Today’s “business as usual” now means business online. Just as the shift to a virtual world has transformed our personal and professional lives, nonprofit organizations have faced a twofold challenge—moving fundraising and service delivery online with limited capital and operational infrastructure.
I’m proud to say that Orange County’s nonprofit sector has risen to this challenge with courage, creativity and innovation. And, most importantly, they’ve kept compassion and authentic connection—with those they serve and the donors who support their efforts—as their top priority.
Cyber Success
Basic needs such as healthcare, food and emergency housing continue to grow for our most vulnerable residents, while the nonprofits that serve them face significant revenue shortfalls and loss of volunteers. With in-person fundraising suspended indefinitely, nonprofits have taken philanthropy online, creating virtual touchpoints to engage donors in support of their work.
The Blind Children’s Learning Center, which prepares visually impaired children for a life of independence, raised $109,000 through a virtual Destination Independence Walk. This 5K walk, which reduced staff time and saw expenses cut in half, raised enough to support over 2,500 sessions of virtual services. What’s more, with the walk livestreamed on Facebook, 5,604 supporters and friends were able to join—expanding their reach more than tenfold compared to the 500 walkers the event typically draws.
Innovative nonprofits are also leveraging online tools to deliver their programs and services in our distanced environment.
Girls Inc. of Orange County, for example, took its Eureka summer camp program online, allowing middle and high school students to engage with peers and facilitators on topics ranging from cybersecurity to the power of memory.
Anaheim Ballet offered dance classes on Zoom and Instagram Live, raising funds while increasing access to the arts.
And Dreams for Schools, which educates students in STEM literacy, is expanding its coding program and providing distance learning support to a broad population of students through partnerships with other nonprofits.
Catalyzing Fundraising
When nonprofits work together, magic happens—as proven by the iheartOC Giving Days hosted by Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) since 2015.
Orange County’s first-ever Giving Day in 2015 raised more than $1.8 million for 347 participating nonprofits in just 30 hours. In 2016, the results topped $3.2 million.
In 2017, we saw an opportunity to shift the model to Collaborative Giving Days held throughout the year, where nonprofits with similar missions or serving the same community could work together to host customized Giving Days powered by OCCF.
During this year’s Preserving Dignity Giving Day, five nonprofits serving older adults raised $190,898 in 24 hours—255% of their fundraising goal. And Help Them Home, a Giving Day for Orange County’s homeless, brought together nearly 3,000 donors to raise more than $1.7 million—a staggering $1 million above their goal. The eight Giving Days held to date in 2020 have raised more than $2.7 million, bringing the grand total raised since 2015 to more than $10 million.
With the arrival of COVID-19, these Giving Day participants were ahead of the game with technology, digital marketing and online fundraising—leveraging what they had learned through their Giving Day experience to successfully drive their fundraising into a digital environment.
Philanthropy Goes Digital
How can we fuel the innovative spirit of nonprofits through technology?
OCCF’s Social Innovation Fund is answering the call by hosting a virtual Demo Day on Sept. 30 in partnership with UCI’s Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Just as hopeful business startups pitch their plans to potential investors, six nonprofit finalists will present cutting-edge projects to venture-oriented philanthropists. The programs include an intergenerational home share for senior homeowners and college students, and a project that teaches students how to interpret the news and exercise sound judgement of what they read and hear.
If last year’s programs are any indication, the investment in innovative programs could pay dividends in unexpected ways. Case in point: One of last year’s recipients, Mariposa, a nonprofit specializing in women’s health, used their funding to develop private, affordable online counseling services for those with limitations to attending in person. Now, Mariposa already has technology in place to serve their clients who need their services more than ever.
Curious about a venture capital approach to giving? Join OCCF’s Social Innovation Fund Demo Day on Sept. 30. Email Todd Hanson at thanson@oc-cf.org to learn more.
Innovation to Outlast COVID
Looking forward, there’s ample reason to believe that Orange County’s nonprofit sector will not only survive the pandemic, but thrive beyond it. With time-tested resilience and courage, along with new technology skills and strategies, OC nonprofits are poised for expanded horizons of impact.
But that vision depends on us all. You can opt into a virtual gathering, consider an innovative nonprofit opportunity, visit ocnonprofitcentral.org to find your perfect nonprofit match or call the OCCF team to see where you can plug in.
Nonprofits have upped their game. Now it’s our turn.
Editor’s Note: Shelley Hoss is president and CEO of the Orange County Community Foundation, which ranked No. 3 on the Business Journal’s annual list of nonprofits with $103.5 million in revenue for the year ended June 30, 2019. For more, see the Business Journal’s stand-alone section on Orange County Philanthropy in this week’s issue.
