7 Essential Components of Nonprofit Community Outreach

​When you hear the phrase “community outreach” what comes to mind? Most people immediately think of nonprofit organizations hosting community events, which isn’t necessarily wrong. However, on its own it’s an incomplete view of what community outreach means for nonprofits. Hosting events can be an important component of what outreach in our communities looks like, but it is, by no means, all that should be included.
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Often, this overly simplistic view of what is included in community outreach comes from a misunderstanding of what community outreach should accomplish. The goal of community outreach shouldn’t just be to recruit volunteers and increase funding to support the organization’s mission. Outreach should also be the organization’s mission. 

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​Community Outreach for Nonprofits Defined
The goal of any nonprofit is to raise awareness around the problems your organization is working to address and encourage the community to care about the work it’s doing. In turn, this helps foster engagement and build strong relationships that will keep the organization on sure footing. To do this an organization must attract volunteers, donors, sponsors, partners, and program participants through its outreach efforts. As such, community outreach should also include:

1. Social Engagement
Using social media to interact with the community should be a key component of any nonprofit organization’s community outreach. Social platforms are a great way to connect with key audiences, especially volunteers and donors – attracting new supporters and strengthening current relationships. As a result, many nonprofits will have either staff or volunteer roles to handle their social media presence so they can be actively engaging with their core audiences where they spend their time.

Additionally, nonprofits that are already active in their community can use social media to highlight their efforts and further their missions, while nonprofits that are looking to get more engaged can find the opportunities to do so online.

2. Storytelling
Nonprofits should use their website and social accounts to tell the story of their organization’s mission. Taking the time to craft the content around what the organization does and, more importantly, why it does it is a vital part of community outreach because when the community seeks out this information, your organization should be in the driver’s seat telling its story. Don’t leave this job up to a local news outlet, former program participants, or outspoken staff. Weave a cogent narrative in-house that you can portray to the world so that when people come looking, you have a compelling story to present.

3. Partnerships & Collaborations
Engage in mutually beneficial partnerships or collaborations to play a strong role in your community. Work with other organizations when collaborating will lead to greater community outreach in the way of broader social change and advocacy, more complete coverage for programming, greater effectiveness, and wider exposure for the cause.

4. Volunteer Programs
Set up volunteer programs with community groups like schools, churches, neighborhoods, special interest organizations, and corporations. Provide a clear way for groups to interact with your organization in a way that’s personally fulfilling for those involved and brings together like-minded individuals to get your mission out into the community more organically. This grass roots-type approach can increase credibility as well as lead to new opportunities in the community.

5. Regular Communications
Sending out regular emails, newsletters, and mobile messages ensures volunteers and donors will stay informed. This is beneficial across the community because it ensures everyone is on the same page with an organization’s current events and offerings. By keeping everyone in the loop, an organization can use its most engaged audience members to help spread the word about happenings and important news across the rest of the community as well.

6. Networking
Networking with influential community leaders allows an organization access to those individuals’ connections as well. Having a well-placed ally (or several) can help to get additional exposure for the organization and its mission in social circles that might otherwise be out of reach. Look for natural opportunities to connect with leading figures in the community across different backgrounds to gain access to additional community outreach opportunities.  

7. Education and Programs
Remember, all the programming that an organization offers is part of its outreach efforts too. Whether a nonprofit’s programming is meant to offer goods, support, education, access to resources, or any other opportunity to community members, it all falls under the umbrella of outreach. In that way, existing programs and educational offerings can not only serve the community directly but also indirectly by ensuring sustainability and facilitating the future expansion of the organization’s mission. Pouring heavily into these efforts is the last key component to ensuring effective community outreach.

Next Steps
Have a plan for how to do incorporate all these community outreach components into your strategic vision. For instance, if you time your social media outreach to amplify (as opposed to distract from) other initiatives, you will be able to focus more on implementation. Coordination of these efforts will make them less time invasive later and will foster communication across the organization as you work to bring awareness to all the work going on rather than siloed initiatives.

If your organization needs help increasing community outreach, contact us. We help organizations undergo strategic transitions every day. Let our team of nonprofit consultants come alongside your leadership to improve your community outreach efforts. Whether you need leadership help or board advisory services, we have valuable perspective to lend! Join other high impact nonprofits and experience the Valtas difference today.