The step-by-step guide to nonprofit communications (free template)

Many nonprofits are eager to elevate their social media presence, enhance their website, and boost brand awareness. But without a solid strategy, achieving these goals can seem daunting for busy changemakers—and sometimes downright impossible.

In this article, we’ll cover all the basics of nonprofit communications. And if you need a bit more inspiration, we’ve got just the thing: a free downloadable nonprofit communications plan template.

What is nonprofit communications?

Nonprofit communications can have a broad scope, but essentially, it encompasses an organization’s strategy for conveying mission-related messages to stakeholders and the wider community.

Traditionally, communications for nonprofits include a range of activities, such as public relations, nonprofit marketing, social media management, content creation, and more, all centered on crafting compelling narratives, engaging with stakeholders to build and maintain relationships, and inspiring support for your organization's cause and goals. 

How does a nonprofit communications plan work, exactly?

Given the diverse array of mediums and channels involved in nonprofit communications, crafting a cohesive strategy is imperative. A communications plan for a nonprofit is like a game plan, assisting organizations in strategically and effectively conveying their mission, objectives, and activities to stakeholders. 

Typically, this process involves:

• Defining key messages ✍️ 
• Setting goals 🎯
• Identifying target audiences 👤
• Selecting specific communication channels ✉️ 

Why is having a nonprofit communications strategy important?

Without a nonprofit communications strategy, achieving your goals can get pretty messy, pretty quickly. With the right plan, you can: 

✅ Better manage projects: Set deadlines, track goals, allocate resources, and more.

✅ Respond to crises: Effectively respond in a manner that is timely and on brand.

✅ Save time and energy: Your team members can reference your communications plan at any time—meaning they don’t have to reinvent the wheel for every social media post, campaign, or event.

How to make your own nonprofit communications plan

Crafting a nonprofit communications plan might seem daunting. But by revisiting your mission, auditing your existing systems, and setting smart goals you can create one in no time.

Step 1. Start with the mission 💛 

Before jumping into the nitty gritty of content creation and channel distribution, you’ll want to revisit your mission. This will inform how you approach your messaging and help you get a clearer sense of what kind of story you’re telling and to whom. 

When reviewing your mission, you might ask yourself:

• What’s the story we’re telling?
• Who are we telling it to?
• Why is communicating our mission important right now?
• How will improving or adjusting our communications impact our mission and goals?

Step 2: Conduct an audit 🕵️

Next, identify all communication channels your nonprofit organization uses, including your social media presence, email marketing, websites, blogs, and print materials. Understanding your current position will help you create goals for the future.

To conduct an audit, run a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis on your organization's existing communication strategies.

• Strengths 💪 List what your nonprofit does well in terms of communication, (e.g., strong social media presence, effective email campaigns).
• Weaknesses 📉 Highlight areas where your communication efforts fall short (e.g., inconsistent messaging, low website traffic).‍
• Opportunities ⭐ Consider external factors that might help your communication strategy (e.g., new social media platforms, trends in nonprofit communication). ‍
• Threats 🚧 Note external challenges that could impact your communication efforts (e.g., negative media coverage, economic downturns).

At this stage, you can also conduct an in-depth audience analysis. Identify your primary and secondary audiences, their preferred mediums, and potential engagement strategies.

Step 3: Create goals and objectives 🎯

Using the answers from your SWOT analysis, you can establish SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound) goals. Here are a few examples:

• Specific 📌 Increase engagement with our nonprofit’s Instagram to spread mission awareness and reach more potential donors.
  
• Measurable 📐 Achieve a 25% increase in social media interactions (likes, comments, shares) and gain 500 new followers on the platform.
  
• Achievable 🏆 Dedicate five hours a week to creating and posting high-quality, engaging content and leverage current volunteers to assist in content creation and audience interaction.
  
• Relevant 💛 Enhancing our social media presence aligns with our goal of raising awareness about our programs and initiatives, ultimately driving more donations and volunteer support.‍
• Time-bound ⏳ Accomplish this goal within the next 6 months.

Altogether, the high-level plan you produce might look something like this:

Over the next six months, we will increase engagement with our nonprofit’s social media content by achieving a 25% increase in interactions (likes, comments, shares) and gaining 500 new followers on Instagram. By dedicating five hours a week to creating and posting high-quality content, and leveraging volunteers for support, we’ll be able to raise awareness about our programs and drive more donations.

Step 4: Gather the right resources ⚒️

With your goals in place, it’s time to gather all the support needed to accomplish them.

• Technology and communication tools for nonprofits 🔧 Determine what nonprofit software you will need, such as a CRM, an email platform, or project management tools.
  
• Channels 🤳 Consider what methods of communication you’ll use, such as social media, email, print, or a combination.
  
• Messaging 🔊 Craft messages for each channel that are mission-aligned and resonate with your target audience. A content calendar can help you map out how you disseminate each message, and when.
  
• Staff 👥 Define the roles and responsibilities of your team, including staff and board members. For example, a Communications Manager might oversee the execution of the plan while a Content Creator does the bulk of the writing, designing, and posting for various channels).
  
• Budget 💰Set a budget based on the required resources. Account for staff time, content creation costs, tech investments, promotional expenses, etc.

Step 5: Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate! 📏

It’s important to measure the success of your nonprofit communications plan, too—both as you make progress and when you’ve achieved your goal.

The metrics you track will differ depending on your goal and channels, but they may include the following:

• Number of unique visitors, page views, and average time on site
• Followers or impressions
• Likes, comments, or shares
• Open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates
• Donations

You’ll want to regularly monitor and evaluate these metrics over time and adjust your plan, if necessary. 

Download a free nonprofit communications plan template

Need a bit more help drafting your communications plan? Check out this free template! Simply download the template on to your computer or tablet and edit it to reflect your unique organizational goals and objectives.

Freebie alert!

Download the nonprofit communications plan template ->

Launch your nonprofit communications plan with Givebutter

A good nonprofit communications strategy effectively aligns your organization’s messaging with your mission. With the right plan in place, you can skip posting on social media for the sake of posting and start moving the needle on your organizational goals. 

In addition to a full suite of fundraising features, you can enjoy free communication and engagement tools like email, texting, and letter creation, plus a built-in CRM to track all of your donor activity in one streamlined platform. 

Sign up for your free Givebutter account today and start putting your communication plan into action in minutes.