Effective Communications Is the Foundation of Every Nonprofit’s Success

Before making the move to a communications agency, I spent 10 years in the nonprofit sector as a fundraiser. While fundraising for food banks, youth organizations, and veteran advocacy groups across the nation, I passionately pursued mission-driven work alongside a communications team. Together, we crafted messages that connected with donors and built our brand. Though “communications” wasn’t ever in my title, I learned quickly that effective communications is the foundation of every nonprofit’s success.

Effective communications allows you to raise awareness of your organization’s mission, establish credibility, engage prospective donors, and drive brand awareness, which in turn allows you to:

• Attract volunteers
• Raise funds
• Recruit qualified and competitive staff
• Expand participation in services
• Advocate around applicable issues
• Stimulate social and behavioral change

Communications is a powerful tool, but it isn’t always a priority. Throughout my time in the nonprofit sector, I often saw budgets tighten as needs continued to grow and government resources dwindled. We were asked to do even more with less, placing additional strain on our already limited resources. When that happened, marketing and communications items were the first to see cuts. But that’s a huge mistake. Given all that strong communications can do for an organization, cutting back can make a tough financial situation even worse.

Though I’m no longer at a nonprofit, my passion for mission-driven work is still alive. Now at Hager Sharp, I have the opportunity to work with a wide range of nonprofits, associations, and foundations to help them utilize their limited funds efficiently without compromising communications. Our team has decades of experience developing and executing strategic communications initiatives, and together we work with organizations to determine the role communications can play in differentiating and elevating their ideas.

This March, we’re making our services even more accessible by hosting our first communications boot camp. Join us, along with up to five other nonprofits, for a half-day working session. Hager Sharp’s communications experts will guide you through a strategic exercise to outline your communications goals and objectives; pinpoint effective, compelling messages; and identify the strategies and tactics that will drive success, including media relations, social media, events, partnerships, paid advertising, and more.

Megan Mills, MPA
Account Executive

Sound interesting? Sign up today!