By The Navy League of Canada, Army Cadet League of Canada and Air Cadet League of Canada
With everything coming to a halt last March due to COVID-19, non-profit organizations, like the Navy, Army Cadet and Air Cadet Leagues, have to adapt and innovate to overcome the challenges of limited in-person contact to raise funds for Cadet Corps and Squadrons. Although this affects most aspects of how our organizations provide overall support nationally to the provincial offices, the biggest impact has been taken by local corps and squadrons who are struggling to raise funds and maintain opportunities available to the youth in their community. Of course this is also applicable to any non-profit organizations across the country, especially those who do not receive funding and are reliant on donations alone.
COVID-19 forced organizations to think outside the box. With in-person contact off the table, there was a need to adapt the classic fundraising events to meet today’s requirements and health safety measures. Chocolate bars in offices are going stale, while the thought of door-to-door knocking stirs up mixed feelings of nostalgia and risk of infection. At times it is about adapting the event or activity or in other cases, opening the door to potential discussions with employers and/or local businesses who find themselves also struggling. Coming together as a community has never been more
important.
As worry increases in regards to the transmission of virus, we need to offer contactless options to generate funds, to both keep our neighbours safe, and help our Cadet Corps and Squadrons thrive. So how do we support our local Corps and Squadrons keep their doors open?
Cashless and/or electronic transactions have become a tool critical to maintaining one’s health. They are present in our everyday shopping as more and more businesses opt for electronic methods of payment only. Most Provincial Committees accept a variety of electronic donations, and where that is not applicable, individuals or businesses can make donations in kind for services, materials, and resources.
Various Online services, electronic applications and social media fundraisers are becoming more and more seamless for organizers to implement. These become especially interesting when considering changing the approach of the classic auction we would plan for fundraising galas or dinners. By moving towards a virtual approach, the duration of the auction can be extended and made accessible 24 hours a day, thus increasing the number of participants. Naturally, with the ability of sharing these events online, one could also extend the reach of their fundraising event and potentially pique the interest of numerous donors who live outside the community’s specific geographical area.
If searching for online fundraisers is not appealing to you, there are other ways you can contribute to local organizations with minimal changes to your daily routine. Online shopping applications allow non-profit organizations to register themselves as benefactors of funds by using the concept of a team. Shoppers can select to be part of a team, so that any time they are shopping online through their app, their selected team receives a portion of the expenses purchased. Once the initial registration is done, shoppers can continue to purchase products and gift cards from their favourite shops and stores, while also contributing back to their community. Some examples of these apps available in Canada include FlipGive and Fundscrip. In a time when on-line shopping is increasing, it may not be a bad idea to begin “upgrading” your fund-raising!
If online shopping is not your thing, working with your employer may be the easiest way for you to direct donations to a local Cadet Corps or Squadron of your choice. Many employers across Canada reward their employee’s personal contributions to their community. One way that this is done is by matching your personal donations to the charity of your choice. Some employers may donate to the charity you work with in recognition of your volunteer hours. Others have created grants for charitable and not-for-profit organizations for which only employees can apply. Many even require that employees volunteer in their community, which means that you could get additional assistance or access to company resources. Keep in mind that these options may not only apply within the private sector but the public sector as well.
Talk to your employer to see if they offer something similar. If they don’t, it doesn’t hurt to introduce them to the idea and its benefits for all involved. You can visit www.volunteer.ca for more information on this subject.
These are just a few examples of how individuals, local businesses and organizations can support each other and their community, and with the world headed in a virtual-first environment, surely, more ideas and opportunities will continue to develop in the future.
If there is one lesson that COVID-19 has taught us, it’s that working as a community to support each other is critical in times of need. With many sponsors taking hits to their revenue, they may no longer be in a position to provide as robust donations as in the past. For this reason, we must come together as communities to support the wellbeing of local cadet corps and squadrons, and the future leaders of our communities.