Information for Maine Nonprofits During COVID-19

Reopening

Financial Relief

Research

Equity + Justice

Leadership + Boards

Communications + Fundraising

Strategy + Scenario Planning

Tools + Technology

Staff + Volunteers

Events + Meetings

Self-Care

Health Information

Impacts of COVID-19 on the Nonprofit Sector

• Executive Session: Nonprofits’ Strategic Role In Healing A Nation (The NonProfit Times)
• COVID-19 Impact on Nonprofits: A Sector in Change (Public Allies)
• Health of the U.S. Nonprofit Sector (Independent Sector)
• The 2020 Nonprofit Employment Report: The 3rd largest employer faces the COVID-19 crisis (Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies)
• New Research Reveals COVID-19 Inflicted a Heavy Toll on Mid-Size Nonprofit Organizations Across the Country Independent Sector, June 15)
• COVID-19’s Impact on Nonprofits’ Revenues, Digitization, and Mergers (David LaPiana in Stanford Social Innovation Review, June 4)
• COVID-19 Workforce Trends Report (UST) – based on data from 800 organizations from late March to late April
• The Continuing Impact of COVID-19 on the Social Sector (LaPiana Consulting) – based on data from 750 organizations in March and April
• Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Communities and the Entities Serving Them (The Federal Reserve System, April 2020)
• MANP conducted a Flash Poll about the emerging impact of the global pandemic on Maine’s nonprofits in Mid-March. Read the results.
• Looking for inspiration and idea-sharing? Check out MANP’s new blog series Adapting with Purpose: Nonprofit Innovation + Resilience in Unfamiliar Times!

Advice for Nonprofit Leaders + Boards

• Leading Boards in a Virtual World (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
• A Framework for Leadership Action in the VUCA of the Pandemic (eblin group)
• Resiliency in the New Normal: Nonprofit Colleagues Share Their Experiences (Blue Avocado)
• Leadership Transition During a Pandemic (Stanford Social Innovation Review)
• Leading During Traumatic and Triggering Events
• Advice for Nonprofit Leaders (20 degrees)
• Grounding, Love, Chaos, and Grief: Parenting and Organizational Leadership During COVID-19 (CompassPoint)
• Tips for Leading Your Team Through Stressful Times (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
• Adaptive Leadership Checklist (OneJustice)
• Supervising in a Crisis (CompassPoint)
• ComNetwork COVID-19 Virtual Roundtable: Leadership Communications with Joanne Krell + Your Questions – discussion includes: why strong internal communications are crucial and what leaders should and should not be doing, what leaders should be communicating and how.
• Three Quick Tips on Crisis Management for Nonprofit Leaders- Includes advice on managing your trustee relationships in a crisis.
• Tough Times Call for Tough Action: A Decision-Making Framework for Nonprofit Leaders and Boards (SeaChange)
• Responding to COVID-19: The role of the CEO and board chair (video)
• Virtual Meetings Untangled (BoardSource) (And more advice/answers to FAQs re: boards and COVID-19)
• What Nonprofit Board Members Should Be Doing Right Now to Address the COVID-19 Situation (BoardSource)
• BoardSource is making their Ask the Expert service–usually only available to their members–accessible to all for the time being.
• A COVID-19 Checklist for Nonprofit Leaders (MANP Blog)
• Leaders should be prepared to recognize, respond to and prevent stigma and discrimination. Do not make determinations of risk based on race or country of origin, and be sure to maintain confidentiality regarding the health of specific employees. Speak out if you see discrimination happening. (Seattle & King County Public Health developed a great infographic and has compiled other anti-stigma resources.)

COVID-19, Racial Equity, Social Justice, and Transformation

The pandemic is disproportionately affecting communities of color and exacerbating other inequities in our communities. For example, Black Mainers make up over 20% of coronavirus cases, but only 1.6% of the population.

