SAN ANGELO, Texas — Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-profit organizations across West Texas have struggled to receive funds. The Boys and Girls Club in Brownwood has received funds and grants, but have started to see those funds diminish.
Brownwood Boys and Girls Club CEO Katherine Palmer said they have had to cancel many of their fundraisers because of the pandemic.
Some of the fundraisers Palmer and her team put together are a major component when it comes to gathering funds.
"The barn dance usually brings in about 30 percent of our annual expenses," Palmer said. "So it is a major source of income for us."
Now, with many other non-profits trying to get funds, it is starting to become an “arms race.”
Palmer and her team do not want to disrupt other organizations in the community, but she points out how the community plays a vital role for all non-profits.
"It's vital, Brownwood County has a high number of nonprofits doing a lot of really good work in town," Palmer said. "We're all kind of competing for the same dollars that are there."
The money collected from these fundraisers go to the facilities and goes to making sure the children who are part of the club have food and activities. To avoid getting into a race with other organizations, Palmer is starting to develop a new way of getting funds.
"We are looking for people to do some kind of investment, and we are hoping to start a recurring giving where people can subscribe," Palmer said.
Even with the challenges, Palmer still is optimistic the pandemic will end soon, and non-profits won’t have to compete with each other.