One of the biggest mistakes that nonprofits make in their social media campaigns is to assume that because someone uses Facebook regularly in her personal life, she must also know how to use Facebook professionally. It's one thing to chat...
For many nonprofits, the mere thought of approaching a government body for any kind of "ask" can be daunting. Yet lobbying, defined here as communicating with public office holders in an attempt to influence government decisions, can be an essential...
As marketers in the nonprofit sector, we realize that conversations are taking place online between nonprofit organizations and their donors, as well as among many supporters and their friends and associates. The growth of the Internet and online technologies has...
At CharityComms, we send newsletters to thousands of people every month, so it was interesting to rethink how we do things after a recent seminar we ran on improving email newsletters. Here are our ten top tips that include advice...
The relationship between communications and fundraising in many organizations is a strained one. The friction arises over a variety of things: resources, turf, approvals, competing plans, different visions. The question many organizations are asking is whether fundraising and communications should...
Nonprofit organizations spend a lot of time and energy communicating with external audiences, which include donors, volunteers, board members, reporters, politicians and policymakers. But are you neglecting to communicate with one of the most crucial target audiences of all —...
Video has long been a highly effective medium for getting out a message, but only in recent years — with the advent of inexpensive cameras, consumer-friendly editing software and broadband Internet — has it become truly accessible to everyone, including...
What should I include in our charity's annual report? While the name "annual report" seems self-explanatory, let me just clarify. Corporations (for-profit businesses) need to report to their shareholders annually and outline the preceding year's activities, whereas Canadian charities don't...
High quality photographs can help nonprofit organizations bring their stories to life in a way that engages supporters, builds relationships and improves lives. But sourcing great photos can be challenging. Few nonprofits have professional photographers on staff or dedicated budgets...
If you're an avid devotee of social media, chances are you've already heard about this infamous gaffe: a Red Cross employee uses HootSuite to send out an otherwise-innocent tweet about her alcohol-induced evening in the company of a specific beer....
