media update’s Nakedi Phala explains how PR can be a convenient contribution to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
People usually confuse ‘NGOs’ with ‘non-profit organisations’ (NPOs) — which is an
entirely different thing An
NGO is formed by ordinary citizens who operate independently of government, while an NPO is an organisation set up to provide goods and services to people who operate on the basis that no member of the entity shall receive profits.
In executing the social responsibility duties of an NGO, PR plays a big role in ensuring that the particular goals are achieved. PR can help NGOs reach their publicity goals and execute more activities they have within their programmes, directly and indirectly.
Here are three ways PR can help an NGO reach its objectives:
1. PR helps NGOs with fundraising campaigns
In today’s economy, fundraising is a challenge — especially if your organisation doesn’t receive government funding, like NGOs. In situations like this, PR plays a huge role in helping organisations raise funds.
How, you ask? PR plays an important role in distributing the
right message of the NGO to the public and stakeholders. It is vital that the message showcases the good work being done by the NGO in order to add value to communities.
The main goal of fundraising is to encourage donations. Good PR efforts that have a persuasive call to action can expose the honour in the charity's campaign, which can encourage donors to contribute towards the NGOs charity events or campaigns.
And, during campaigns, it can work in your favour to share previous earned media content such as news articles, magazine features or short video clips from independent media. Sharing this can help motivate fundraisers and donors to invest more resources and see the greater purpose of your NGO’s role in society.
media update top tip: As a PR practitioner representing an NGO, you should show recognition to your supporters and donors as they would like to feel appreciated. After an events or charity campaign, send out a message of appreciation, either via email, phone call or through social media platforms — this will help retain their loyalty for future campaigns.
2. PR helps NGOs distribute information
When representing an NGO, the most important thing to remember as a PR is how you are disseminating information since there is no commercial gain.
Ensuring that the right people — such as campaign members, charity sponsors and stakeholders — receive the correct message at the right time requires a lot of planning.
Your communication strategy should be based on:
- The type of information that needs to be distributed to donors and supporters
- How you are planning to develop communities
- What supporters and donors stand to gain
- How people are benefiting from the NGO
NGOs don’t usually play the same role in communities; they strive to serve a distinct purpose from the other, so when creating a message for potential donors and supporters, consider creating a list of those related to the cause.
For example, the
World Wide Fund for Nature (commonly known as ‘WWF’) would look to persuade companies that are known to affect nature in a harmful manner, such as factories and mines. The organisation would include these companies in their discussions and even try to persuade them to protect nature and to donate to their cause.
3. PR helps NGOs engage with the community
An NGO’s primary goal is to uplift society and raise awareness about a serious cause. Community engagement is arguably PR in literal form. Any campaign run by an NGO affects a community directly and indirectly. As a PR manager or campaign leader, you need to evaluate your internal communication strategy
You can do this by asking yourself the following questions:
- Are the volunteers well-equipped?
- Can they think creatively?
- Are they passion-driven?
- Can they work as a team?
- Are they eager to take initiative?
If you can answer these questions to your satisfaction, it’s a green light that your team is well-prepped and ready to hit the ground running, earning you results at
any charity event.
For the external engagement (involving donors, supporters and stakeholders), consider the following points:
- Talk to them, not at them
- Encourage them to give feedback
- Conduct surveys about the people the NGO benefits
- Form community advisory committees for your NGO
In essence, the main objective of community engagement by an NGO is to consult with beneficiaries and stakeholders about their requests and plans and to explain their strategies.
For an NGO to operate smoothly, and attract donors and supporters, it is reasonable to say that NGOs must have a PR set up with trained staff to carry the goals and generate an image of goodwill for stakeholders.
Now that you have an idea of how PR can benefit an NGO, what are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of
Vecteezy