• Getting It Right: Diversity and Equity in the Age of COVID-19 (NonprofitQuarterly)
• Crises as a Catalyst: A Call for Race Equity & Inclusive Leadership (ProInspire)
• Racial Equity & Social Justice Resources– a comprehensive collection of analysis, resources/tools, organizing & solidarity
• Have nonprofit and philanthropy become the “white moderate” that Dr. King warned us about? (Vu Le)
• Stepping into the Moment: The Coronavirus Crisis as an Opening for Transformative Change (Grassroots Policy Project)
• Pushing Back Against Habits of White Supremacy During a Crisis (CompassPoint)
• It’s Time to Talk About…What Board Commitment to Equity Looks Like in This Moment (BoardSource)
• COVID-19: Using a Racial Justice Lens Now to Transform Our Future (NonprofitQuarterly)
• Race Forward on disproportionate impacts of coronavirus
• Strategy Questions for Paradigm Shifts in an Age of Crises (Up with Community)
• Community Resilience and Racial Equity — Nonprofits Responding to COVID-19 (A conversation between Dr. Atyia Martin, CEO and founder of All Aces, Inc. and CLA’s Director of Nonprofit Innovation, Curtis Klotz)
• How To Center Race Equity In Your Organization’s COVID-19 Response (Recording, Independent Sector)
• Free Webinar: Human Resources: Balancing Urgency & Equity (Recording, NonprofitQuarterly)
• Mapping our Social Change Roles in Times of Crisis (Medium)

Staff + Volunteer  Management

• Recorded Webinar What nonprofits need to know as staff and volunteers return from remote work to in-person operations (National Council of Nonprofits, April 2021)
• Find information about vaccine availability and vaccine policies on our “reopening” page.
• Recorded Webinar: Keeping Nonprofit Employees Engaged (& Mentally Healthy) During COVID-19 (UST)
• COVID-19 Employer Guide: 3 Critical Steps to Maintain a Resilient Nonprofit (UST)
• Telecommuting Toolkit (UST) – find more in the Tools & Technology section below
• Ask Rita: For What Work-Related Expenses Must I Reimburse Remote Employees? (Blue Avocado)
• COVID-19: Essential Unemployment Insights (on demand webinar from UST)
• Employers Should Be Mindful of New Employment Law Risks Created by COVID-19 (Wilson Sonsini)
• Back to Business After COVID-19: Legal Considerations When Rehiring Employees (Fox Rothschild, LLC)
• Ask Rita: During Covid-19, Do We Furlough or Layoff Staff? (from Blue Avocado)
• Supervising in a Crisis (CompassPoint)
• Do’s and don’ts of employment questions related to COVID-19 (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission/Proskauer)
• COVID-19 HR Resource Library –  comprehensive collection of sample policies, videos, FAQs (ThinkHR)
• Find answers to FAQs, many of which are about employees:
  • Bernstein Shur – Legal Guidance on COVID-19 and FAQs
  • Brann & Isaacson legal resource library
• Best practices for Maine’s Employers for Communications to Immigrant Staff Related to COVID-19 (Maine Business Immigrant Coalition)
• Keeping Nonprofit Employees Engaged (& Mentally Healthy) During COVID-19 (on demand webinar from UST – more resources below under Self Care)
• Find more information about federal stimulus packages, which include provisions related to paid leave, unemployment, etc. on our additional webpage specifically about financial relief for nonprofits and their employees.

Strategy and Scenario Planning, Risk Management

• Managing Nonprofit Finances During the Coronavirus Crisis (Wallace Foundation)
• Assessing Financial Health in the Time of Covid-19 (Blue Avocado)
• Learning from COVID-19 (Nonprofit Risk Management Center) – A worksheet to help spur reflection and capture lessons learned
• Reimagine Your Nonprofit to Survive the Crisis (Harvard Business Review)
• Financial Leadership in the Face of Impossible Choices (CLA)
• How to Stick Your Landing in a Free Fall (CLA) – includes budget modeling tools/templates
• Sustainability Series (Spectrum Nonprofits) – videos on Moving from Sustainability to Survivability, Leading with Impact, Building an Inclusive Strategy, Strengthening the Nonprofit Business Model, Rebuilding Revenue Strategy
• Reimagining Strategy in Context of the COVID-19 Crisis: A Triage Tool
• Scenario Planning: Rapid Planning in a Time of Rapid Change (BoardSource)
• Financial Leadership: Making Good Decisions in Unprecedented Times (Recording, NonprofitQuarterly)
• Sustainability to Survivability: 5 Nonprofit Finance Must-Do’s in the Time of COVID
• Proactive, Not Perfect, Scenario Planning: A Short Guide for Our Times (NonprofitQuarterly)
• Scenario Budget Planning Template (Propel Nonprofits)
• Strategic Thinking in a Long-Term Crisis (Up with Community)
• Scenario Planning Template (Nonprofit Finance Fund) – find a how to video on their resource page
• Strategy Questions for Paradigm Shifts in an Age of Crises (Up with Community)
• A COVID-19 Contingency Planning Framework and a simple Cash Flow Tool (20 degrees)
• Are We Covered? Your Nonprofit’s Insurance Policies and COVID-19 Claims (Nonprofit Risk Management Center)
• Coronavirus: Legal and Practical Guidance for Businesses (Recording, Bernstein Shur, March)
• Find more resources on disaster planning, emergency preparedness and business continuity and scenario planning in our free, searchable Answer Center.

