Most people would probably agree that 2020 hasn't been the best year ever. For faith-based organizations, it's been a time of constant change, uncertainty, and major challenges.
In my work with faith-based organizations, I've identified five major challenges:
With so much changing, it's also an opportunity to start embracing the solutions that your faith-based organization needs to succeed.
These solutions won't just help with pandemic-related challenges; they may also address challenges your organization has faced for years.
Faith-based organizations originally saw the coronavirus pandemic as a temporary disruption. A few virtual services and things would be normal again. But, while some organizations have gone back to something near normal, it doesn't mean that everyone feels safe attending again. It may seem impossible to focus on engagement when you don't have your members in front of you.
Focus on solutions that address both online and offline engagements. For instance, some remote services leave viewers less engaged, while other organizations have seen faith-based organization app sign-ups skyrocket by as much as 60 percent in order to worship remotely. The key is to involve your members and get creative.
While your organization doesn't necessarily need an app, some organizations choose to create apps to provide an alternative to their website. For instance, an app might include a saved login for easier online giving or notifications of upcoming events, both online and offline.
Here are some innovative solutions to consider.
Many of these tactics can be supported with solutions included in the Microsoft 365 bundle. For example, Teams might be a great fit for your congregation's live-streaming needs. Check out TechSoup's recent blog post on keeping your congregation more involved to learn more.
Less attendance means less financial stability. With people opting to stick with virtual services for convenience and safety, attendance is abysmally low. Yet, most of your donations probably come from people attending in person. In fact, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York has seen donations drop by 50 percent. On a more promising note, a recent study by DickersonBakker found that 85 percent of donors to faith-based organizations believe that their giving will stay the same or increase throughout 2020.
Even with that news, it may be time to adopt a new strategy. To ensure financial stability and bounce back from coronavirus lows, try the following:
Additionally, it may be time to reevaluate your faith-based organization's budget. Make sure you are taking full advantage of products and services available to you through TechSoup to reduce your technology costs. For instance, reducing paid marketing to focus more on free methods can save you hundreds or even thousands monthly. Or better yet, take advantage of Google Ad Grants, where Google will give qualifying nonprofits $10,000 per month in free advertising on their search engine. You can check out TechSoup's Google Ad Grants seminar series to find out everything you need to know to get started.
When you think about providing community services, you think about interacting with people face-to-face. The coronavirus pandemic has changed all that. It's not so easy to just visit your members in person or gather a group together. But community services matter when it comes to providing member engagement and attracting new members. The pandemic has actually created a variety of new ways faith-based organizations can help their local community, and the needs in your community have never been more pressing.
These are some new ways to help:
The keys to making community service projects run smoother are effective volunteer management and the technology to keep track of everything. You can even create a calendar system for volunteers to sign up to teams remotely and check in while performing their tasks. Solutions like Microsoft 365 allow for easy communication and collaboration, while your organization can create your own private site with SharePoint for sharing information and project details and collaborating.
This one may be one of the most daunting challenges during and even after the pandemic. According to a Pew Research Center poll from July 2020, 33 percent of Americans are attending worship services online, while only 12 percent are attending in person. Out of Americans who were attending at least monthly before the pandemic, 72 percent are attending monthly online, while 33 percent are attending in person.
While a trend toward online worship is expected right now, in-person attendance may rise as people begin to feel safer attending in person. However, during the pandemic, your members may have watched more than your own services. In fact, the Pew poll found that 29 percent of those watching online worship services also watched services from other organizations. The good news is many places have seen a rise in attendance, by both members and nonmembers, with online services. So people are still interested in worshiping.
The solution to attracting new members comes down to engagement. Right now, you're competing to be the standout in a sea of thousands of other organizations providing services and resources online. It takes a multistep approach to change how you traditionally attracted members.
The reason to stay active online and offer great content is that people will share it, attracting more people.
The coronavirus pandemic led to millions of Americans across all industries being laid off or furloughed. Faith-based organizations haven't been immune to this problem. Your staff may not be needed for their traditional roles. But, there are new roles for them to fill. Here are a few ways to utilize your staff:
The solutions to your faith-based organization's challenges are changing. But, as you adapt, your organization will grow.
Thomas Costello is a nonprofit marketer and host of the REACHRIGHT Podcast. He is the founder of REACHRIGHT Studios, a digital marketing firm that helps churches and ministries reach more people online.