Soapbox Engage Blog

As every country pulls out all the stops to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, many cities and states are requiring all nonessential employees to work from home. But the work can’t just come to a screeching halt. Nonprofits around the world are trying to figure out how to do as much work as possible online.

Some development professionals might already work from home. Others are probably trying to figure out where to start.

Learning to work from home is actually not as easy as you might think! If working from home is a new experience for you, have no fear! We’ve put together a handy guide for you to fundraise successfully from home for the next few weeks (pro tip: check out this Definitive Guide to Online Fundraising). If working from home goes as well as we think it can, you might be reluctant to get back to your regular office routine.

How To Fundraise From Home Successfully

Some of the greatest philosophers and scientists in history worked from home during plagues and pandemics. Sir Isaac Newton, for example, worked from home during the Great Plague of London in 1665. In 1527, Martin Luther (father of the Reformation), continued writing through a deadly plague. So, history has proven, fundraising from home can be done successfully! Here are some steps to get you started.

1) Create an office space and a routine

One of the best and worst things about working from home is that you get to enjoy being comfortable all day. It’s tempting to think that you’ll be productive sitting in bed with your laptop, but this just isn’t the case. You also don’t want to be staring at piles of paperwork and work material all over your house--that kills the relaxing vibe pretty quickly.

Start by designating a space in your home as a work station. Whether it’s a full-blown home office or a folding table in the corner of the living room, designate a work area. Having a physical space that you can go to and leave will help keep your professional time and personal time separate.

Next, commit to a schedule. Try to start and end your work around the same time each day, just like when you go to the office. It’s ok to add some variation to your routine, like afternoon walks. We also understand that this might be exponentially harder for fundraisers who have young children at home. So, give yourself grace as you create your new work routine.

2) Maintain professionalism while fundraising from home

Shockingly, many people who work from home regularly don’t recommend staying in your pajamas. We aren’t suggesting you wear a suit and tie or anything to your home office. But, if you’re wearing your pj’s, your brain will think it’s bedtime, and you’re likely to be less productive and less professional.

Most people speak and act differently depending on the type of clothes they wear. Make a habit of getting up and getting dressed each morning in clothes that are comfortable but not sleepwear. As the days and weeks roll on, this will also help you maintain a routine and keep morale up.

As fundraisers, it’s also essential to maintain your professionalism as you interact with current and potential donors. Obviously, most people know it’s important to shower and groom before a video conference call. Having the same grooming and dress standards for yourself as you phone donors will help maintain a professional attitude.

Changing into and out of "work clothes" can also help you create mental and emotional distance from work, especially if you don’t have a way to physically leave your work area. Another great option is providing your remote team with time management software and other tools that can boost their productivity.

3) Keep your usual work rhythms and communicate clearly with coworkers

Hopefully, you and your fundraising team have a regular work rhythm. It’s essential to stick as closely to your usual work patterns as possible. So, if you usually process and send donation receipts on Tuesdays, continue that rhythm to the best of your ability. If you must change your schedule for any reason, communicate clearly with the rest of your team, so nothing accidentally gets overlooked.

Communication with coworkers might require a little extra effort when you’re not all in the same office. However, clear communication is more important than ever when everyone is telecommuting.

Use video conferencing as much as possible to ensure clear, frequent communication with your team. This helps keep everyone moving forward and improves morale. Schedule weekly calls with the entire fundraising department so people can ask questions, update the group on projects, and even share how they’re coping personally.

4) Video conferencing is your friend!

Donor care should be the top priority of fundraisers during this COVID-19 pandemic (check out why in this previous blog). One way to care well for donors is to host video conference calls. This allows you to get "face-time" with donors without being in the same room.

Video calls (Zoom, Skype, etc.) also keeps your team connected and on point. People rely heavily on nonverbal communication with facial expressions and body language. Arranging meetings with video will help keep communication lines open and avoid misunderstandings.

Buy a good LED light and a quality microphone to make sure you have high-quality audio, and you look professional on Zoom, Skype, or Facebook Live. This will help you maintain professionalism with your donors and coworkers.