Meetings & Events

• Thinking About A Hybrid Event? (Nonprofit Resource Hub)
• The Future Is Hybrid: Preparing for the Next Evolution of Fundraising (NonProfitPro)
• Event Formats in 2020 and Beyond (Nonprofit Hub)
• Accounting for Sponsorship Revenue When Events are Postponed (Sponsored Blog Post by Jitasa on NonprofitMaine Blog, 11/19/20)
• Virtual Events: How Organizations Are Offering Virtual Versions of Festivals, Events and Conferences (Maine Calling, 6/18/20)
• Key planning recommendations for Mass Gatherings in the context of the current COVID-19 outbreak (World Health Organization, 5/29/20)
• Digital Divide During a Pandemic: How to Work Toward Inclusion for Your Nonprofit Community (Recorded Webinar from TechSoup, May 18)
• An Event Decision-Making Tool to help you decide if you should host an event in 2020 (20 degrees)
• The Show Must Go On: Producing an Online Virtual Event (TechSoup)
• Make the Move! Tips for Migrating Your In-Person Event Online (Blue Avocado)
• How to Make Your Virtual Meetings and Events Accessible to the Disability Community
• Ensuring Virtual Events Are Accessible for All (RespectAbility)
• Facilitating great meetings online (Recording, Big Duck)
• Virtual Meetings Untangled (BoardSource) (And more advice/answers to FAQs)
• How to Bring Your Live or In-Person Events Online (Recording, TechSoup, April 9)
• A comprehensive list of tips, tools and examples for event organizers during the coronavirus outbreak
• Coronavirus: What You Need to Know About Cancelling an Event and Liability Risks, Event (Feb. 21, 2020)
• Suddenly Remote: Virtual Events (RoundTable Technology)
• Integrating Zoom & YouTube (and check out the Portland Chamber’s helpful how-to video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9YboQi_NDs)
• Ultimate Guide to Virtual Events (Cvent)
• The Maine Nonprofit Corporation Act allows for boards to conduct meetings by phone/online conferencing—basically any way that everyone can hear everyone. In terms of conducting business by email, the law had a lot of gray areas in the past but it was clarified last year and this blog post does a great job outlining the rules and considerations.

Fundraising + Communications

• Free Webinar: Building on Year-End Momentum: Engaging New Supporters in 2021 and Beyond (January 19, TechSoup)
• Free Webinar: How do you convert crisis donors into regular givers? (January 21, Big Duck)
• Webinar: Engaging Sponsors and Donors: What’s Changed & What Hasn’t (January 27, Kentucky Nonprofit Network, MANP member discount)
• Fundraising During the Pandemic – compilation of resources (Chronicle of Philanthropy)
• COVID Month Two: 5 Questions and 6 Answers for This Moment in Fundraising
• Fundraising in uncertain times: success stories (Andy Robinson)
• Fundraising and Your Board During a Pandemic: Lean into the trends (BoardSource)
• How Nonprofits Are Pivoting To Virtual Fundraising In The Face Of Covid-19 (Forbes)
• Tips for navigating a nonprofit rebrand during the COVID-19 pandemic (Big Duck)
• Open Office Hour for Fundraisers (Wright Consulting Group) – every Friday through June 26th, 2020.
  
