Sector Report: Fundraising 2009-2010

John Braune, president and CEO, The Heritage Co.
Donor confidence is at an all-time low, and [donors] are taking refuge in a security cave as opposed to being out and active. They are in hibernation as unemployment, foreclosures, corporate failures, bailouts, and unexpected government growth and increased taxes drive them to hidden places like never before. As our agency collects information on rebuttals from hundreds of thousands of comments and white mail, the recurring rebuttals from potential donors are 1) "Not at this time as I just cannot afford it"; 2) "I just lost my job"; and 3) "I have had a recent cut in salary."