Nonprofits are used to weathering changes in the economy, from natural disasters and other big happenings around the world. This election cycle may not be different, but I imagine that most development and executive directors woke up on Wednesday morning with a lot of questions about how they would maintain major donors and sponsors- regardless of whether or not their candidate won.

One week post-election, there has already been a staggering rise in calls for advocacy - primarily from women and millennials - who are fired up to help the nonprofits that they believe to be most at risk post-election. I’ve heard multiple friends say that they now realize how they need to volunteer more. The hashtag #pantsuitup has been a rallying cry for women who are ready to get to work to support their candidate. The ACLU and Planned Parenthood have seen an ‘unprecedented’ rise in donations in the past week. In comparison, in 2008 when Obama was elected, the NRA experienced an increase in donations.

Fundraising consultant Michael J. Rosen writes that, “while some large left-of-center charities will experience philanthropic growth, smaller left-of-center charities might not find it as easy to raise more money.” So when the dust settles and we head into the holiday season, how can a nonprofit capture the passion that is so fervent right now? Here are a few things to consider:

1. Highly engage those who are making donations NOW. Thank them publicly on Twitter, and include an empowering message that they will likely retweet. For example, “Thank you X for fighting for our cause, we need you more than ever and now we can continue funding X.”  This will promote an important, online peer-to-peer connection and will increase the reach of your cause. The Women’s Funding Network created the hashtag #SheLeadsToo the day after the election to celebrate all women leaders, which spread their mission and involved more women in their network. Do this, and use it to capture potential donor information.  
2. Create an email campaign that keeps these new donors up-to-date on issues and political battles throughout the year. Sending emails specifically to the donors who gave in the days after the election will continue to validate the gift that they gave in their moment of passion.
3. Focus on peer-to-peer fundraising to expand your donor database. Use a platform (like Swell) that utilizes your donor’s network at your events. If your donors feel passionate about your cause, it’s likely their friends do as well. Take advantage of that network and ask your donors to engage by sharing your posts, bringing friends to events, etc. The more their friends get engaged, the more that donor is likely to stay engaged.
4. Give continuous calls to action that include ways to get involved other than money. Post-election, donors might be tapped out, so make sure you provide involvement activities other than financial gifts. For millennials specifically, focus on ways to organize them. Millennials, more than any other generation, value their time just as much as their money, so to keep them on board make sure you give them ways to get their hands dirty with your cause. During this time millennials are searching for ways to get involved, so grab them right now with social media calls to action.
5. Create groups. The need to be part of a positive group with shared focus is also running high. If your nonprofit can fill that need for donors / non-donors to join a group (online or in-person), they will feel great value from the group and likely reciprocate with their support.    

Keep making the world a better place! You can do it - and we're right here working with you.

Click here for a deeper dive into How to Apply Peer-to-Peer Techniques to Your Fundraising Event.