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Nonprofit marketers often face a unique challenge. Not only do they have to work within a budget like other marketers, but they also often have to work within a smaller-than-average budget because their organization isn’t just about growing and making money. Nonprofits are about growing, making money, and giving as much back to support their mission as possible. That means a big, splashy advertising campaign may not be received well by their audience, even if the team did bring more money in than they spent. 

Balancing these challenges every day can be exhausting, but there are techniques and resources that can help every nonprofit marketer survive – and even thrive.

Techniques

Before we look at the tools that can help, there are a few techniques every marketer (and especially those in the nonprofit space) should learn well.

• Calculate and discuss ROI. Learn enough about marketing and finance to be able to discuss a basic ROI calculation like: Net Profit divided by Initial Investment times 100 (for the percentage). 

Here’s an example:

If you spent $1,000 on a campaign that earned $4,000, the calculation would be:

$4,000 – $1,000 = $3,000 (Net Profit)

$3,000 divided by $1,000 times 100 = 300%

A 300% ROI means that for every $1 you spent, you got $3 back. In most cases, even though there isn’t a standard good or bad ROI (every organization should set their own goals), that would be seen as a success! But if you just said, “We spent $1,000 on a campaign,” your audience may not be as excited about your results.

• Learn to quantify soft results. Don’t overlook the value of the non-monetary benefits of your marketing efforts. If your fundraiser turns into a friend-raiser, those new contacts will likely pay off in the future – but how do you account for them now? You may consider calculating the lifetime value of your loyal donors or some other metric based on previous successes in your organization. The ROI Institute is a great resource for books, webinars, articles, and ROI calculators, if you are looking for some inspiration!

• Be consistent and transparent in your spending and results. In accordance with your bylaws, share your marketing plan! Let your board and donors know what you are spending and why. And if you can’t explain it simply in a report, think about whether or not you should be doing it at all.

• Always ask about discounts and upgrades for nonprofit organizations. Most nonprofit professionals know this, and yet, we sometimes forget to ask when we’re engaging with people who have tools and platforms for marketing. Always ask about discounted rates, free upgrades, conference passes, etc. for your organization and volunteers. You may be the first person to ever ask! You have the opportunity to help the organization, other nonprofits, and yourself all at the same time!

• Find support groups you can learn from. Marketers in any space can easily fall into a routine, a common result of that is too much time spent working alone or with the same small group of people. An easy way to discover new ideas and to give back to the nonprofit community is to join groups with other nonprofit professionals. Start with a space you’re already in – Facebook, Reddit, your local community. If needed, you can network and grow from there!

• Look for grants. It’s common for nonprofit organizations to look for grants specific to their mission, but there is also funding available for nonprofits to use for marketing. These may not come up in your research if you’re only searching for support for your specific mission topic. Google has an entire site devoted to the ways they can support qualifying nonprofits, including free advertising, discounted workspace tools, and YouTube support specifically for nonprofits. The Pollination Project supports fundraising for expanded communication and social reach. Organizations like GlobalGiving bring donors and nonprofits together on one platform, allowing you to ask for funds for whatever you need. Searching for nonprofit support in general can provide you and your team with entirely new paths to success!

If there’s a technique that you’ve found helpful as a marketer in the nonprofit space that isn’t listed here, please share it as a comment below! Otherwise, let’s look at tools and resources!

Tools & Resources

Once you and your team have developed the techniques you need to maximize the resources you have, the next logical step is to look at the tools you’re using (or not using yet).

Remember: Always check to see what, if any, options each of these organizations has for nonprofits. 

Training & Education

• Nonprofit Marketing Guide – Offers training, templates, and coaching specific to nonprofit communications.

• NTEN (Nonprofit Technology Network) – Provides courses and conferences on digital marketing, technology, and data use in nonprofits.

• Google Digital Garage and FutureLearn – Free courses in digital marketing, some applicable to nonprofit contexts.

• Coursera & edX – Offer courses on social media, content strategy, and nonprofit management from institutions like Stanford, Yale, and more.

• In some cases, you may find resources specific to your mission that can help. For example, The Advocacy Blueprint offered by True Crime Research Training is a free resource to help individuals, families, and organizations seeking justice for crime victims create and manage a marketing plan to magnify their message, even if they have limited resources.  

Tools & Platforms

• Canva for Nonprofits – Free premium design tools for eligible nonprofits.

• Mailchimp for Nonprofits – Offers discounts on email marketing tools. There are also free email tools that aren’t well-known and may have fewer features. It’s worth an internet search and team discussion about what your email needs are. 

• Hootsuite & Buffer – Provide social media management discounts for nonprofits.

• Meta (Facebook & Instagram) Fundraising Tools – Enable donation buttons and fundraisers through social platforms.

Data & Research

• M+R Benchmarks – Annual report providing data on nonprofit digital performance (email, ads, social).
• Pew Research Center – Valuable for demographic and media usage insights.
• Charity Navigator & Candid (formerly GuideStar) – Useful for benchmarking and transparency reporting.

Looking at the techniques and tools available for nonprofits, it’s inspiring to see how much we have learned and how many organizations have come together to support the many mission-driven charitable organizations currently operating. Hopefully, considering each of these categories and specific tools has inspired you to try something new or reach out to a friend working in a similar space to brainstorm ideas. One thing most nonprofits will agree on is that we are all stronger together – and that includes refining our marketing efforts! 

What approaches really resonated with you? What tools have you found most useful? What groups are you an active member of? Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments!

 

Author: Dr. Amy Jauman, SMS, CDMP, LEAF

Dr. Amy Jauman, SMS, CDMP, LEAF, is an author, ghostwriter, international speaker, podcast researcher, and university professor. She is a certified social media strategist (SMS), certified digital marketing professional (CDMP), and certified law enforcement analyst – foundational (LEAF), with a master’s degree in experiential education, graduate certificate in crime analysis, and a doctorate in organization development. Amy has spoken at a variety of conferences on marketing topics, including the I.C.E. Exchange, Digital Marketing Institute, and the National Institute for Social Media. In addition to her ghostwriting projects, Amy has authored two marketing textbooks, five ebooks, and multiple articles and blog posts on the subject of traditional and digital marketing.