In Vermont, Donor Fatigue Sets In After Irene

Print More
MP3

(Host) Leaders of Vermont non-profits are concerned that Vermonters who gave generously in response to Tropical Storm Irene may not be able to dig as deeply for traditional end-of-the year donations.

In response, nonprofits hope to get out the message that help is still needed for arts and environmental groups, and for people affected by the recession.

VPR’s John Dillon reports.

(Dillon) It’s known as donor fatigue – the financial or even psychological sense of being tapped out for charitable giving.

And the issue of donor fatigue is being discussed in non-profit circles in the wake of an outpouring of support that has raised $7 million so far for Irene flood victims. Stuart Comstock-Gay is president of the Vermont Community Foundation, which oversees funds for non-profits.

(Comstock-Gay) "That’s exactly the concern we’re having. And we’re hearing it from non-profit organizations and I’m not hearing so many stories, yet, about the specifics of what they’re not getting. But we’re hearing concern about it. That is, as they talk to donors, donors are saying, ‘Boy, I’m really stretched.’ And that is true. I guess I would just say that for all of us, dig a little deeper this year, and not consider the Irene relief as a replacement for what we do, but as an addition."

(Dillon) The United Way of Chittenden County has heard similar concerns. Executive Director Martha Maksym says that even prior to Irene, demand for social services was high because of the economic recession. Maksym says that point was driven home as she helped answer the state’s 211 information phone line following the storm.

(Maksym) "Every once in a while a call would come through from someone who was not calling because they had a need that was not related to the disaster, but they still had a need. And it reminded me that really we can’t forget that there were many needs in our local communities."

(Dillon) Many Windham County communities were hit hard by Irene. But the region also saw an earlier disaster last spring when the Brooks House fire displaced 60 households in Brattleboro.

The Windham County United Way raised about $28,000 in response to the Brooks House fire. Executive Director Carmen Derby says the local United Way also acts as fiscal agent for a special fund to help Irene victims in southeastern Vermont. That Irene fund is expected to reach around $245,000.

But Derby worries that because people may have written a check to United Way earlier, they may think the money goes to the general year-end fundraising goal. In fact, she says, the various funds have very different purposes.

(Derby) "Maybe there is some confusion amongst our donors, you know, ‘I wrote a check to United Way,’ in reference to Irene that they are confused and they think both of these are coming to United Way, where that is not the case. We are the fiscal agent, and we are managing those funds at zero percent cost."

(Dillon) Derby worries that people are exhausted with disasters – and disaster giving. Her organization has scaled back its general fundraising goal for the year, from about $560,000 to $500,000.

(Derby) "If we could be at 50 or 60 percent of that by the end of the year it would be a wonderful thing, but I don’t believe we’re going to be there."

(Dillon) Derby also says she gets the sense that people feel vulnerable because the recent past has shown that they could be just one step from disaster.

That fear, she says, may be making people reluctant to give as they try to protect themselves financially.

For VPR News, I’m John Dillon in Montpelier.

 

Comments are closed.