Navigating Uncertainty: What Resilient Fundraisers Do Differently

1. What We Know About Recent Downturns

It can get tough, but doubling down on relationship building can help you turn things around faster.

The 2008 Great Recession

During the 2008 recession, research by Giving USA and the Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality showed total charitable giving dropped by 7% in 2008 and another 6.2% in 2009.

But giving as a percentage of GDP only dipped slightly from 2.1% to 2.0% indicating that the decline was driven primarily by economic hardship rather than donor disaffection or loss of trust in nonprofits.

Moreover, donations to food banks surged by nearly 32% between 2008 and 2009, signaling that donors stayed engaged when missions clearly aligned with urgent needs. Human services organizations overall, such as those providing housing and employment assistance, also saw increased support.

Most importantly, organizations that prioritized stewardship and relationship-building during the downturn often saw donor retention rates stabilize or increase by 2–4% within 12–18 months, according to Mal Warwick’s Fundraising When Money Is Tight. When the team at Sea Change did a post-2008 analysis, we found that nonprofits that minimized cuts to fundraising and stewardship investments during the recession typically recovered pre-recession revenue levels within 18–24 months, while those that cut deeply struggled for 3–5 years to rebuild.

• Giving USA Foundation 2009 and 2021 reports on philanthropy
• Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality: “Charitable Giving and the Great Recession”
• Fundraising in Tough Times by Mal Warwick
• Sea Change Strategies analysis of nonprofit resilience post-2008
• Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) 2020-2021 data

2. Investments: Protect What Matters Most

In uncertain times, the instinct to cut costs is natural. But be careful where you swing the axe.

As Mark recently outlined, cutting stewardship and other donor retention activities is the surest way to tank your program. When resources are tight, the most resilient organizations prioritize protecting the donor experience—not slashing it.

To start, focus your efforts on high-value audiences like monthly donors and midlevel donors. Our landmark study The Missing Middle: Part Four, which surveyed 6,000 donors across 36 organizations, revealed that even during economic uncertainty, 15% of midlevel donors said they would increase their giving, 72% said their giving would stay the same, and only 8% said their giving would decrease.

This is also the moment to turn special attention to Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs). The money in a DAF has already been donated—it’s no longer tied to a donor’s day-to-day cash flow or investment portfolio. In other words, donors don’t have to decide whether to give; they simply have to choose where to direct funds they’ve already earmarked for charity. Reminding donors of this can unlock critical support at a time when flexibility, liquidity and urgent philanthropic needs are top of mind.

When budgets are tight, make cuts to things that don’t touch the donor experience—not the programs that nurture long-term loyalty. And above all, don’t gut your fundraising team. Fundraisers are revenue generators—and they are the ones who will deepen relationships with key audiences like midlevel donors, monthly givers and DAF holders. Protecting their ability to steward, inspire and guide these donors is essential to resilience and recovery.

3. Messaging: Dare to Stand Out

In a noisy, fearful world, it pays off to be bold.

Roger Craver, drawing on a historic Sierra Club case study, pointed out that strong, values-based messaging that took an unapologetic stand doubled their membership during a time of crisis.

Frank O’Brien’s work similarly underscores the importance of differentiation. He highlights the American Civil Liberties Union’s “We’ll See You in Court” campaign as a prime example. Following the 2016 presidential election, the ACLU proactively placed full-page ads in major newspapers, including The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times, signaling their intent to legally challenge policies they viewed as threats to civil liberties.

This bold, unequivocal stance resonated deeply with supporters, leading to a significant surge in donations and membership. The campaign’s success underscores the power of clear, values-driven messaging in galvanizing public support and distinguishing an organization in a crowded landscape.

4. Leadership: Start With Yourself

Leadership in uncertainty starts with personal accountability. In The Stoic Fundraiser, I wrote about resilience not as a magical trait, but as a skill you can practice.

Control the controllables. Stoics teach us that in chaotic environments, energy spent worrying about the uncontrollable is wasted. What matters is what lies within your sphere of influence: your strategic objectives, your daily actions, your personal habits, etc.

Build a resilient inner culture. Resilient organizations aren’t just made up of resilient individuals; they’re powered by a collective mindset. Leaders create environments of trust, transparency and shared commitment.

Reframe the setback. Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, Stoics treat them as inevitable challenges issued by the universe—a test of character and creativity. Fundraisers who thrive through uncertainty reframe obstacles as catalysts for smarter strategy and deeper donor engagement.

Robert Gass calls this “personal ecology“—the idea that your ability to lead is only as strong as your own internal health. He emphasizes practices like setting clear boundaries, building routines that recharge your energy and aligning your work with your core values to prevent burnout.

Fundraisers who invest in maintaining their emotional, physical and mental resilience are able to sustain clear decision-making and inspire confidence in others, even when external circumstances are volatile.

Navigating uncertainty isn’t easy. But it can be a proving ground—a time when courageous fundraisers strengthen their programs, their leadership and their missions for the long haul.