How To Run A Nonprofit: 3 Things You Should Consider

How to run a Nonprofit organization and grow it to have large impacts on the world? Here are 3 things you should take into consideration

I. What Is a Nonprofit?

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) are a type of business organization that serve the public or advance specific social causes. Their main sources of revenue come from donations, fundraising activities, and membership fees. Some may also sell products and services to raise funds.

Some typical examples for non-profit organizations such as: schools, social clubs, churches, charities,…

Nonprofits, unlike for-profit businesses, do not distribute profits to their shareholders, but instead funnel them back in their operations.

II. How to run a Nonprofit?

Market Research

Understand the need

The matter of fact is that nearly 50% of all nonprofits fail from the start due to insufficient research and planning (Source: Forbes).

Thus, you need to deeply understand the need you are trying to address. Or else you will end up spinning your wheels, doing something that does not address the real problem.

And here are the 3 key questions you should answer:

• First, who is affected by the problem? Identify your target demographic and ask them whether or not they think they’d benefit from the services you would offer. 
• Second, what are the root causes behind the problem you wish to solve? For example, why is there hunger in the community? Is it the cost of food? Is it the distance to the grocery store?..
• Third, what other issues are interconnected to that problem? Like the link between education and hunger. For example, a child can not perform well at school if he/she is hungry. 

Consider other organizations

Are there any existing organizations doing what you intend to do? More and more NPOs are formed each day, sometimes they overlap missions and compete for grants or donor support. Neither of them would generate enough revenue to make a substantial impact. 

So, before you start your nonprofit, take a look at the landscape of other NPOs and make sure your efforts won’t be redundant. 

Branding Strategy

Now that you’ve done your research and know what to expect, it’s time to build a strong brand from the inside out.

Brand Purpose

The purpose of a brand helps to answer the “why” question. Why was your non-profit founded and exists? To answer, consider your motivation for starting your organization, as every beginning is a unique story.

A brand purpose can build an emotional bond between your NPO and its customers. It also sets your brand apart from competitors.

Brand Vision and Mission 

What do you want your community or the world to look like when your work is done? That is the question that a vision statement answers. It will play as a driving force behind your daily operations.

Your nonprofit’s mission is the values you bring to life. It is beneficial to the success of your organization because it explains to others why your work is worthy of support. When crafting the mission statement, you should keep it short and simple (1-2 sentences) and relevant to your long-term goals.

Brand Core Values

They refer to the values that come from within your organization, which are principles that everyone in your nonprofit will follow. That determines how your organization will treat each other and customers, partners and society?

Brand Positioning

A good positioning can make all the difference! It helps your non-profit organization have  clearer communications and a consistent narrative of positive messages. As a result, you won’t have to worry about confusing your stakeholders: partners, donors, and prospects, or being mistaken with others doing similar work.

Your brand positioning should clearly define:

• What is the greatest value your nonprofit brings to people?
• Who is your target audience? What’re their problems?
• What differentiates your organization from the competitors?

Brand Identity

Visual is a key factor for people to have the first impression of your organization. Thus, a good Brand Identity will help people recognize you among  a sea of nonprofits. They express the message that you convey to customers, how you want them to feel about you.

So pay attention to your brand identity such as:

• Logo
• Color
• Font
• Packaging Products
• Web design, graphic designs on communication channels
• Visiting cards, uniforms,…

Marketing Plan

Following the creation of the core brand, it is time to create a well-thought-out marketing plan to connect with prospects and strengthen current connections. Some factors should be included: 

• A primary goal and objectives
• Market analysis
• Target Audience 
• KPI to measure success
• Compelling messages for your marketing campaigns
• Some effective platforms to convey messages: Social Media, Email, Website,…

III. Branding & Marketing Solutions for your Non-profit

We hope the article can help you know how to run a Nonprofit organization. If you need in-depth consultation and execution for your organization branding and marketing, we’re here to help.

We have teams with seasoned experts and executives having deep knowledge of nonprofit, who can deliver bespoke strategies to help your organization grow sustainably.

Take your project to the next level with Enosta!