The Standard Crisis Communications Rules Aren’t Enough Here

Let’s be honest. This is a crisis that communications can’t solve. But smart communications strategy right now could keep this bad dream from becoming a nightmare for you and your organization.

There is an existential threat looming over the nonprofit sector, and the growing uncertainty as to the severity, duration, and outcome of the COVID-19 situation is only adding to our collective anxiety.

We are putting a pause on our weekly Rules for Movement Messaging for now to address the very real crisis that social sector advocates are facing in these extraordinary times.

Here are five things you can do right now to adapt to this new context:

1. Communicate with your stakeholders about what this means for you.

   Be honest. Be direct. Tell your volunteers, your donors, and your employees what this situation means for your organization and its future. Tell them what you know to be true and what is still unknown. They should know more than what cleaning procedures you have instituted to control the virus spread. They should know the financial implications of this crisis on your bottom line. They should know the service interruptions this has caused. It is true that you have a network of stakeholders that rely on you. Time to rely on them in this hour of need. Start by talking to them.

2. Offer specific, unique ways people can help you.

   If the mandated restrictions mean you need to issue refunds for programming that can’t be delivered, can you convert the refunds to charitable donations? If social distancing means fewer volunteers delivering services, can they offer their help from a distance, by phone or computer? If crowd restrictions caused an event cancellation, is there a way that attendees can help without showing up in person?

3. Do something different.

   This can’t be business as usual and you don’t have the luxury of just waiting this out. Cancel your scheduled newsletters. Stop the regular tweets and Facebook posts. Everyone’s focus is on public health and yours must be, too. Recalibrate how you talk about your cause in the context of this moment. How is this crisis impacting your mission, not just your organization? The world is suddenly different. We all have to adjust.

4. Talk with your funders.

   The world has shifted for them, too. They want to help, and many already are. But those that they fund offer a unique perspective on the social sector landscape. They have always relied on you to provide that perspective. Don’t stop now. Be honest and persistent with your funders about what this means for your organization, your cause, and those that you serve. Tell them what you are experiencing and what you fear the most. They want to help, and in uncertain, unprecedented times like this, they need to be guided to the best place to put their money. Even if they aren’t asking, tell them anyway.

5. Pivot.

   As difficult as it may be to accept and to execute, these changing times may mean your organization needs to take a step back and consider what it offers the world in terms of services and programming. Now is the time to be strategizing about what that future might look like. Dust off the strategic plan. What needs to change? Take a look at your service offerings. Are they still relevant? On the other side of this crisis, it is unlikely everything goes back to the way it was. What does that mean for your organization?