PORTLAND, Ore. — With restrictions because of coronavirus, nonprofit organizations are having to get creative to keep fundraising events on track. Two organizations we talked with have plans to keep crucial spring fundraising events going.
CASA provides advocates for abused and neglected children. They moved their big fundraiser back about a month from April 3 to May 29, but that could still change.
“The conversation evolves every day I’m sure everyone's does, we’re trying to stay responsive to a really rapidly changing world,” said Anne Marie Johnson, the Development and Communication Director for CASA.
The annual CASA auction draws about 500 people to the Portland Art Museum and generates more than a third of the organizations budget for the year.
Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp offers outdoor programs for campers with developmental, intellectual, and physical disabilities. Instead of changing their April 18 auction date, MHKC decided to hold a virtual auction scheduled for the same day. It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for the camp.
"This is huge for us so figuring out a way to sustain the funding of the operation in these uncertain times is really important,” Executive Director Dave McDonald said.
Both organizations are hopeful the fund raising plans they've come up with will be as successful as past events.