The past two years have been tough for nonprofit organizations. In 2020, many nonprofits struggled to stay afloat as Covid-19 put a massive strain on businesses of all types, especially those nonprofit organizations that didn’t have a large reserve fund to fall back on. Nonprofits have also found themselves in an entirely new climate lately with respect to raising money, where many smaller donors now have less money to spare. At the same time our society continues to become more socially conscious and value-focused; consumers, in general, are much more aware of where they’re spending money these days. This heightened consciousness lends hope to nonprofits navigating a difficult and uncertain future.
In order to survive – and even thrive – nonprofits must continue to adapt to new ways of fundraising in a hybrid work environment, with an increased focus on finding new ways to connect with donors in an entirely digital landscape.
Let’s explore some of the top trends for nonprofit organizations in 2022, along with the marketing strategies we recommend in order to succeed.
- Workplace Culture
If we’ve learned anything from the past two years, it’s that workplace culture is hugely important when it comes to attracting talent and making employees feel valued and respected. This topic is even more vital to nonprofits who cannot fall back on a huge paycheck to help gloss over other inadequacies their staff may experience. By and large, people that choose to work at a nonprofit do so because they are extremely passionate about what that nonprofit supports – be it an arts establishment, local community organization, or global charity.
It’s vital for nonprofits to demonstrate their appreciation and respect for their employees in an ongoing way. Nonprofits can do this by adopting generous hybrid and flex work policies as we slowly move back in-person for most activities. Expectations should be clearly outlined and come with respectful communication that allows any employee to bring forth suggestions, concerns, questions, or recommendations. Another vital element is adopting better hiring practices that result in an employee base that represents a diverse range of backgrounds, skillsets, and opinions.
- Digital Payment Technologies
Our second nonprofit trend of 2022 concerns the way people and organizations can donate. The pandemic expedited the global transition to entirely digital methods of payment, which has equally affected nonprofits. In 2020, there was a 20% decline in donations via check – previously a common transaction method for nonprofits – and a push towards digital forms of payment. Latching onto this new method of commerce will be crucial for nonprofits looking to thrive in 2022. Giving your supporters options to pay via credit card, digital payment service, and digital wallet will make the donation process as easy and streamlined as possible while maintaining donor privacy. Incorporating additional user-friendly payment options like QR codes can get you one step ahead while making it easy for people to donate online and in-person.
Many nonprofit organizations also sell editorial magazines related to their cause or industry and use the proceeds of these sales to raise funds. Issuu’s Digital Sales feature can help boost these sales, enabling nonprofits to sell copies of their publications directly within the Issuu platform.
- Social Media Strategy
As these two prior trends indicate, the nonprofit sector is rapidly changing. Nonprofits must focus on retaining their valuable employees, attracting donors in new ways, and engaging with their audience via new strategies and tactics that appeal to more people. This is where social media comes in!
Many nonprofits recognize the importance of social channels but find it difficult to allocate resources and budget for a full-fledged social media strategy. Nonprofits that have adopted thoughtful social media strategies, however, recognize the massive benefits of using these platforms: new and younger audiences, fewer barriers to donating directly, exciting trends that can launch your nonprofit into viral status, and loyal followers who have the potential to act as brand representatives.
The first step in this process is to digitize all current content. For marketing materials, editorial content, brochures, and program guides, transferring this static content into an immersive, digital format is a great way to begin sharing engaging content with followers on social media. Having access to digital long-form content also provides a large library of assets to repurpose into social media content for months to come. Check out this publication by the Greater New Orleans Foundation; it’s a great example of how a nonprofit can create long-form digital content that’s easily shared via social media:
- Clear Communication
Our final trend for nonprofits this year is to focus on clear, concise communication – something that’s vital when it comes to helping community members, potential donors, and stakeholders understand exactly what they’re being asked to support. In a vast sea of philanthropic options, clear communication can be the differentiator that sets one nonprofit apart from the rest and makes it clear as to which specific niche an organization falls into. Mission and impact are at the heart of every nonprofit, and impactful content with clear messaging can reach the right donors at the right time.
- Content to Grow & Thrive
Nonprofits benefit us all by furthering social causes that matter. In a world that’s filled with a host of social, economic, and political issues, nonprofits of all sizes play a vital role in helping support people and institutions in need across the globe. The nonprofit sector is shifting with the tides of global needs and business. The trends identified above can help your business adapt and overcome modern challenges in order to grow in 2022 like never before.
This article was first published by Talius Chickering (ISSUU)