• Communicating with Donors During a Maelstrom: Practical Wisdom on When, What, Who, How, and How Often (Blue Avocado)
• Social fundraising in a crisis — dos and don’ts (Big Duck)
• Fundraising in the Time of COVID, a TechSoup round up
• Soliciting Gifts Gracefully, as the World Falls Apart (Al Cantor)
• Five principles to guide your donor communications for COVID-19 (Podcast from Big Duck)
• What should you do about your major donor campaign? (Recording, Big Duck)
• Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resource Guide – Association of Fundraising Professionals has created a collection of curated resources offering guidance on fundraising, donor communications and more during a time when in-person interaction is likely non-existent.
• Fundraising and donor communications in uncertain times (Recording, Big Duck)
• Fundraising During the Corona Outbreak: Answers to 5 Pressing Questions
• 4 Ways to Engage Major Donors During the Covid-19 Crisis
• Why Fundraisers Should Take the Long View
• Coronavirus Crisis Comms Triage Kit (The Communications Network)
• Tips to manage your nonprofit’s communications during the COVID-19 crisis (Big Duck)
• Market Drops and Crisis: Fundraising Lessons and Your Lighthouse
• Modifying P2P Campaigns When Participants Crave Social Connection (npEngage)
• How nonprofits should approach fundraising and donor communications during the coronavirus pandemic and financial crisis (Hannah Brazee Gregory at The Shoestring Agency)
• Communicating about coronavirus and your upcoming events, from Kivi at Nonprofit Marketing Guide
• COVID-19 Response Toolkit for Your Fundraising Events from Swaim Strategies
• Coronavirus – What am I supposed to do about my fundraising event? (Recording, Washington Nonprofits, March 9)
• Event Planning & COVID-19 (Recording, Washington Nonprofits, March 19)
• COVID-19: Adapting Our Fundraising Strategy (Recording, Washington Nonprofits, March 26)
• bloomerang is compiling resources here related to fundraising during the pandemic here including free webinars on topics such as managing your capital campaign in uncertain times and fundraising during times of fear and uncertainty

Tools + Technology to Help You Adapt

• Management Center has compiled resources to help you manage a (suddenly) remote workforce
• Going Remote Overnight
• MANP has compiled additional resources on distributed teams and remote workers.
• Recorded Webinar: Telecommuting Strategies Beyond COVID-19 (UST)
• Video conferencing/online meetings/events
  • Comparison Guide: Video Conferencing Tools for Your Nonprofit (TechSoup)
  • Zoom has a free option, and MANP members can save on subscriptions to Zoom online meetings for additional features.
  • Google Hangouts Premium is free through July 1.
  • Microsoft Teams is available for free for six months.
  • GoToMeeting is also offering their remote work tools free for three months.
  • Nonprofits focused on fighting COVID-19 can access three months of free Dropbox Premium.
  • LogMeIn is making “Emergency Remote Work Kits” available for free for three months. Those kits are designed for nonprofits, schools, and health care organizations that aren’t already customers. The company also says it will work with existing small-business customers to provide access during the same time period. The kits include GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar–where users can host presentations for up to 3,000 users–and LogMeIn, which provides remote desktop access from numerous devices.
  • Slack is offering paid plans to nonprofits for free through June.
• TechSoup has outlined Nonprofit Resources for Remote Work During the COVID-19 Outbreak
• Check on TechImpact’s webinar on technology tools to quickly adapt to impacts on your business and your mission in Prepare Your Nonprofit for Smooth Sailing through COVID-19 (Recorded March 18)

Self-Care

• It’s okay to be stressed. NAMI Maine addresses mental well-being in the time of crisis and provides tips for staying well while navigating the COVID-19 outbreak. Mental Health America has a variety of resources.
• The State of Maine’s StrengthenME program has partnered with Work Force EAP to provide free stress management, wellness, and resiliency support to employees and volunteers of nonprofit organizations who are doing social support work (broadly defined – if you’re working with people, you qualify!).  In March and April 2021 they are offering workshops ontopics such as sustaining compassion, stress management, de-escalation, work/life rhythm, resiliency and more!  All trainings are drop-in via Zoom and there is no need to register in advance. Find more information on this flyer. You may share this opportunity widely with your staff and volunteers! Nonprofit employees can also schedule additional services, including free, confidential, short-term individual support, now through the end of June. For more information, call 1-800-769-9819 or send an email to StrengthenME@northernlight.org.
• Rest supports grieving: Grief rituals
• De-stress at your fingertips: 13 of the Best Apps to Manage Your Stress plus 7 science-based strategies to cope with coronavirus anxiety
• Stay active. We may need some extra reminding to take a stretch break from all this remote work. Many state parks are closed, but you can find your local land trust and explore their trails while getting some much needed fresh air (check their websites first to ensure they are still allowing access.)
• Meditate: CoLab Create is hosting a meditation sit over Zoom on Tuesdays at 8:30am (20 minutes, silent). Sign up by emailing colabcreatela@gmail.com.

General Health and Safety Information About COVID-19

• World Health Organization’s advice for the public.
• Coronavirus pages of Maine CDC and US CDC.
• 2-1-1 Maine is a resource to your employees, clients and communities.
• Multilingual fact sheets