Fall’s arrival in Oklahoma means more than football and bearable temperatures. It is also the beginning of the calendar-clogging charitable events season. Since the pandemic upended last year’s fundraisers, nonprofits are eager to once again engage with their most ardent supporters and funders. Unfortunately, the resurgence of COVID-19 once again threatens to cancel engagements – possibly leaving thousands of organizations without critical fundraising opportunities and Oklahoma’s social scene void of notable events.

As our state’s nonprofits consider whether or not to go ahead with their planned events, it is crucial that funders and supporters remember that these events are more than social gatherings. They provide indispensable funding for organizations in the throes of recovering from economic turmoil, while also working to meet increased service needs stemming from an elongated pandemic. The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits (OKCNP) found that 83% of Oklahoma nonprofits hosted fundraisers that were negatively impacted by COVID-19. Simultaneously, nearly 60% of organizations experienced an increase in demand for their services. This gap has left hundreds of charitable organizations looking to Oklahoma’s philanthropic sector for continued support with another events season potentially mired by the ongoing pandemic.

My work on the national nonprofit stage as Chair of the National Council of Nonprofits has given me great insight into other states’ charitable communities and their surrounding cultures. Oklahoma stands as an outlier in the importance organizations place on events and the funds garnered from them. Bottom line – we love a great party and know how to throw one. When there are not public safety concerns to consider, this manifests itself with full calendars, beautiful gowns, elegant tuxedos and millions of dollars given to critical causes. Unfortunately, our current reality stands in opposition to this ideal, but the need for funding does not. This fall, it is imperative that we remember the purpose behind those glitzy parties. Even if the party is canceled, there will always be a purpose in need of funding.