Nonprofit organizations serve an essential role in fostering civic and social engagement. Their important place in society is irrefutable. However, the nonprofit world can also be very insular. ‘We know what works, we know how to work wonders with very little, and year after year, we repeat the same strategies.’ This status quo-mentality can lead to a lack of growth for non profit organizations, leading non profit leaders to seek ways of inspiring innovation and a growth mindset in their teams.
There are set strategies that nonprofits can put into place to grow their organizations and foster innovative thinking and team investment. Those growth strategies will help improve civic engagement and social awareness within the nonprofit sector.
Why Nonprofit leaders Invest in their team
Nonprofit organizations are great at doing what they do: writing effective grant proposals, articles, and working with a lack of funding and resources, cobbling together miraculous results from what amounts to a pittance of support sometimes. If nonprofit leaders want to move beyond the average day-to-day standard practices of their organization and truly invite innovation, they will need to invest in their teams.
Though leaders may be laser-focused on the bottom line, seeking out the lowest cost alternatives for operating, that may be short-sighted. When employees feel valued and supported, they will be more apt to dedicate themselves to developing new ideas for the organization.
Leaders can also expect higher retention rates out of employees that they actively invest in. Nonprofits that were already working with limited resources and funding before the Great Resignation could benefit from new retention strategies with an end goal of scaling their organization.
Thinking outside the box
Nonprofits often stick with what works because, well, it works. It’s an “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it” mentality that could be hindering an organization’s ability to scale and innovate.
Leaders should be encouraging their teams to look at other industries and study how they are moving forward, regardless of risk. Industries outside of the nonprofit world may be more adept at “failing fast”, or testing and performing incremental developments on ideas to determine if the idea has value. Nonprofit leaders may feel they have no room or funding to fail fast, but they could be missing out on opportunities. Leaders and team members should always be seeking out new tools to bring into the nonprofit space to move the organization forward.
Grow Your Nonprofit creatively
Storytelling is a part of any effective and engaging marketing campaign, and this is especially true for nonprofits. The story behind your organization will draw in support for your cause and persuade people to support it financially. When leaders teach their teams to think creatively — outside of that proverbial box — they are leading them to think about their jobs differently. They may look at grant writing in a new way, or they may feel more comfortable to bring novel ideas to the table, and the organization is bound to grow as a result.
Donors want to support organizations that are genuinely making a difference. The more creative your team can be with showcasing the work your organization does, the stronger the impact. The broader world may have a hard time understanding what nonprofits do, but it is up to your team to tell the story. People who can understand a nonprofit’s missions and perhaps see their work in a different light will be more apt to invest.
Nonprofits bring a wealth of expertise and value to the table, especially in capacities where they assist for-profit entities with initiatives such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Many companies are finding these DEI initiatives increasingly important in the ever-evolving workplace. Nonprofits who get their stories out there and who creatively position themselves as the experts will not only grow as an organization, but have more social impact overall.
The power of thinking differently
Getting one’s nonprofit seen and understood may require different marketing approaches than those utilized in the past. Nonprofit leaders need to harness the power of digital technology to reach as many people as possible in the search for supporters and financial backers for their cause.
Creative digital approaches such as Instagram stories and reels or TikTok videos can help nonprofits establish an engaging and consistent presence on social media. Studies show that 87% of nonprofits use social media to communicate their message — fail to utilize the benefits digital marketing can offer, and you risk being left behind.
Share regular updates about your goals, personal stories about the people your nonprofit helps, and allow for easy paths to donating with links to donation sites. Leverage the “outside of the box” ideas your team has developed to structure a powerful marketing campaign. If a leader has invested in their team, the innovative ideas their dedicated employees with high job satisfaction have been allowed to create will shine through in their storytelling on social media.
Resources can be scarce for many nonprofits, especially those just getting started who have yet to establish a name or a presence in their community. Nonprofit founders and leaders must be creative to get their message heard and drive donations that will help their organizations scale, meaning they must invest in their teams to support retention and the formation of innovative ideas.
Utilizing the tips outlined here can help even the least-experienced nonprofit organizations grow and get their message across to more people. In doing so, they will help their organizations prosper and give them the ability to have more significant social impact.
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