Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore offers help to the non-profit sector

SALISBURY, Md. –

Much like most businesses over the last year and a half, the non-profit sector has had to rethink the way they operate. With donations mostly down and the need for help up, the demand for change came quickly.

“I think that non-profits as a whole really stepped up in so many ways to try to change course, modify how they were delivering services, you know, respond to the need,” says Erica Joseph, President of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore works with non-profits on a daily basis. They say a survey early in 2021 showed revenue was still struggling. That’s in-part because of the difficulty of holding events and fundraisers paired with a volunteer shortage. But Community Foundation President Erica Joseph tells us that the Summer gave many hope for a small resurgence with the world opening up. And while they hope that trend will continue, there is still uncertainty surrounding the Fall Fundraising season. That’s why Joseph encourages community members to remember the groups you used to support in better times.

She says, “philanthropy is not always about the big dollars, it’s about the generosity of heart. Knowing that someone is committed to making that $25 dollar donation every month or every few months, it’s inspiring because that $25 is very meaningful to them and therefore it’s very meaningful to us.”

CFES also tells us they have plenty of resources online for non-profits.

Joseph says, “We’re really just trying to make sure that everything that we have, materials, grant deadlines, training programs, all of that is available. We also have a grantee toolkit on our website, that organizations can go to for information.”

To access those resources or learn more about CFES click here.