Here's how you can advocate for your cause and engage stakeholders as a non-profit leader.

Equally important is the ability of each and every employee, manager, stakeholder and Board member to articulate the mission. 7 or fewer clear words. “We go to the moon this decade. “ “We bring faith to unchurched communities. “ The mission and vision statements can carry much detail, but don’t move the company unless people can buy in and entice others to buy in.

Hey team, Knowing our mission can guide us in advocating for our cause and engaging stakeholders effectively as non-profit leaders. By clearly defining our advocacy goals in alignment with our mission, we can focus our efforts and measure our impact more effectively. Building strategic partnerships with organizations that share our mission can help amplify our message and attract resources that align with our core values. Empowering our supporters to become advocates who embody our mission and regularly measuring our impact against our mission-driven goals are key to fulfilling our purpose and making a lasting impact in our communities.

Not only know your mission but also your vision. It’s equally important to know where you aim to go and the several steps ( initial vision vs ultimate goal).

Developing strong relationships based on trust and shared values is essential in advancing our mission. By aligning our advocacy goals with the interests and values of our partners, we can amplify our message and attract resources that support our cause. Crafting messages that resonate with our relationships, engaging key stakeholders who are invested in our cause, and utilizing advocacy tools that strengthen our connections are crucial steps in driving meaningful change. Empowering our supporters to become advocates who cultivate relationships with others and regularly measuring our impact on our relationships are key to building a supportive community and making a lasting impact in our communities.

Start with just a few channels, and spread with time. To focus on just a few in the beginning ensures you can understand and explore that channel and at the same time not feel overwhelmed. Once you get overwhelmed small details start to not be so obvious and it’s easy to lose perspective.

Communication with stakeholders is crucial for non-profits. You do not want to wait until fundraising time to communicate with past donors, and start searching for new donors. Evaluating your communication plan on a yearly basis. Who is opening your emails, do you get donors when you send out a newsletter, are you positing on a variety of social media platforms and what are the results. Small non-profits can be challenged with lack of resources, especially funds and staff but a well written quarterly communication can make a difference in private donations. With grants, you are evaluated on a regular basis either through reports or audits. Treat private donors the same. Have we met the goals of their donation.