So what to do? Our ability to physically be in front of current and prospective donors is significantly curtailed at the present time. One answer: harness your own creative spirit and embrace creative ideas from others…now is the time for innovation!
Many not-for-profits and businesses are worried about contributions and sales right now. In many cases, business as usual is simply not possible. Even in those situations where it is, it’s unlikely to produce the results you seek.
Here is an example of how St. Dominic Health Services Foundation (Arthur Alley is proud to name them as a client) embraced the creativity of Demario Davis, a New Orleans Saints linebacker. He had an out-of-the-box idea this past NFL season.
Known as a deeply religious man with a strong track record of giving back to the community, Demario inadvertently broke the NFL’s uniform code by wearing a headband that read “Man of God.” He was shocked to find out he was being fined $7,000 by the NFL for a uniform infraction. Hoping to turn this into a positive, he went public on social media with the fine and announced he would be selling “Man of God” and “Woman of God” headbands with 100% of the proceeds going to support St. Dominic’s Emergency Department renovation and expansion.
While the NFL eventually relented and reversed the fine, a movement had begun, and sales of the headbands took off. According to Yahoo! Sports, as of December he had sold over 9,000 headbands, adding up to nearly $150,000 in profit.
Combined with a matching grant given to the hospital, Demario’s creative idea and the generosity of many donors, added up to almost $300,000!
WHERE CAN CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION TAKE YOU?