--- title: A new study shows that donors are prepared to give generously during COVID-19. Are you prepared to ask? · DickersonBakker description: This year marks my thirtieth year in fundraising. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Across three decades I have raised money through three recessions, the attacks of 9/11, and a half-dozen market crashes, including one major financial meltdown. Through it … read more image: https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/health_donate_blood_getty_chinnapong_web.jpg --- [![DB-logo-2023](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DB%20Logos/DB-logo-2023.png?width=1300&height=214&name=DB-logo-2023.png "DB-logo-2023")](https://dickersonbakker.com/) - Home - Who We Are - [About Us](https://dickersonbakker.com/about/) - [Our Team](https://dickersonbakker.com/about/our-team/) - What We Do - [Fundraising Solutions](https://dickersonbakker.com/fundraising-solutions/) - [Capital Campaigns](https://dickersonbakker.com/capital-campaigns/) - [Executive Search](https://dickersonbakker.com/executive-search/) - [Grant Services](https://dickersonbakker.com/grant-services/) - Who We Serve - [National & Regional Nonprofits](https://dickersonbakker.com/national-regional-nonprofits/) - [Global Aid & Outreach Ministries](https://dickersonbakker.com/global-aid-outreach-ministries/) - [Christian & Private Schools](https://dickersonbakker.com/christian-private-schools/) - [Higher Education](https://dickersonbakker.com/higher-education/) - [Salvation Army](https://dickersonbakker.com/salvation-army/) - [Rescue Missions](https://dickersonbakker.com/rescue-missions/) - [Community Organizations](https://dickersonbakker.com/community-organizations/) - [Camps/Conference Centers](https://dickersonbakker.com/camps-conference-centers/) - [Broadcast Ministries](https://dickersonbakker.com/broadcast-ministries/) - Resources - [News & Insights](https://dickersonbakker.com/blog/) - [Case Studies](https://dickersonbakker.com/case-studies/) - [Research Studies](https://dickersonbakker.com/research-studies/) - [Upcoming and On-Demand Webinars](https://dickersonbakker.com/upcoming-and-on-demand-webinars/) - [Contact](https://dickersonbakker.com/contact/) # DickersonBakker Blog ![](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/health_donate_blood_getty_chinnapong_web.jpg) ### A new study shows that donors are prepared to give generously during COVID-19. Are you prepared to ask? April 13, 2020 By [Derric Bakker](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/derric-bakker) [Categories Boards Campaign Planning Study Capital](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/categories-boards-campaign-planning-study-capital-) This year marks my thirtieth year in fundraising. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Across three decades I have raised money through three recessions, the attacks of 9/11, and a half-dozen market crashes, including one major financial meltdown. Through it all, one thing stands out. Giving is always resilient. Yes, giving usually does tick down during crisis. But only incrementally. Even during the 2008-2009 financial crisis, which cut deep across every sector of our society, year-over-year giving only declined five or six percentage points for a couple years. To me, that is one of the greatest testaments to the character of the American people. No matter how bad things get, we keep giving.  Today’s COVID-19 crisis is unlike any other we’ve experienced, but in one way it won’t be any different. People will keep giving. Don’t just take my word for it. A newly released [study by Fidelity Charitable](https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/insights/how-covid-19-is-shifting-donor-giving.html) indicates that 80% of major donors plan to give the same or more than they did last year, even in the face of this crisis. Further, the study indicated that most donors do not plan to shift their giving to different organizations in light of the pandemic; they will stay the course by continuing to support their favorite nonprofits. As an added bonus, the recently passed CARES Act also expands tax deductions for charitable giving this year, providing many major donors with a powerful incentive to give more. **Your donors – particularly major donors – are prepared to keep giving through this crisis. Some will give even more than they ever have before. All you need do is ask.** But now a word of caution. Not every nonprofit is going to have the same experience. Even though total year-over-year giving fell less than 6% during the 2008–2009 financial crisis, some nonprofits experienced decimating declines, while others thrived. How you manage your fundraising through this crisis is going to be critically important. Your case must be carefully crafted, the tone you strike in your donor communications must be donor-centric, and – most importantly – you must be artful in making your asks. And this is all made even more complicated because we are in a context where we can’t host events/gatherings or visit with major donors in person. *So what is the best way to raise major donations right now?* Here is one solution that might be just what you need right now. Our team at DickersonBakker has created a special **[COVID-19 Emergency Response Campaign](https://dickersonbakker.com/covid-19-emergency-response-campaign/)** program designed to help nonprofits raise major emergency funding. These campaigns are modeled after the highly successful integrated major donor campaign program that we typically conduct for clients at calendar year-end. We recommend conducting a campaign like this during the summer, once the acute phase of this crisis is starting to abate and the financial markets and economy are beginning to normalize. This will help bridge the gap between now and the fall, when hopefully we will be in full recovery.  Anyone can raise money when times are good. In times like this, however, it helps to have an experienced guide at your side. If you are interested in having one of our experienced fundraising consultants come alongside you to help coach you through your fundraising during these challenging times, or if you want to learn more about raising emergency major funding through our **COVID-19 Emergency Response Campaign** program, please don’t hesitate to [contact us](https://dickersonbakker.com/contact/). Our team stands ready to serve. Written by: ## Derric Bakker [Full Bio](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/derric-bakker) | [More by Derric Bakker](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/author/derric-bakker) [Back to blog](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com) ### Get Our Newsletter ### Categories - [Categories Boards Campaign Planning Study Capital (259)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/categories-boards-campaign-planning-study-capital-) - [Nonprofit Organizations (32)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/nonprofit-organizations) - [Fundraising (29)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/fundraising) - [Leadership (21)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/leadership) - [News (19)](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/tag/news) ### Search Shares ![Facebook](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Facebook.png) ![Twitter](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Twitter.png) ![Google+](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/googleplus.png) ![Email](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/download.png) ![LinkedIn](https://blog.dickersonbakker.com/hubfs/Dickerson_Bakker_October2019/Images/Floating%20Social%20Icons/Linked%20In.png) ## What does forward look like for you? Contact us today to discuss how our team of experienced professionals can help you get there. [Let's get started](https://dickersonbakker.com/contact/) 1998 Hendersonville Road, Suite 23, Asheville NC 28803 (800) 382-0094 [info@dickerson-bakker.com](mailto:info@dickerson-bakker.com) 2023 Dickerson, Bakker & Associates.  All Rights Reserved [Privacy Policy](https://dickersonbakker.com/privacy-policy/)