Charities worry rotating postal strikes prevented or delayed donations

The last part of the year is a major fundraising time for Canadian charities, but the rotating Canada Post strikes left some of those organizations unsure about just how money they'll bring in.

Many people still want to be solicited for donations by mail and send their contributions the same way, saysScott Decksheimer, the chair of the board of the Canadian Association of Professional Fundraisers.

That's not usually a problem but after rotating postal strikes around the country delayed mail this fall, it became one, Decksheimer told Newfoundland Morning.

"People also give in a variety of ways but they still like to be asked for their support via mail or via letter," he said. Research done by the association found that four in 10 Canadian donors still prefer to get traditional fundraising requests in the mail.

But in some cases, those requests have arrived late or not at all and the worry for charities finding themselves short of fundraising expectations is that donationsthat would normally have been mailed outwere not.

That's a problem, considering how important the holiday season is for charitable organizations.

"We know that more than half of charities get most of their money in this last quarter of the year,"Decksheimer said.

Concerns that donations won't come

The mail delays resultingfrom the rotating Canada Post strikes have had three main effects for charities, he said.

First, they may have delayed those important solicitations for donations. Second, they may have left some donors and potential donors unsure of whether or not their contribution would arrive in time if mailed, he said.

We know that more than half of charities get most of their money in this last quarter of the year.- ScottDecksheimer

"Donors aren't sure, 100 per centsure, that their cheque is going to get to the charity on time," he said. Some of those unsure donors may donate later, even into the new year, or not at all.

Third, thank-you messages sent to donors may also be arriving late.

The effects on different organizations vary based on several factors,Decksheimersaid. Some rely more on the mail than others, and some parts of the country experienced greater mail delays.

But they are real for example, World Vision is $1 million behind where they'd like to be at this point in the year, he said.

"What we know is that many social service agencies or organizations that do community mission, especially, have a much higher reliance on direct mail and have a much higher reliance on year-end giving."

Still time to get a 2018 tax receipt

Given the postal delays, charities are hopeful that donations are late to arrive but on the way.

If some organizations do find themselves with shortfalls at the close of the year, they'll have to either find ways to raise more money in 2019 to cover operations or cut programs,Decksheimersaid.

However, it's not too late if you plan to do some charitable giving before the end of 2018, he said.

"The one thing that people should understand is that as long as they drop their cheque in the mailprior to Dec. 31and it has a Dec. 31postmark, even if the charity receives that in the middle of January they will still receive a 2018 tax receipt."

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