In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, our nonprofit communities in Australia and their people around the globe are facing increasing challenges and demands. Resources are being stretched beyond anything ever experienced before and such pressures are causing financial concern and uncertainty.
Some key ways the nonprofit community’s business continuity has been impacted include:
- Community projects that involved nonprofit volunteers on overseas and interstate placement have ceased, and volunteers were required to return home.
- Schools have transitioned to online learning and are expecting short- to medium-term downturn as cost pressures hit families hard.
- Emergency housing has been sought to assist with social distancing requirements for borders.
- Retirement facilities may have been unable to take on new residents, and families have also been unable to visit their senior citizen relatives.
- Historical attractions have been closed to the public.
- Churches have been unable to hold services and have had to quickly adapt to new ways of holding these via online facilities.
COVID-19 may not be a temporary interruption to the way nonprofits conduct business and manage their organizations. It may have a far greater impact in that these nonprofit organizations are now reviewing their entire business models to make changes to safeguard, minimize risks and improve their operations and how they prepare for and respond to any crisis.
In addition to building on the service and support already in place for our clients, Gallagher is engaging with nonprofit organizations to identify further targeted ways to assist these communities, businesses, and their people to be best positioned to recover over the coming months and years. We’re also reviewing and putting in place business improvement processes and systems to help ensure success well into the future.
Providing business resources and regular updates directly to nonprofit clients and via the Gallagher COVID-19 pandemic website has been at the forefront of our services. The additional offering of our workplace risk team has become more important than ever. Gallagher Australia is also closely reviewing client’s programmes to provide innovative solutions and alternative structure for our clients, to provide cost benefits for the short and long term.
If you have questions about your nonprofit organizations that may be operating in Australia, please contact your Gallagher representative.