Non-profits are terrible at messaging. I don’t mean that they are ineffective at explaining who they are and what they do to their supporters. Nor am I implying they do a poor job at conveying the impact and positive change that their programs have on the well-being of their communities.
If anything, charities are far more proficient at telling their stories and engaging donors now than at any point in history. Effective messaging is absolutely essential for non-profits to build sustainable bases of support and it’s gratifying to see so many embrace this concept. Where they are deficient is educating the general public about the importance of their role in solving society’s problems.
We are living in tumultuous and unstable times politically, economically and socially. Inflation, culture wars, massive income disparities, climate change denial, tariff threats, and clawing back of social programs are making life difficult for billions across the globe. Corporations and billionaires get richer as the rest of us struggle day-today.
Widespread disinformation and propaganda exacerbate these challenges by keeping us divided and sewing distrust in public institutions, media, education and science. We shake our fists insisting that the government must step forward to resolve these issues, but we know they won’t.
It appears that this is a great opportunity for the non-profit sector to fill the void. However, the reality is most people don’t view charities as the solution. When many people speak about charity, they believe these are organizations that should operate in a “less is more” fashion. The less paid staff and the lower the overhead, the better a non-profit is perceived.
The perpetuation of tropes and negative stereotypes about charities prevents the sector from occupying a significant place in resolving the world’s issues. An uncomfortably large segment of the population view non-profits as trivial, incompetent, or corrupt organizations with overpaid leaders who foster a culture of dependency within their communities.
Unfortunately, the charitable sector does little to push back against this toxic narrative. For non-profits to play a major role in addressing the issues affecting us, it’s imperative they establish a new narrative – one that educates the public about how non-profits work so they may be perceived as legitimate agents of positive change that will make the world a better place.
Here are some crucial lessons charities must reinforce as a part of a new narrative:
Overhead costs should never be used to measure the effectiveness of a charity. The notion that the less a non-profit spends on operating expenses, the more it has available for programs is a fallacy. Low overhead is frequently a sign that an organization is severely under-resourced and unable to deliver programs effectively. Another way of looking at it is non-profits with low overhead are capable of doing more yet are choosing not to. As Dan Pallotta says “Never confuse frugality with morality”.
Operating costs are inextricably linked to programs. As indicated above – and just like any private business – charities must have reasonably robust operating budgets to thrive. They need sufficient space, power, telephone service, internet access, heat, transportation, and training to deliver programs optimally. Each of these expenditures are resources that non-profits require to create transformative change.
Staff are essential to achieve impact. Volunteers are the backbone of many non-profits by selflessly providing their time and energy for the betterment of their communities. However, they can also leave at a moment’s notice. Compensating qualified and experienced professionals to manage programs ensures that people receive the help they require to overcome the issues confronting them successfully. Salaries are not frivolous allocations. Rather, they are savvy investments charities make in retaining crucial skills and knowledge that produce transformative results that strengthen societal vitality.
Non-profit programs build self-reliance, not dependency. One of the more cynical tropes in circulation is the claim that charities give handouts or “freebies” to marginalized citizens and foster a culture of dependency. Without question, some organizations are guilty of ineffective programming that fail to empower people to conquer different obstacles. Nonetheless, people must understand such non-profits represent a minority. Most extend services that advance self-sufficiency and position people to conquer obstacles that prevent them from making greater contributions to societal vitality.
Board members are the gatekeepers of the mission. Charities are not owned privately by anyone. They are governed by a volunteer board of directors who are responsible for ensuring the non-profit has the resources it needs to create impact. A charity belongs to the public-at-large, yet it’s the board who are entrusted with the sacred task of guiding it along its journey towards fulfilling its mission.
Individual gifts account for the bulk of charitable donations. Contrary to common belief, corporate contributions and foundation grants comprise only 12% of all philanthropic gifts made in North America. Approximately 80% of all donations are made by individuals. Reinforcing this message hopefully will encourage us to view one another (and not the government) as the solution to the world’s problems.
