It's common to see organizations in the nonprofit sector pinning their fundraising hopes on attracting high-profile celebrities to champion their causes. In Canada, consider the enviable relationship between Ryan Reynolds and the SickKids Foundation in Toronto; a prime example of how star power can significantly boost fundraising and awareness.
And yes, partnerships with celebrities can clearly be impactful but many nonprofits may be overlooking a valuable and readily available resource: their own community members. Your homegrown micro-influencers, including volunteers, board members, staff and every member of your nonprofit community are in a unique position to play a pivotal role in spreading your mission and influencing others for good. After all, they have already stepped up to engage with your mission and also possess some “brand” knowledge.
What if (instead of making a financial ask of these advocates) you invited them to share your work and increase your reach in an organic and thoughtful fashion?
Think of this as an extension of your marketing work (but without the ad spend).
Here are the top five ways to engage your nonprofit community in becoming powerful influencers.
1. Empower Storytelling
Why it Matters: Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools in your nonprofit's arsenal. Personal stories connect emotionally with audiences, making them more likely to support your cause.
How to Implement: Encourage your community members to share their personal stories related to your mission. This could include:
- a volunteer sharing their first experience,
- a board member discussing why they joined, or
- a staff member highlighting a success story.
These stories can then be used on your nonprofit’s website, social media, and at events. In the best-case scenario, the storyteller would share their story on THEIR socials and tag your organization. Providing templates or guides can help those less comfortable with storytelling to find their voice—and maximize reach on social media.
Example: Teach For America showcases stories from teachers in underserved areas, highlighting the impact they’ve made in their students' lives.
2. Leverage social media advocacy
Why it Matters: We often want social media to just disappear, having convinced ourselves (due to low engagement) that “no one is listening.” But social media is a platform where everyone has the potential to be an influencer. People tend to surround themselves with others with similar interests. This means that their network becomes accessible to YOUR nonprofit’s brand when you have your community share.
How to Implement: Create a social media toolkit for volunteers, staff, and board members. Include sample posts, graphics, hashtags, and key messages. Encourage them to share updates, events, and success stories from your nonprofit. Make it fun by recognizing and celebrating their efforts publicly to motivate ongoing engagement (maybe make a social media influencer of the month award?)
Example: In their social media toolkit, Best Friends Animal Society includes templates for Instagram stories, posts and Facebook updates. Volunteers share updates, showcasing adoptable pets and promoting adoption events. Hashtags like #AdoptDontShop and #BestFriendsAnimalSociety help spread the word.
3. Host ambassador programs
Why it Matters: Formalizing an ambassador program can help you to identify and cultivate key influencers within your community.
How to Implement: Have some extra-passionate volunteers who are looking to do “more” but you are unsure how to honour their work or ask for more? Develop a program where engaged supporters can sign up to be ambassadors for your cause. Provide them with exclusive training, resources and insider information. In return, ask them to commit to specific advocacy actions, such as hosting events, speaking at public forums, or leading fundraising campaigns. Regularly highlight their contributions to keep them motivated and engaged.
Example: Amnesty International’s ambassador program involves training volunteers to organize letter-writing campaigns and local awareness events. Ambassadors are equipped with materials to educate their communities about human rights issues and mobilize local action.
4. Support personal connections
Why it Matters: Nonprofits are in the middle of a trust crisis with the public, but personal connections and word-of-mouth recommendations from your community can combat that distrust. People are more likely to support a cause if someone they know and trust is advocating for it.
How to Implement: Create opportunities for your community members to personally connect with their networks about your cause. This could include hosting “invite-a-friend” events, or providing “conversation starter” kits. Consider an online meet-ups with breakout rooms hosted by staff and volunteers equipped with compelling facts and impact stories to share in these personal interactions.
Example: Greenpeace organizes community cleanups where members can bring friends and family. They provide talking points about local environmental issues to help participants educate their networks.
5. Recognition and rewards
Why it Matters: People love to feel appreciated and valued for their contributions. This requires more effort than a once-a-year donor thank you email. Ongoing communication and cheerleading is key. Recognition motivates, and rewards encourage continued advocacy.
How to Implement: Regularly recognize the efforts of community members who go above and beyond in advocating for your nonprofit. This can include shout-outs on social media, newsletter features, giving awards, or hosting appreciation events. Don’t underestimate the power of swag! While it won’t motivate everyone there is something about being an “exclusive” supporter that excites people.
Example: Earthwatch awards volunteers points for participating in expeditions and educational events. These points can be redeemed for Earthwatch merchandise, free event tickets and recognition at an annual volunteer appreciation event.
Conclusion
We often talk about passion in the nonprofit space. I would argue that too often we are sustaining ourselves on the dwindling passion of exhausted nonprofit staff to make more magic with less resources.
It’s time for us to rally our nonprofit communities to help support the causes they love with their own influence. These individuals have already engaged with your mission on some level, so they are the ideal candidates to further spread the word. When you empower dedicated supporters, you not only advance your mission but also create a dynamic, engaged network ready to tackle the world's most pressing challenges.
Tasha Van Vlack is the founder and CEO at The Nonprofit Hive, a free community platform for changemakers to connect weekly and collaborate one-to-one. Tasha’s passion is people and you are most likely to find her in her spare time floating around LinkedIn, helping build engagement through Ember2Action or questioning the state of nonprofit with other nonprofiteers.
