PR, communications, and the internet
March 22, 2022
PMAP 3210: Introduction to Nonprofits
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
Do your check-in!
Plan for today
Plan for today
Public relations
Plan for today
Public relations
Nonprofits and the internet
Plan for today
Public relations
Nonprofits and the internet
Evaluating nonprofit PR
Public relations
Public relations
Public relations
"Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public."
Public relations
"Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing the flow of information between an individual or an organization and the public."
What your organization is
communicating in all its interactions
Grunig et al., 1984
Every organization does it
Every organization does it
Consciously
Every organization does it
Consciously
Unconsciously
Why do PR as a nonprofit?
Why do PR as a nonprofit?
Promote the nonprofit's mission and purposes
Why do PR as a nonprofit?
Promote the nonprofit's mission and purposes
Create and promote a public image to develop
and maintain a donor base and public support
Why do PR as a nonprofit?
Promote the nonprofit's mission and purposes
Create and promote a public image to develop
and maintain a donor base and public support
Generate awareness of the organization's successes
Why do PR as a nonprofit?
Promote the nonprofit's mission and purposes
Create and promote a public image to develop
and maintain a donor base and public support
Generate awareness of the organization's successes
Distinguish the nonprofit from others when competing for
donor dollars, media attention, employees, and volunteers
Audience matters
Audience matters
All PR should be aimed at specific audiences
Audience matters
All PR should be aimed at specific audiences
Audience matters
All PR should be aimed at specific audiences
Who is your nonprofit PR audience?
Who is your nonprofit PR audience?
The public Donors Partners
Board members Employees Volunteers
Stakeholders Constituents Membership
Politicians Government agencies
Who is your nonprofit PR audience?
The public Donors Partners
Board members Employees Volunteers
Stakeholders Constituents Membership
Politicians Government agencies
Everyone!
Types of public relations
Types of public relations
Front door
Types of public relations
Front door
Maintenance
Types of public relations
Front door
Maintenance
Outreach
Types of public relations
Front door
Maintenance
Outreach
Collaborative
Front door PR
Front door PR
First impressions matter
Front door PR
First impressions matter
Day-to-day encounters that leave a cumulative effect
Front door PR
First impressions matter
Day-to-day encounters that leave a cumulative effect
Easiest and cheapest PR strategy, even if the nonprofit has few resources
Front door PR
First impressions matter
Day-to-day encounters that leave a cumulative effect
Easiest and cheapest PR strategy, even if the nonprofit has few resources
Cheerful, helpful person
answering the phone
Office with attractive
and welcoming reception area
Front door PR
First impressions matter
Day-to-day encounters that leave a cumulative effect
Easiest and cheapest PR strategy, even if the nonprofit has few resources
Cheerful, helpful person
answering the phone
Office with attractive
and welcoming reception area
Website is user friendly
and informative
Calls, e-mails, and social media
requests are answered promptly
Maintenance PR
Maintenance PR
Information and promotion directed
at those you already work with
Maintenance PR
Information and promotion directed
at those you already work with
Thank you messages
Recognizing and
celebrating contributions
Maintenance PR
Information and promotion directed
at those you already work with
Thank you messages
Recognizing and
celebrating contributions
Annual reports
Donor surveys
Collecting input
Outreach PR
Outreach PR
Information and promotion
directed at new people
Outreach PR
Information and promotion
directed at new people
Press conferences
and news releases
Brochures, posters, mailers
Website and social media
Outreach PR
Information and promotion
directed at new people
Press conferences
and news releases
Brochures, posters, mailers
Website and social media
Newsletters and annual reports
Conferences,
information fairs, workshops
Op-ed articles
Collaborative PR
Collaborative PR
Partnering with other organizations
to further mutual goals
Collaborative PR
Partnering with other organizations
to further mutual goals
Conferences, symposiums, other special events
Awareness campaigns
Educational materials
Examples
Examples
Newsletters
Press releases
Annual reports
Podcasts
Social media
Newsletters
Newsletters
Press releases
Annual reports
Annual reports
Podcasts
Social media
Social media
Social media
Social media
Nonprofits
and the internet
You've never really known
a world without the internet
Internet-y things you should do
Have a website
Have a domain name
Have e-mail addresses
using that domain name
Have social media accounts
Collect donations
and/or sell stuff
Manage donors
Run ads
Use internal services
Websites
A website is (typically) a set of
HTML files that lives on a
computer somewhere in the world
Websites
A website is (typically) a set of
HTML files that lives on a
computer somewhere in the world
Use someone else's server or your own
Site creation + hosting
Hire a designer
(paid; unlimited design choices)
Squarespace
(free/paid; ad-supported)
Wix
(free/paid; ad-supported)
Google Sites
(free; limited design choices)
WordPress
(free/paid; more design options)
Weebly
(free/paid; ad-supported)
Domain name
A domain name is an address
that points at a server
sites.google.com/yournonprofit vs. yournonprofit.org
Domain name
A domain name is an address
that points at a server
sites.google.com/yournonprofit vs. yournonprofit.org
You can point a domain name at
pretty much any hosting option
iwantmyname.com
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
.org
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
.org
.com, .net
Top Level Domains (TLDs)
.org
.com, .net
.charity, .site, .pizza, etc.
Have domain-specific e-mail addresses for staff & board
Have domain-specific e-mail addresses for staff & board
jimmy_loves_pizza2012@hotmail.com vs. james_smith@nonprofit.org
Have domain-specific e-mail addresses for staff & board
jimmy_loves_pizza2012@hotmail.com vs. james_smith@nonprofit.org
Have domain-specific e-mail addresses for staff & board
jimmy_loves_pizza2012@hotmail.com vs. james_smith@nonprofit.org
Social media
Social media
Use whatever your audience uses
Collect donations / sell stuff
Donorbox
https://donorbox.org/
Give Lively
https://www.givelively.org/
Shopify
https://www.shopify.com/
Manage donors
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Manage donors
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Kindful
https://kindful.com/
Donorbox
https://donorbox.org/
Give Lively
https://www.givelively.org/
Run ads
Run ads
Run ads
Internal services
Slack
Team communication/chat
(Free for nonprofits)
Zoom
Video chat
(50% off for nonprofits)
Asana
Project management
(50% off for nonprofits)
Most other services
Google
"service nonprofits"