Opinion: The mission-driven brand’s guide to working with nonprofits

More than ever, brands are taking social and political stances and integrating mission-driven values into marketing strategies. As a nonprofit founder, I have empathy. It can be tricky to strike the right tone when entering into a purpose-driven partnership; consumers are able to spot a disingenuous move in a second. Given that 69% of consumers prefer to buy from brands committed to socially conscious causes, it is imperative for businesses to get their purpose-driven marketing strategies right. In the wake of continued social and civic unrest, it seems like a good time to discuss what that involves. Here’s how to make the most of a brand’s relationships with mission-driven organizations: If possible, cash with no strings is key Donations are a top-of-mind strategy when it comes to supporting nonprofits. When donating money, consider making it unrestricted. Nonprofits can experience mission drift when donors specify how money must be spent. Before making a donation, find out how an organization puts donations to use, or the purposes for which it is currently raising funds, to ensure partnership alignment. Check before donating in kind Donating items can be as beneficial to an organization as money. But first, make sure those supplies are needed. Before donating computers, for instance, consider whether the organization uses the operating system in question or whether outdated software will represent a step backward. Megaphones are a powerful nonprofit amplifier Brands can also support nonprofits by raising awareness about their missions and needs via social media, customer lists and websites—with no hard cost to the brand. If a brand has a large following, promoting its partnership with a nonprofit helps it to gain visibility and reach potential donors and supporters. Mission-driven organizations focus on putting out content to drive awareness, which can be amplified through brands resharing and distributing that content to their audiences. Pro bono work is not a synonym for an employee training program Nonprofits are always looking for volunteers to help complete consulting, legal and marketing objectives. Many brands have adopted a corporate social responsibility program to contribute to the success of a nonprofit in these areas. However, brands will often ask junior staff members who are inexperienced to do pro bono work for nonprofits. Brands can sometimes view this as a way to train junior staff members. Nonprofits require expertise as much as a for-profit organization, so be sure that a senior staff member is supervising the team. When committing to giving an organization pro bono services, brands should treat that organization as if they are a paying client. Otherwise, nonprofit employees are tasked with training a brand’s employees and that can take away from the time spent to fulfill its mission. Meaningful actions speak louder than words Another slippery slope in designing brand and pro-social partnerships can be days of service initiatives for a brand’s employees. While these have the potential to contribute significantly and meaningfully to a nonprofit, it’s important to collaborate with that nonprofit to ensure that day is not just a feel-good opportunity or social media moment for employees, but an authentic activity that helps a nonprofit's mission. I’ve worked with nonprofits in the past who had corporate volunteers paint the walls of classrooms in a school, only to find out that the organization had another group of volunteers painting the same walls a few weeks earlier. When working with nonprofits to determine how employees can best help, try to seek opportunities that are important to drive change. Map back to the mission Ultimately, when designing a nonprofit partnership, brands can start by making sure plans leverage the brands’ own superpowers to help that organization realize its own mission. Making it solely a program that serves a brand’s agenda means the possibility of coming off as performative. When partnering with a nonprofit program for pro bono services, leverage the experience of the entire team, not just junior staff members. Lastly, make sure that meaningful actions are being contributed to the organization through days of service and giving the nonprofits exposure on social media platforms by amplifying their voices.

Opinion: The mission-driven brand’s guide to working with nonprofits

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