COVID -19 pandemic taking a toll on nonprofits

The economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic is obvious just by looking at state and national unemployment figures. Or you could just ask anyone involved with running a nonprofit organization.

"Organizations and nonprofits, yes, fundraising is down, but we are really needing the money so we need to do these fundraisers so we can continue to do the good work that we do," said Shelly Beissel, who along with her husband Nick run the nonprofit, Love Conquers Violence. The organization raises awareness of domestic violence and provides scholarships in honor of Natalie Beissel, Nick’s late sister, who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2015.

"We really didn’t have any idea she was in an abusive relationship until her murder and then we got into her cellphone and were able to read her conversations with her ex and found out it had been going on all along for eight years," Nick said.

The organization founded in his sister’s memory aims to help other families be aware of the signs of domestic abuse.

For the past four years, Love Conquers Violence had a cornhole tournament to raise money. Last year’s event at a Minneapolis brewpub raised over $31,000. This year the fundraiser will have to be virtual, like so many other events during the pandemic.

"Unfortunately we’re not going to have a bags tournament," Shelly said. "Instead we are going to do a show, a 30-minute show that is going to be live via Zoom and we are going to be able to tell stories of the incredible impact Love Conquers Violence has had in this past five years and how we continue to tell Natalie’s story."

The Minnesota Council on Nonprofits released a report in May that said Minnesota nonprofits lost out on at least $1 billion in revenue through contributions and grants in April alone. That number has grown since then.

You can see that entire interview Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.