A Message of Gratitude – and Support – for Bucks County’s Nonprofits

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all experienced plenty of personal and professional ups and downs. As this roller coaster ride continues, we’ve enjoyed the jubilation witnessing the first vaccinations across the world, and then learned that several new strains of the virus are emerging. Throughout this long ride, Bucks County’s non-profit organizations have kept a watchful eye on our most vulnerable neighbors while navigating the complexities of federal relief bills, assembling Plexiglass partitions around offices, and keeping their staff and volunteers safe and motivated in a virtual wonderland. 

Throughout this ongoing crisis, our community remains strong thanks to the unwavering support, innovative solutions, and superhero-like dedication of our non-profit community. I, along with so many others, admire their dedication and express gratitude for fulfilling their missions in the face of adversity. Despite the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, charitable giving grew by 7.6% nationwide during the first nine months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals. This support, combined with public funding, came just in time to help feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, prevent evictions, make life-saving virtual connections, and create learning environments for school-aged children. 

The impact of the health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic falls disproportionately on marginalized populations. Heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19, job and business loss, foreclosures, and less access to health care are just some of the hazards they encounter. And since government cannot solve all these problems, we need Bucks County’s nonprofits now more than ever to lend a helping hand to our neighbors. Likewise, grant makers like us must realize the need for immediate relief to address basic needs and the existential threat many nonprofits face. Finding the right balance is critical, and the choices we now make have consequences for our grantees and the communities we serve. 

Bucks County’s nonprofits need support more than ever. While philanthropic giving increased during the pandemic, dollars flowed to hunger relief, religious organizations, and health and medical organizations. This trend creates gaps along the non-profit sector and leaves many organizations worried about the future. Some nonprofits will close their doors or merge with another organization, thereby sacrificing part of their mission so their clients can still receive critical services. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, early estimates suggest that 10-40% of nonprofits nationwide could close due to the pandemic and recession. This frightening estimate is an important signal for the nonprofit sector to continue to work on their contingency plans and for Bucks Countians to give generously so that we can come out of this pandemic stronger and without widening already existing inequities.     

Gratefully,

Tobi Bruhn, Ed.D., CFRE