Americans have risen to the occasion and already given millions of dollars to support tsunami relief efforts, but according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), “it is quite probable that charities working on issues unrelated to tsunami relief will see a decrease in their fundraising in the short-term.”
Consistent with charitable giving patterns following 9/11 and other major tragedies, “most charities will not see any long-term impact” as a result of the tsunami disaster, AFP recently told its members.
“AFP believes that people recognize that the tsunami relief effort represents a special gift, over and above what individuals and organizations would normally give,” reported the association. “Your local women’s shelter; universities offering bursaries and scholarships; AIDS prevention programs at home and abroad; ongoing hurricane recovery in the Caribbean; food banks; and the many other important organizations in our communities will continue to count on the generosity of the public.”
AFP’s position is that “the response to tsunami fundraising relief efforts seems to support the idea that donors understand that this is a special or extra gift. Again, in the short term, it is likely that organizations not involved in the tsunami relief will see a small dip in their giving, but we expect this to balance out over the coming months.”
For information on how giving has rebounded following major national and international events, AFP invites members to go to a special 9/11 section on its Web site, which you will find here.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals represents 26,000 members (including Yellowfin Direct Marketing) in 172 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and China working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education and certification programs.
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