The collapse of the gala: Can charities cope without big fundraisers?
Why It Matters
Fundraisers are among the most important sources of revenue for Canadian non-profits โ 40 percent of them rely on events for revenue. The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of these events to an end, cutting off a vital source of revenue to non-profits as demand for their services grows.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Camrose Open Door found itself scrambling to stay afloat.ย
The central Alberta youth non-profit found itself struggling to bring in donations amid a rising caseload. According to Imagine Canada, it lost 75 percent of its public donor funding in just two months. Jessica Hutton, Open Doorโs executive director, says a major foundation that supported them stopped giving. A cancelled charity golf tournament set Open Door back roughly $25,000.
Hutton says Open Door managed to stay afloat through a series of smaller grants and provincial government support โ in fact, theyโve managed to double their staffing to accommodate the Facebook Live group sessions that have replaced their in-person group sessions. But much of their new-found funding is short-term. The provincia
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