The coronavirus pandemic has plunged many Arizona nonprofits onto a fiscal precipice. With help from local businesses this Arizona Gives Day, Arizona nonprofits can begin to recover.
“Simultaneously, stressful financial times and job losses have increased the demand for services from nonprofits,” says Kristen Merrifield, CEO of the statewide Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits.
According to an Alliance pulse poll, responding nonprofits anticipate an average COVID-19-driven loss of $1,076,791 in revenue through the end of their fiscal year.
In 2020 and early 2021, events and planned in-person fundraisers were canceled. Many nonprofits reported that individual donations dropped and revenue nosedived. Operating in a quagmire of plunging revenue and surging needs, cancellations due to COVID-19 have cost Arizona nonprofits nearly $53 million in lost revenue.
When the federal tax laws changed — doubling the standard deductions — many individual taxpayers decided not to itemize their returns. The impact, unfortunately, was a significant drop in donations to nonprofits because there was no longer a financial incentive.
“Nonprofits in Arizona and across the nation are stretched beyond all reasonable measures but continue to serve their communities despite unfathomable challenges. We will do all we can to support the effort to ensure the long-term survival of so many important organizations,” says Merrifield.
Here’s where your business comes in!
“With nearly 100 nonprofit Chamber members, the Greater Phoenix Chamber understands that bringing awareness and encouraging donations within our nonprofit community hit hard by the pandemic is more important than ever,” says Greater Phoenix Chamber CEO and President Todd Sanders. “Local nonprofits play a crucial role in the social and economic well-being of Phoenix, by helping our communities thrive through essential services and resources. As uncertain times during the pandemic persist, the future of our nonprofits must remain strong and the Phoenix business community’s support is crucial. Join us in giving back to our local nonprofits this year on Arizona Gives Day!”
Arizona Gives Day was created to raise awareness, connect community members and increase financial support for Arizona’s nonprofits. Local Arizona businesses can help ensure a successful Arizona Gives Day in a number of ways:
Employee Giving Page — Businesses of any size can participate in Arizona Gives Day by creating an Employee Giving Page at www.azgives.org/businesses. With a business fundraising page, businesses can include their philanthropy messaging, see total raised by employees by using a promo code at checkout, and even match employee gifts through the system if desired
Sponsorship — Show your support for Arizona Gives Day as an official sponsor. A variety of sponsorship levels are available starting at $2,500 and can be further customized as needed.
Encourage giving on your business’ social media platforms. Recognizing Arizona Gives Day and spreading the word on your platforms helps raise awareness. Look for posts from the Arizona Gives Day pages and Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits pages that you can share.
Provide a matching gift. Provide a “matching” campaign gift of your chosen amount to a participating nonprofit two to four weeks prior to the start of Arizona Gives Day. It’s a great way to get a “shout out” from the nonprofit to its social media followers and donors while making a significant impact for an organization. Or provide a donation to increase the nonprofit incentive prize pool.
Offer a discount on your products or services to customers who show a receipt confirming they gave to AZGives.org.
For more information, visit AZGives.org.
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