“Nauseously optimistic” has been trending
How are you holding up?
Today marks the end of what has felt like an inordinately long election season. We are all—justifiably—exhausted and anxious about the day ahead and the weeks to come. Some have recently described their feelings as “nauseously optimistic.” We thought that might apply to many of you as well.
That’s why we’re reaching out to share that, here at ABD Direct, we are also using today to reflect on the efforts our clients have made to not only prepare for a hotly contested presidential race, but in the weeks and months following the election, to continue in full force the hard work that changing the world requires.
Whether fighting for democracy, delivering humanitarian relief amid conflicts and disasters, advocating for human rights, addressing climate change and conservation, or investing in the next generation of changemakers, the organizations we are privileged to work with every day are poised to continue building a better world no matter who the next occupant of the White House may be.
That is giving us a great deal of hope for the future.
In our last Fundraising Forward message, we addressed some of the “sleep-depriving” trends coming out of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s quarterly metrics—and the second quarter report shows no end in sight. Nearly our entire industry is facing the headwinds of long-term declines in charitable giving, including fewer dollars raised, lower donor counts, and decreased retention compared to just two years ago. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned fundraiser lose a little sleep.
And yet, we know that donor dollars have been pouring into election coffers in record numbers. We can be confident that progressive donors are emotionally invested in the work of pursuing justice, dignity, and equality—and we are poised to (re)invest those dollars in advancing our clients’ core missions in the coming year.
We are also confident in the integrity and timeliness of those missions. The work of alleviating suffering and delivering aid to civilians trapped in war zones…advocating for and providing direct services to refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers…protecting critical wildlife and wild places…fighting to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer…advocating for reproductive freedom and defending our civil and constitutional rights…
Every single one of these objectives is more relevant and more important than ever. All of us can and should be proud to be contributing to the world we want to live in through the work we do every day.
Take a look around the room. You are not alone.
No matter what happens today, or in the coming days and weeks, we can depend on the fact that we will give everything we have to whatever is next—and we will do it with integrity, determination, and a belief that the work goes on and the cause endures.