Pro tip: you should also scrutinize your background before you start your first video call with a donor. Turn on your computer camera and take a hard look at everything people will see behind you. Make sure nothing is distracting (or incriminating) that will be visible to everyone else.

Usually, you want a professional background (like a bookcase or your organization’s logo), but these are extenuating circumstances, so just do the best you can and make sure you aren’t broadcasting your disorganized clothes closet to the world.

5) Be proactive with your supervisors

It’s tempting to think of fundraising from home as doing away with all the structures and systems. Reject the mentality that you don’t need to report to your supervisors. Instead, be proactive about keeping the board of directors and other supervisors informed about all the fundraising activities.

Schedule regular check-in times with directors, supervisors, and other relevant people. Be more proactive about communication than you would if you were working in the office. Even if it’s just a 30-minute time for Q&A and brainstorming, this virtual "face time" will help everyone stay on the same page and keep your organization moving forward.

6) Really, most fundraising can be done remotely

The good news is, except for your events and in-person meetings, most fundraising can go on relatively normally, even if all the development professionals are working from home. You can still call donors, write email updates, send thank you notes, and keep your donation records in order.

I know a development professional who scheduled "virtual coffee" with some of their donors who lived in other states! They used Zoom to connect with their donors online, and each person enjoyed a cup of coffee as they discussed the donor’s charitable giving.

Don’t be afraid to be creative! You might actually find some ideas that work so well you’ll want to keep doing them long after the coronavirus pandemic is behind us.

7) Maintain work-life boundaries

It’s tempting to let your work life and personal life mesh together when you work from home. Instead, clear your work area, close your laptop, turn off email notifications, and "go home," even if you’re already in your living room. Change into comfy clothes. Create a rhythm of turning off your wok brain and engaging with your family when work is finished for the day.

For some fundraisers, there is a genuine danger of working too much, either because you’re trying to fill the extra time that was previously occupied by social activities, long commutes, and other things, or because you don’t know how to stop working. Come up with a few healthy things you can do to help your mind and body switch from "work" mode to "rest" mode at the end of each day.

8) Use anti-procrastination apps

When fundraisers work at an office and put on events, it’s usually easier to avoid internet distractions. Working from home may be a different story. Some development professionals find it helpful to use apps that keep them focused and on-task during work hours.

The Focus-Time Management app blocks sites like Facebook for hours you designate, so you’re less likely to get distracted while you’re working on your computer.

Strict Workflow is a Chrome add-on that helps you organize your time into 25-minute chunks and temporarily blocks time-wasting websites. It blocks the sites for 25 minutes, then unblocks everything for 5 minutes. This is based on research that suggests people are most productive when they work in 25-minute chunks.

The Checky app keeps a log of how much time you spend scrolling through your phone, so you can reduce your Instagram scrolling during work hours.

Experiment with different organization and anti-procrastination tools to find what works for you as you adjust to fundraising from home.

It’s one thing to prepare for the transition to a remote work situation. It’s quite another thing to suddenly be thrust into working from home as we wait out the coronavirus pandemic. Give yourself and your team some grace and compassion as you adjust to this new (and probably temporary) normal.

Pay attention to what’s working with fundraising, work rhythms, communication, and other factors. Take this opportunity to expand your fundraising toolbox. Nonprofits that use this as a learning opportunity will emerge stronger and more prepared to move forward when all is said and done.

Here are three more resources to help you continue your fundraising from home.

• Fundraising Experts’ Advice During the coronavirus (Updated Daily): This resource provides the latest ideas, resources, and tools from fundraising experts to help nonprofits navigate the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Check back regularly for updates, additions, and new information.
• Virtual Fundraising Ideas That Work (Updated March 2020): This blog will help you quickly create a virtual fundraising opportunity for your nonprofit to keep revenue flowing as we weather the coronavirus storm.
• Don’t Choose A Nonprofit CRM Without These 6 Features: If you don’t already have a CRM system, now is the time to get one! When everyone is working from home, it’s much easier to keep your team updated on the fundraising activities when you use a CRM system. This blog will help you find the right CRM system that fits your organization’s needs.