Giving Compass' Take:

• Aaron Alejandro lists four strategies of empathy and innovation for nonprofits to use to conquer the numerous challenges of COVID-19.

• Why is it difficult to demonstrate empathy when coronavirus has forced so many events online? How can you use innovation to combat these difficulties? Why are empathy and innovation important for nonprofits, both during the crisis and after?

• Read more about helping nonprofits survive the pandemic with empathy and innovation.

In a world of floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, disease, unstable markets, geopolitical effects and global economies, we now face a pandemic.

The nonprofit I work for chose to be focused, innovative, positive and empathetic, and the response from our stakeholders was overwhelmingly positive for our job well done. Let me share the challenge we faced and the innovative approaches we used to excel.

1. Recruit more volunteers.

Consider adding more volunteers to your ranks to help facilitate and carry out necessary programs or show thanks to sponsors.

2. Build momentum and velocity.

Leverage technology available to you to continue providing support and value to your stakeholders. Aim to inform and educate while also building momentum and velocity for your virtual fundraising endeavors.

3. Try a virtual scavenger hunt.

Consider out-of-the-box methods like a virtual scavenger hunt to increase participation and exposure. Using incentives, whether monetary or otherwise, is a great way to get people involved in the cause.

4. Have fun.

Don’t shy away from using social media as an outlet to connect with sponsors and donors. Popular platforms are a great way to show thanks for donors and offer an opportunity to have fun with it and be creative.

As nonprofit leaders, we must be empathetic to incredible stress, tension and anxiety that exist in today’s business environment. Sponsors will be faced with tighter margins and limited philanthropic or marketing budgets. It is our job to give them every reason to maintain their support for our organizations because we will find a way to promote, recognize, engage and support their brands through challenging circumstances. Approaching this situation with a positive attitude could be the difference in donor engagement.

Read the full article about empathy and innovation in nonprofits by Aaron Alejandro at Forbes.