How to Increase Awareness About Your Non-profit Organization on a Budget

Raising awareness is critical for a non-profit. If people don't know your non-profit exists, they are unlikely to donate funds, which means you will struggle to do your work effectively. Many small non-profits are deeply committed to their cause, but they don't have the budget that big global charities enjoy. They can still do amazing things, but to do this they must raise brand awareness. And this costs money.

Money is one thing smaller non-profits don't have much of. Every dollar counts, so they must spend what little budget they do have wisely. In this article, we are going to look at some inexpensive ways to raise awareness of your non-profit organization.

Online Advertising

Some advertising is prohibitively expensive and depending on your target audience, a huge waste of money. For example, if your non-profit helps homeless kids, paying big bucks to run a prime-time ad on a big TV network is next to useless, as your target audience won't be watching television.

Online advertising is far broader and more likely to reach a wider demographic. It's also much cheaper. A search engine or social media advertising campaign can be implemented on a small budget. Contextual targeting means people won't see your ads unless you are reading related pages. This makes it tremendously powerful. If you implement a search advertising campaign, you bid on keywords related to your brand. This too can be effective.

Both are a very cost-effective way to raise brand awareness for a non-profit.

Social Media

Don't underestimate the power of social media. 69% of adults in the US use social media while 89% of adults aged 18-29 use it. That's a lot of people. If your non-profit doesn't have a social media presence, you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to raise your brand's profile.

It costs nothing to create a Facebook page for your non-profit. Make a page and start promoting it to existing supporters. Encourage people to share your content and use social media to connect with new people.

The only time social media is less effective is when your target audience is older, as only 34% of people aged 65+ use social media.

Get Involved at Community Events

Reach out to people in the local community. Some will become loyal supporters and others might need your organization's help. Establishing a presence at community events is essential for non-profits. The greater awareness there is of your non-profit, the easier it will be to raise funds when needed or persuade people to get involved.

You don't need to spend a fortune. Set up a booth at a local fair or ask local stores if you can fundraise outside. Most big stores are happy to form partnerships with non-profits and many will actively help you raise brand awareness.

Have some branding materials produced, such as banners, posters, balloons, and promotional gifts. Smaller items such as keyrings, pens, hats, tee-shirts, and custom lapel pins are all effective.

Awareness pins can represent various causes, so why not have some made for your non-profit? Give them to staff and volunteers so that they can wear them when they are out and about. Hand them out at fund-raising events and raise brand awareness in an organic way.

Form Beneficial Partnerships

Reach out to other non-profits working in an area that compliments your niche. By working together, you can reach twice as many people and increase brand awareness at the same time. Connect with celebrities and other big names. If they empathize with your cause, they might be happy to work with you to raise awareness of your non-profit - it's a win-win for both of you.

Try these ideas and let us know how you get on!