Is Your Nonprofit Ready for ‘Grey Sky’ Moments?

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First, let’s talk about what this means. A ‘grey sky’ moment is a term coined by the American Red Cross to describe times of disaster when giving is at a natural high. Quite literally for them, the skies are grey, so giving is strong. This phenomenon is not limited to natural disasters—many nonprofits experience similar surges in support during pivotal events:

• When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, organizations supporting refugees saw a spike in donations.
• When Roe v. Wade was overturned, reproductive rights organizations witnessed a massive surge in support.
• Even outside humanitarian causes, when Chadwick Boseman (the actor who played Black Panther) passed away from a private battle with colon cancer, nonprofits focused on colon cancer awareness and early screening saw increased giving.

Marketing teams at nonprofits often don’t incorporate grey sky moments into their strategies because, by nature, these moments are incredibly hard to predict. So how can your nonprofit prepare to capitalize on them?

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The Solution: Always Be Rolling (ABR)

Nonprofits play a critical role in filling societal gaps—supporting causes where governments may lack resources. Because of this, nonprofits often see increased support during world events, many of which are impossible to foresee.

This is why we recommend adopting the media industry’s practice of “Always Be Rolling” (ABR).

In film or podcasts, the ABR mentality ensures that cameras are always rolling, capturing those golden, unscripted moments that might otherwise be missed. Similarly, nonprofits should maintain an ABR approach in their marketing efforts to remain ready for grey sky moments.

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A Real-World Example of Riding the Wave

One of our nonprofit clients supporting LGBTQ+ youth was running a Facebook challenge campaign when the 2024 election results were announced. The resulting public outcry created a powerful grey sky moment, driving the campaign’s return on ad spend (ROAS) to double their average.

Here’s a breakdown of how the performance metrics played out compared to the average ‘blue sky’ campaign:

The key to this incredible result was simply being “on” when the grey sky moment occurred. Notably, this campaign’s ROAS peaked at over 1,100% in the seven days following the election results - which leads me to my next point…
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The Fleeting Nature of Grey Sky Moments

Modern news cycles move quickly, and the public’s attention shifts just as fast. While grey sky moments can have lasting societal impacts, their immediate fundraising potential often lasts only about a week.

For example:

• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked heightened giving for about seven days before donations began to normalize.
• Roe v. Wade’s overturn saw a similar spike, as did reactions to the 2024 presidential election results.

What This Means for Your Strategy

Grey sky moments are powerful but fleeting. Since they’re nearly impossible to predict and short-lived, your nonprofit must remain prepared to act quickly.

Here’s how:

1. Always Be Rolling: Maintain a consistent, always-on marketing approach to ensure your nonprofit is ready to capitalize on grey sky moments.
2. Build Your Subscriber Base: Focus on subscriber acquisition during blue sky times so you have a strong supporter base to activate when grey sky moments occur.
3. Stay Flexible: Pay attention to the news and your organic fundraising metrics. Build budget flexibility into your plans so you can increase ad spend when relevant events arise.

By following these steps, your nonprofit can maximize its impact—both during grey skies and beyond.

Happy fundraising!

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