1. Why does strategic messaging matter for nonprofits today?
Communications and strategic messaging arguably matter more today than ever. We live in a complex socio-political environment where many issues nonprofits advocate for every day (social and environmental topics) have become political and cultural minefields. We also know nonprofits’ important work cannot and will not stop. So, for today, it is important to nail strategic and exacting messaging that helps nonprofits share important communications while mitigating risk.

2. How can nonprofits craft messages that align with both their missions and corporate partners’ expectations?
Unifying messaging is important to corporate partners, especially in this moment. Last year, Harris Poll released a great survey on “wedge words” – the terms that divide people more than unite them. We can learn from this. For nonprofits, this means crafting messaging that is clear, simple and to the point, without jargon or acronyms: What is the good work you do in the world and why does it matter? When we strip away politicized terminology, we will find we are more united in our beliefs and aspirations for a better world than we think.

3. What are the biggest challenges nonprofits face in messaging, and how can they navigate them?
Certainly, the biggest challenge today is staying true to your organization’s mission and purpose while also mitigating risk. Given the seismic shifts we see from the federal government, nonprofits – especially those who rely on government funding – must toe a line between continuing this important and impactful work while avoiding becoming a poster child for a politicized issue or cultural firestorm. This means we must carefully weigh every single communication, every message and word chosen while always staying laser-focused on the mission.

4. How can nonprofits ensure their messaging remains flexible and relevant in a rapidly changing environment?
We work with our clients to help them be authentic and agile in moments of constant societal flux. One of the ways we do this is through scenario planning – we have a robust Impact Alignment and Real-Time Issues Response Framework process that helps our clients not only respond quickly in the moment, but also implement this framework for scenario planning on how you might respond as a brand when sensitive issues or moments arise. This helps you be prepared, remain authentic and stay true to the mission, even as things move quickly.

5. What role should corporate partnerships play in a nonprofit’s messaging strategy?
First and foremost, a nonprofit should have rock-solid messaging on what your organization is, what it stands for and what it hopes to achieve in the world. When it comes to corporate partnerships, this can be a great moment to highlight the work in action through case studies and impact metrics, which helps lend to the partnership’s authenticity on both sides.

6. How can nonprofits communicate impact effectively to both donors and corporate partners?
The root of effective communications today is stakeholder mapping. This means ensuring you deeply understand each stakeholder – what they care about, what they value, and what will motivate and inspire them – and crafting messaging that resonates. What moves your individual donors will likely be different than your corporate partners.

7. What messaging mistakes do nonprofits commonly make when working with corporate partners, and how can they avoid them?
This all comes down to customization. As I mentioned above, stakeholder mapping is important. But when it comes to engagement with corporate partners, we need to go even deeper. Blanket messaging or calls to action will not suffice today. Your engagement with each corporate partner should marry up to their specific impact priorities and ambitions – as well as their business realities. This is key – we see corporations pivot their impact work to align more closely with their business priorities, which helps protect the work and aid stakeholders in understanding why it is business-critical. Nonprofit messaging around a specific corporate engagement should map back to this.

8. How can nonprofits tailor their messaging for different corporate partners without losing their identity?
This is a great question. As I explained above while talking about customization, it’s about understanding corporate partner impact and business success factors but also being true to your mission and impact as a nonprofit. The best corporate nonprofit partnerships are the ones rooted in authenticity. If you think a partnership opportunity is a stretch or the messaging doesn’t align with your organization, then it’s probably not the right fit. And if you as a marketer see that discrepancy, you can guarantee your stakeholders will, too.

9. What emerging trends are shaping nonprofit messaging strategies today?
Things certainly move quickly in the communications space today, and brand leaders must be prepared to meet the moment. The things we track from a trends perspective focus on 1) real-time responsiveness and agility – especially on societal issues that can arise quickly and change at the drop of a dime; 2) more customized and personalized language that allows us to bring people into the fold on a cause, rather than divide; and finally 3) the importance of trust and transparency in an age of heightened mis- and disinformation.