Public Relations in Not-for-Profit Organizations

“How is it September 24^th already? Things are going so fast!” said our professor. “This is week 3 and we’ll start looking little bit more closely at the not-for-profit sector.” She had all my attention from there on. Being one of the international student in class and having years of experience of working with a non-profit organization back in India, I wanted to learn all about how my program, Public Relations could actually be an essential part of this sector.

This blog will talk about few of my takeaways from the thorough lecture I took.

The establishments that are not looking to earn extra earnings while giving the services and use all the surplus funds to invest in their programs/services are called the not-for-profit organizations. These organizations need to not only get attention, but also show potential contributors why the organization’s vision and mission is deserving of their consideration and funds. Positive publicity is the most essential part of a not-for-profit, and thus, Public Relations comes into the picture. PR becomes a strong tool for generating awareness, engaging others, and linking with new supporters. Not-for-profits have an upper hand while connecting with their audience owing to the sheer trust and support from the community, but no one can just expect donations to blow in without doing anything. Managing the establishment’s reputation and community involvement becomes important and that’s when the PR practitioners are contacted.

Not-for-profit PR professionals focus on answering questions and concerns along with nurturing relations with donors. These donors and other target audiences like the volunteers and partners are always kept updated with regular newsletters, magazines, online seminars and meetings about upcoming fundraisers and campaigns. Donor packages are distributed amongst interested groups and crowd funding links are sent through emails and social media platforms. Communicating in a transparent and consistent way is very important in order to strengthen the old and make new relationships that go beyond just the financial links.

For me, the most important takeaway is that when working in not-for-profit sector, you as a professional are promoting a crucial cause that has the capacity to wake people up and make a difference in the world or even change people's outlook. It is a great responsibility and a golden opportunity!