possible. Don’t be afraid to ask them how they are doing, recognizing these challenges have also been difficult for their staff and board members too.
2. Give More Now: We can help organizations weather this crisis and minimize disruptions to their critical services by increasing our gifts. If you are in a position to give, now is the time to increase your support. (Private local and national foundations are coming to similar conclusions and are increasing their annual payout rate.) Our team is standing by to work with you to ensure your increased gifts go further through our DAF partner agency matching program, which doubles increases in giving to eligible agencies.
3. Provide Flexible Support: Nonprofits have shared with us that what they need most is unrestricted operating support to help them remain responsive, resilient, and effective in the wake of uncertainty. We encourage you to provide unrestricted grants particularly to those organizations that you trust and are in close relationship with. You may also consider making a multiyear gift, which gives a nonprofit runway to enact their plans and allows them to focus less on fundraising and more on their mission.
4. Invest in Nonprofit Resilience & Capacity: Directing some of your giving to capacity-building efforts can ensure that organizations are equipped to meet urgent needs, advocate effectively, and continue delivering meaningful impact across our communities. Many nonprofits are looking for funds to support needs like scenario planning, leadership training, legal assistance, and communications work, which are crucial to building and maintaining capacity at this time.
5. Support Advocacy: In addition to providing direct support to nonprofits, donors can also use their voice and their resources to advocate for policy changes at the local and national levels. Now is a good time to invest in initiatives and in leaders who are helping to form partnerships and organize efforts to draw attention to crucial social issues. Investing in advocacy work is a great way to express your values through your philanthropy.
We remain in constant communication with our partners to understand what they are facing so we can provide you with up-to-the-minute information about communal needs. We encourage you to reach out to us to discuss how you can make a difference for our region right now.
Thank you for your leadership and unwavering commitment to philanthropy. Your generosity is what makes our work possible and plays a vital role in shaping a vibrant Jewish community and thriving world.