Giving Tuesday could be a make-or-break moment for nonprofits

Giving Tuesday could be a make or break moment for nonprofits

The coronavirus pandemic has altered just about everything we do. This holiday season, usually rife with fundraisers, is no different. Galas and events have gone virtual and downsized. Nonprofit organizers say this year's Giving Tuesday is a make or break moment.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Non-profits and community groups welcomed the annual "Giving Tuesday" fundraising efforts this year, after facing fund-raising challenges in the midst of the pandemic. Fundraising galas, concerts, and donation drives have been forced to cancel or downsize, going virtual on a computer screen to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

"Giving Tuesday" was founded in 2012 and has turned into an international movement to support community groups and non-profits. This year, many non-profits say Giving Tuesday launches a critical fundraising season.

"In some years...as much as 60% of our total annual revenues have come in the last six weeks," said Calvester Stanley, President of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland, which has been working to keep programs running virtually and in limited pods of 10 students at a few clubhouses. Sylvester says many families are out of work and children are out of school, increasing demand for services.

What's touched him has been the outpouring so far from celebrity athletes such as Klay Thompson to community residents who just want to help where they can.

"Even some folks who are hurting understand that well, the clubs are hurting so I'll still share what I can, it's just not as much," said Sylvester.

Facing smaller checks and greater need, non-profits have had to pivot.

The Rainbow Community Center in Concord held a virtual World Aids Day Vigil on Zoom Tuesday, but other events this past year had to be canceled.

"We were supposed to have a large 25th-anniversary gala this October. We weren't able to hold those events this year because of Covid." Dodi Zotigh, Board President of the Rainbow Community Center.

Like some other non-profits, the Rainbow Community Center said they had to close their building and lay off staff to survive and preserve their programs.

"In the last two years we've served 225 homeless youth who've dealt with trauma and food insecurity," said Zotigh.

At the Tony Larurssa Animal Rescue Foundation in Concord, the workload of caring for the animals has increased due to a decrease in volunteers who have had to stay at home.

Matching grants from generous donors has made this year's Giving Tuesday an opportunity to raise the money they need to stay afloat.

"There are so many animals that are in desperate need of medical veterinary care... languishing in shelters and we need to say yes and every dollar allows us to do that," said Elena Bicker, Executive Director at the Animal Rescue Foundation.

Without face-to-face solicitations, non-profits are using social media and emails more than ever.

"It's a matter of timing when the emails go out. I think I might have received over 100," said Debrah Giles, Sr. Program Officer at the East Bay Community Foundation, which works with philanthropists and community donors.

Giles says this year, philanthropists are opening their pockets wider to help.

"We just started a fund, a COVID19 fund and we raised a little over $7 million and a large portion of that came from our donors," said Giles.

She says many non-profits might not survive this pandemic, though, and it will take more than a single Giving Tuesday and individual donors to help.

"There's not enough resources in philanthropy to spend our way out of this. We have to partner with government agencies. We have to partner with the community, partner with businesses," said Giles, "It needs everyone working together to come out on the other side of this."

According to the website givingtuesday.org, the effort in 2019 raised nearly $2 billion dollars in the U.S. in a single day.

Many community groups say they're grateful for every donation, no matter what the amount.

Jana Katsuyama is a reporter for KTVU.  Email Jana at jana.katsuyama@foxtv.com and follow her on Twitter @JanaKTVU or Facebook @NewsJana or ktvu.com.