For Greater Palm Springs area nonprofit organizations who rely on fundraising events to fill their coffers, the “desert season” represents unprecedented opportunity. Each year at that time, the regional population swells by an estimated 150,000 part-time residents. A vibrant tourist industry creates a sense of community that extends far beyond the valley’s environs. Restaurants, hotels, and nightspots willing in-kind contributors; and from snowbirds to festival-goers, visitors and locals are in a mood receptive to posh events that are for a good cause – and are tax-deductible.
Not nearly as much last year as the season was cut short. The pandemic officially took hold in California on March 19, 2020, when Governor Newsom issued the first shelter in place order, effectively cutting off weekend and vacation travel. This was followed by Canada and U.S. Border Restrictions on March 21, 2020, sending the snowbirds flying home earlier than expected.
And while no one thinks that social events are gone forever, it seems they may be dormant for longer than expected.
COVID Took the Fun Out of Fundraising
“We think the pandemic has impacted us by about a million dollars so far,” said Fred Bell, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of the Palm Springs Air Museum. “Obviously, we can offset some of that because we have downsized the organization and reduced our costs. But obviously, anything of that magnitude really hurts. Remember,” he added, “our entire goal is to not have to divest ourselves of assets. It’s counterproductive – you work so hard to get the asset. So, thinking outside the box is, you know, job one right now.”
Other nonprofits have had similar challenges. The Desert Cancer Foundation (DCF) is partnered with Eisenhower Health’s Lucy Curci Cancer Center and with Desert Regional Medical Center’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, but it relies on fund-raising to meet its budget. “In October we usually host Paint El Paseo Pink,” noted Eevet Edens, Executive Director of the DCF, “and in November, our gala, Corks and Cuisine, which has grown to be one of the major events. Those two combined bring in about $200,000 a year.” Edens learned that applying for grants was not an option, as many have been shifted to COVID relief.
In addition to cash flow challenges, the pandemic is creating ancillary crises. According to Darrell L. Tucci, CFRE – Chief Development Officer – Desert AIDS Project (DAP), “We have more people waiting in line today for access to mental health care counseling than we’ve ever had in our history. And we don’t have the room to provide it, but we know the community needs it today. So we are working very hard to get a newly expanded behavioral health clinic open that would allow us to double the number of people that we can see.”
For the United Way of the Desert, the pain-point was not so much with external fundraising events and corporate fundraising. “Traditionally,” said Kimberly Starrs, Vice President, External Affairs for Inland SoCal United Way, “we raise this money with workplace giving campaigns. We have lots of in-person rallies, where employees and volunteers will come out and speak to employees about the importance of giving back to the community and how money is put to work in the community when they make a contribution via payroll deduction. That’s been essentially impossible this year.”
Stepping Up with Virtual Events
For the most part, most charities have taken to Zoom – with varying degrees of success. “We all know that virtual meetings are just not the same,” said UW. “So we are seeing what seems like it might be a decline for workplace giving over this next year.”
United Way of the Desert had more success pairing a Zoom party with a more traditional half-hour television fundraising event, “United for the Holidays,” which appeared on December 19 on NBC Palm Springs, YouTube and Facebook Live. “It was really wonderful and fun,” said Starrs. To supplement that TV event, UW held a virtual pre-party. “We sold tickets to a ‘no gala Gala.’ Folks showed up to our little pre party, and then we watched the spot together. It was fun, it was creative, and we were able to engage a lot of our supporters that way. And,” she added, “We raised a little bit of money as well.”
DAP also tapped into the Valley’s considerable star power. “We actually did a virtual event with Broadway stars. “Voices of Hope” was directed and produced by Scott Nevins; a bunch of actors and actresses donated their time, and we produced a virtual event. Thousands of people watched it, which was wonderful. It was free. You didn’t have to pay to participate if you couldn’t afford it, but we encouraged donations. You know that one-hour event raised us about $50,000? We also encouraged people to before sitting down in the event to please go out to restaurants and get take out.”
DAP and DCF both had success with converting their annual fundraising walks into virtual events. “We did the Desert AIDS Walk virtually. We still encouraged people to walk, just not walk en masse. We didn’t have the party in the park or the health festival in the park, but we encouraged people to register and to raise money from their networks.” In conclusion, about two-thirds of the usual amount was raised. Said Edens, “This year’s Annual Paint El Paseo Pink (in its 14th year) was hosted virtually. “It was a ‘just walk your community’ kind of thing. With social media, people posting where they were, and small groups walking together, we were able to really bring that energy together. Not the same as 1,200 people walking, of course, but we were able to recuperate something like that sense of community.”
Meanwhile, Palm Springs Air Museum has been able to raise money by renting its sizable tarmac for a variety of purposes – including a drive-in movie theater. “We have a lot of facilities that we’re not using right now,” noted Bell, “and so we’re trying to come up with different ways to accomplish our mission and drive some cash flow facilities that are sitting idle. We’re trying to come up with ways to continue to interact with the community.”
Beyond COVID
Nonprofit charity organizations see community fostering as an integral part of their mission, and so they are adjusting to the new normal by continuing their virtual efforts in 2021. Other in-person events are being shifted to later in the year, as everyone tries to guess when the pandemic will end.
For the fundraisers, it’s hard to see their colleagues suffer. For DAP, which works closely with area restaurants, “We have tried to reach out to our partner companies that support DAP all year long,” said Tucci, “to lift up and take care of their employees during this time. As the restaurants closed down, they had the very painful experience of needing to lay off thousands of our neighbors here. To help them, we created a program called ‘One Call.’ Basically, with one phone call, folks who suddenly had need could make a phone call to talk to a healthcare coverage expert at the DAP to link to healthcare and your first doctor’s appointment. You know, keep the community as healthy as we possibly can through this.”
“One of the really important parts of that fundraising cycle,” said Starrs, “is keeping your donors engaged, regardless of their capacity or ability to give in a certain year. We know this year is one of those years when folks may not have that capacity. But that’s not stopping us from ensuring that we have that communication, and that we are constantly engaging with folks. So that when their capacity returns, that hopefully they’re giving will also return.”
“The sense of community has shifted into the homes,” notes Edens, “with the help of social media.” She is looking forward to a virtual event – a virtual wine tasting that is going to be a Zoom call. “I think people getting used to the ‘whole virtual world’ is maybe helpful. Some of our meetings are going to continue to be virtual for a little bit longer.” Particularly for CDF, “I think it’s easier because we’re part of the medical community. It’s easier for doctors or hospital staff to join us via Zoom. But,” she added, “we certainly look forward to gathering, because there’s a certain camaraderie, connectedness, and energy level.”
