Managing the Non-Profit Communications Function

Managing the communication function involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and maintaining channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations.
Communication_functions

Communications is an important function for a non-profit organization, with enough work, in most cases, to fill at least one full-time job. However, many non-profit cultural organizations are small operations with the bare minimum of staff positions to share the communications workload, or an executive director who does it all.

Managing the communication function involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and maintaining channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations.

Aspects of communication management include developing communication strategies, designing internal and external plans, and managing the flow of information. On top of this, new technology forces constant innovation on the part of those managing the communication function.

 

BREAKING DOWN THE BIG JOB

Since the communication function needs to be designed to serve the organization’s needs — flowing from, and supporting, the organization’s strategic plan — it needs to deliver in a number of ways. The Executive Director of an organization can start with these basic elements to determine communications requirements for the organization.

With these communication elements in place, a non-profit will have the means to keep its organization alive in the eyes and mind of its most relevant stakeholders.

1. Overarching Strategic Communication Plan

To maximize the role of communication in any organization, even if it is a one-person shop, it is best to have a plan. Once you have put together a strategic or operations plan for your organization, you should be in a good place to prepare a one or multi-year communication plan, which maps out your key communication goals and objectives (your targets), and your target groups.

In a small organization, your goals may be that “More people in Saskatchewan are aware and understand the role of (name of organization) and are actively engaged in (what it does)," or something slightly more specific, such as “Teachers in (community) are aware and understand the role of the museum and its importance in educating today’s youth.” Sample objectives for a small organization, may be:

  • “Increase Facebook engagement to over 2,000 likes by December 2024.”
  • “Increase web site traffic by 50 per cent by December 2024.”
  • “Increase newsletter subscriptions by 25 per cent by December 2024.”
  • “Increase participation in programs by 50 per cent by December 2026.”

These objectives move people through a communication process of awareness to understanding and ultimately engagement. From these objectives you can base all of your communication decision-making for the year ahead. Note that all of these objectives are measurable. Your plan should also consider how it will monitor and evaluate the results.

2. Visual Identity

Also important, visual identity is the basis of branding and of ensuring your organization has a consistent message to its stakeholders. Most organizations begin with a logo and guidelines for its use. A complete visual identity package not only includes the logo usage, but also key slogans and organizational statements, letter head and business cards, standards for other visuals, as well as writing styles.

Having your visual identity package in an electronic file will enable you to easily share it with designers in the development of future communication materials.

3. Primary Communication Channels

There are many communication channels and tools to choose from, but most small organizations have, at the very least, a few tools and channels in place to support regular and consistent communication to stakeholders. These may include:

a. Newsletters and distribution lists

There are many formats available, but the newsletter remains a mainstay of most non-profit communication to its membership. It can be as simple as an email, or involve weeks of design and print production. Besides adhering to visual identity of the organization, and ethical standards, the publication needs to have a clear purpose for your organization. The newsletter should have objectives of its own: “increase member awareness of key issues and events happening in our community each month,” or “increase the ability of the community to learn from each other’s best practices through sharing success stories twice a year.”

Newsletters also need a distribution system that needs to be maintained. Whether it is built on emails, relies on mailing lists, or direct mail, it requires care and attention prior to distribution.

b. Website

In this day and age, every organization should have an online presence. At present, it is expected that non-profit organizations would have a web site — even if it’s only a few pages outlining the organization. The Website is an online resource that can be used to engage people, and encourage them to return or contact the business directly. If they can’t reach you by phone, or don’t want to, the website should provide everything they need — consider it your organization’s 24-hour link for stakeholders.

c. Advertising

Unlike for-profit, non-profits are always weighing the pros and cons of advertising, because it costs so much, and there needs to be a positive return on investment to make it worthwhile. However, advertising is an important way for organization to strengthen their identity, remind the public of their programs and services and reassure them of their quality of service. People forget easily and advertising helps market their new and existing products and attract new consumers or participants. Even if an organization cannot afford paid advertising, it should look for ways to make it look like it does. Place advertisements in their own newsletters, on web sites, and if available, in partner communication channels at no cost.

d. Media Relations

A simple media relations plan, containing a media list, a news release template, and key organizational statements, will be important to organizations at one time or another. Being prepared will come in handy when opportunity arises. Updating your media list on an annual basis is a useful activity, which can be done by staff or volunteers. Organizations should also consider posting a media backgrounder, and their news releases to their websites — it not only provides you with a link to include in media release emails, providing easy access to relevant organizational information, it also is a great form of updated content for your website.

4. Public Relations

Public relations involves the efforts of your organization to influence how it is seen by its stakeholders. Your public relations efforts include all the above elements, as well as your more interpersonal communication used to share your messaging: presentations, speeches, consultations, as well as one-on-one conversations. The key element to all of these areas is a solid understanding of your organization, its impact and its image — focusing on the reputation you want to maintain. At the very minimum, pull all these ideas into a 30-second elevator pitch, a one-minute impact statement, and a longer presentation.

With these communication elements in place, a non-profit will have the means to keep its organization alive in the eyes and mind of its most relevant stakeholders. When your audience needs to expand, when a problem arises, or a big change is underway, a bigger communication strategy may be needed. It is at this point that you can explore new ideas to get your message to a different market or target audience.

 

ANNUAL COMMUNICATION CHECKLIST

This annual communication calendar is just an example that can be adjusted to suit an organization’s annual fiscal planning cycle. Whether it is to guide the work of volunteers, staff or share the work of a single executive director, it is helpful to plot out a timeline for these ongoing communication activities.

SAMPLE COMMUNICATION CHECKLIST:
 
DATE
COMMUNICATION AREA
RESPONSIBLITIY
STATUS
January
Newsletter 1: What’s new this year!
Identify and include some of your Public Relations messages for the year ahead.
 
 
 
February
Communication Plan: Build new or update
Verify goals and objectives
Identify key dates and target groups
Ensure key communication channels
Prepare budget for the year
Identify key advertising messages
 
 
 
March
Identify Fiscal Year End
 
 
 
April
Newsletter 2: Is the AGM coming? Use as promotion, or to save time and energy, create a newsletter/Annual Report combo.
 
 
 
May
Annual Report
 
 
June
Contact List updates: media, members and more
 
 
 
July
 
 
 
August
Newsletter 3: School’s Back
 
 
September
Website updates
 
 
October
Visual identity check in: new or update
 
 
November
Newsletter 4: End of Year
 
 
December
Evaluate Communications: survey stakeholders
Start the cycle again
 
 
 

More in Communications

The Communication Plan
A communication plan helps an organization establish a day-to-day focus for its communication, set priorities, be proactive and build support from boards and other staff.
Determining Goals and Objectives
Goals and objectives should be developed to state what communications can do to support your business or organizational objectives.
Defining Key Messages
Communication involves sharing a message which will get your target audience to think, feel or act.
Defining Target Audiences
One message does not fit all, so determine your tools based on what would best appeal to or persuade that audience segment.
Project Management for Communications
Most communication plans require some form of project management.
Areas of Communication Strategy
Larger organizations that have a variety of target groups with different needs may have a number of strategies in motion at once.
Communication Tools
The communication tools are not an “end,” they are the “means” to conveying a message to a target group.
Evaluation of Communications
Evaluation is an important way to find mistakes and improve your communication efforts into the future.
Communications Competencies
The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) divides the communications competencies into three categories: communication skills, management skills and knowledge skills.
Managing the Non-Profit Communications Function
Managing the communication function involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and maintaining channels of communication within an organization, and between organizations.
Anti-Spam Legislation
If your organization uses email as part of its promotions, you need to be aware of Canadian Anti-Spam Law (CASL).