If the weeks since the start of Donald Trump’s second term are any indication, nonprofits are in for a rough four years.
From a federal funding freeze that Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits labelled a “5-alarm fire” to the removal of important public health information from government websites, the last few days have seen multiple attacks on the very foundations of nonprofit infrastructure in the United States.
With traditional nonprofit support systems in question, it is more important than ever to tell your nonprofit’s story in a way that connects with current and prospective donors, provides a sense of purpose, and motivates people to take action.
As the team at Good Rebellion points out, now is the time to look for revenue sources outside the federal government, which will likely be an unstable funder for at least the next four years.
To reduce impact from the loss of federal funding or other sources—which may occur if the Administration’s actions influence foundations and other funders—nonprofits can expand their funding options by looking to “partnerships with businesses, state governments, [...] individual donors, and [...] earned-income models[,]” developing a broad base of financial support.
Identifying and sharing a powerful brand story will be key to maintaining support in an environment that will only grow more hostile to the causes many nonprofits fight for.
When communicating externally, appeal to individual donors by crafting messages around the specific reasons why they would donate to your organization. When connecting with funders, highlight the ways in which the purpose of your organization aligns with their particular needs and goals.
In and out of your organization, having a well articulated goal for the future will give staffers, funders, donors, and stakeholders a vision to hold on to in increasingly chaotic times.
Stories get people through tough times.
Stories allow complete strangers to work together towards common goals. Shared stories unite groups—from nations to sports fans to resistance movements—and offer group members a vision of what a better future might look like. When old stories break down, new stories evolve to take their place.
As a nonprofit marketer, your job now is to craft stories that unify people around the causes that matter most—to help them imagine and build a just, sustainable, equitable world.
To create content that drives action, cast your audience as the protagonist in a grand narrative. Highlight the obstacles that stand between them and the world they want to see. Point out their allies—and their foes. Finally, paint a picture of what the world will be like when your audience reaches its goal.
You, the organization, are their mentor on the road from here to there.