> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • Philanthropy 50
  • Nonprofits and the Trump Agenda
  • Impact Stories Hub
Sign In
  • Latest
  • Commons
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Online Events
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
Sign In
  • Latest
  • Commons
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Online Events
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
  • Latest
  • Commons
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Online Events
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Advice
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
America's Favorite Charities
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

Worried About More Than a Possible Recession

Donor fatigue is a concern for fundraisers at Habitat for Humanity International and the International Rescue Committee.

By  Emily Haynes
November 5, 2019
Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, whose fundraising increased 18 percent last year, build emergency transitional housing units in San Jose, Calif.
Anda Chu/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News/Getty Images
Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, whose fundraising increased 18 percent last year, build emergency transitional housing units in San Jose, Calif.

Disaster-relief donations are essential to Habitat for Humanity International (No. 20, up 18 percent). But as more wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters seem to happen each year, Colleen Finn Ridenhour, the group’s chief development officer, wonders how long it can count on them.

“By the time you get to the fourth or fifth in a series, do we start to lose donors’ appetite or interest?” she says. “Is this donor fatigue?”

How people will respond to the uptick in disasters remains to be seen, but Habitat isn’t waiting to find out. It hopes to head off donor attrition by emphasizing the value of disaster preparedness. Fundraisers make the case for this investment through emails, social media, and face-to-face meetings with corporations and major donors.

We're sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network.

Please allow access to our site, and then refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, please contact us at 571-540-8070 or cophelp@philanthropy.com

Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, whose fundraising increased 18 percent last year, build emergency transitional housing units in San Jose, Calif.
Anda Chu/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News/Getty Images
Volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, whose fundraising increased 18 percent last year, build emergency transitional housing units in San Jose, Calif.

Disaster-relief donations are essential to Habitat for Humanity International (No. 20, up 18 percent). But as more wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters seem to happen each year, Colleen Finn Ridenhour, the group’s chief development officer, wonders how long it can count on them.

“By the time you get to the fourth or fifth in a series, do we start to lose donors’ appetite or interest?” she says. “Is this donor fatigue?”

How people will respond to the uptick in disasters remains to be seen, but Habitat isn’t waiting to find out. It hopes to head off donor attrition by emphasizing the value of disaster preparedness. Fundraisers make the case for this investment through emails, social media, and face-to-face meetings with corporations and major donors.

Simpson Strong-Tie, for example, began donating cash and products to Habitat in 2007. After fundraisers talked to the construction-materials manufacturer about the importance of disaster preparedness, the company provided $85,000 in start-up money for Habitat Strong, a program that builds homes to withstand extreme weather.

AFC 2019 Logo Modified

The 100 Charities That Raise the Most in Cash and Stocks

See which groups’ fundraising was up in 2018 and whose dropped, how donor-advised funds are doing, and the data behind our exclusive rankings.

  • America’s Favorite Charities Worry the Boom Won’t Last: Our Analysis
  • Explore the Numbers With Our Interactive Database

This summer, Simpson Strong-Tie increased its support of the program to $200,000.

ADVERTISEMENT

‘People Become Overwhelmed’

The International Rescue Committee (No. 65, down 1 percent) is also worried about donor fatigue. After President Trump’s election, the international relief group had no shortage of donors. Since then, there have been a number of humanitarian crises, but so much media attention has focused on domestic issues that the charity has struggled to stay on donors’ radar, says Andrea Carricato Weyhing, the organization’s associate director of marketing campaigns.

“I think people become overwhelmed,” she says. “That is a challenge for all fundraisers. How do you break through all of that? How do you make yourself stand out, whether it’s your organization or your cause?”

As the 2020 presidential election approaches, the International Rescue Committee is encouraging its donors to supplement their contributions to candidates with gifts to the charity. The candidates will need to speak to the issues of international relief and refugee resettlement, Carricato Weyhing says, so donations to these causes “go hand-in-hand.”

Emily Haynes has covered fundraising on social media, Giving USA’s annual report on giving trends, and how the ALS Association found success with the ice-bucket challenge. Email Emily or follow her on Twitter.

A version of this article appeared in the November 5, 2019, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Mass Fundraising
Emily Haynes
Emily Haynes is senior editor of nonprofit intelligence at the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where she covers nonprofit fundraising.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED, GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

Related Content

  • Giving to the 100 Top Charities Is Up 11%
  • Explore
    • Latest Articles
    • Get Newsletters
    • Advice
    • Webinars
    • Data & Research
    • Podcasts
    • Magazine
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    • Impact Stories
    Explore
    • Latest Articles
    • Get Newsletters
    • Advice
    • Webinars
    • Data & Research
    • Podcasts
    • Magazine
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    • Impact Stories
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Our Mission and Values
    • Work at the Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Gift-Acceptance Policy
    • Gifts and Grants Received
    • Site Map
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Chronicle Fellowships
    • Pressroom
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Our Mission and Values
    • Work at the Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Gift-Acceptance Policy
    • Gifts and Grants Received
    • Site Map
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Chronicle Fellowships
    • Pressroom
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Site License Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Site License Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2025 The Chronicle of Philanthropy
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin