Community awareness of the mission of a non-profit is essential. The survival of a non-profit organization, whether grant funded or donation funded, is directly linked to its effectiveness in the community it serves. Statistical data is important for grant-funded non-profits, but with the strong competition for dwindling funds, community support is increasingly necessary in today’s economy. Aside from financial support, a volunteer-based organization’s sustainability and growth are dependent upon recruitment of new volunteers. Non-profits cannot exist in a vacuum.
The Topos Partnership for Douglas Gould & Co. and the Child Advocacy 360 Foundation released a study that included the introduction of three principles that should be examined in any community awareness campaign.
Statistics Paralyze
At the forefront of any communication, there should be a message of hope. Don’t bog down your audience with endless statistics of dire circumstances. Hopelessness is contagious, just as is success. Tell stories that illustrate solutions and show promise. As a culture, we are attracted to success. Use the successes of your program to get people on your bandwagon.
Pop the Bubble
We all are prone to block out that which does not directly affect our everyday lives. If we have our own home and a relatively functional family, we cocoon ourselves in the safety of our existence. It is crucial to pop the bubble of apathy to raise community awareness. Switch the thinking of your audience from “their problem” to “our problem.” Personify those who your organization serves. Tell your stories in terms of “our children” or “our families” with concentration on the solutions that result from collective reasoning and effort.
Call to Action
Change the focus from the elective role of an individual to the expected role for all citizens in your community. A positive action taken by one person in a community has a ripple effect of good. Tell your audience stories of how one person made a difference. In the book The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley, the author tells the simple story of an older man who was walking along a beach covered with starfish. As he walked, he picked up every starfish he could and tossed it back into the ocean. A younger man walked up to him and said, “You can’t possibly save all of those starfish. There must be hundreds of them.” The old man picked up another starfish, threw it in the ocean and replied, “Made a difference to that one.” Call on your audience to make a difference in the community you serve.
The precursor of support for a non-profit organization is difficult to quantify. Individuals support an organization for a myriad of reasons, some self-serving and some altruistic. Do not underestimate the power of a direct request. The vast majority of citizens who financially support an organization or volunteer within an organization do so for one reason: They were directly asked to do so. Never underestimate the power of looking someone in the eye and asking for what you need to continue your mission.
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