Why It's Important To Work With A Trusted Advisor For Nonprofits
A social change agency, specifically, can be a powerful planning and strategic powerhouse. It can help nonprofits identify how to go from where they currently are to where they need to go. Plans can be formulated and action implemented, and funds leveraged to achieve additional goals.
Most nonprofit organizations face various kinds of problems, from fundraising to organizing to building community goodwill and credibility. A social change agency can help prioritize these activities, as well as conduct strategic planning. Through a mix of advisory, grant, and policy work, the agency can help ensure that nonprofits are meeting their missions and goals, while also building organizational culture and trust with constituents. This work includes collecting feedback from local residents, working with stakeholder groups, developing partnerships with other nonprofit organizations, and ensuring that stakeholders understand their impact on nonprofits.
When working with a nonprofit organization, a seasoned professional may be more effective than a volunteer. A social change agency that is involved in strategic planning can ensure that all aspects of the nonprofit are being effectively managed. A trusted advisor can create an inclusive strategic plan that details how each aspect of the organization will achieve certain goals, as well as how each part will contribute to the greater good. The plan should lay out in black and white which departments have various levels of responsibility, when and how they will accomplish their missions, how their funding will be spent, and who will implement their results.
A good strategic planner also knows how to communicate effectively with a variety of people in the nonprofit and outside of the nonprofit. Communication, after all, is the key to keeping nonprofits operating smoothly. Effective communications will foster open lines of communication, which are necessary to build community and build trust. A trusted advisor knows how to navigate the politics of nonprofits. He or she has likely worked with nonprofit organizations before, so they understand how important building relationships is.
A social change agency may also provide thought leadership training for its staff. Thought leadership training will help ensure that all staff members understand how to build influence through strategic planning, public relations, and community building. This training will teach staff how to build influence without being too big or influencing too many people at once. The more people who are interested in a nonprofit, the more likely the organization will be able to build influence.
Another benefit of working with a social change agency is that it helps the nonprofit develop a strategy for success. When an organization's strategy for success is based on public relations and strategic planning, it can make the nonprofit seem bigger than it is. A strategic plan for success will allow nonprofits to compare their strengths to their goals, so that they can determine where they should focus their resources most effectively. Public relations and strategic planning company will likely work with the nonprofit to identify which strategic goals they should focus on first.
Finally, working with a professional social change agency can help ensure that nonprofits have the best chance of succeeding where other groups have not. For example, many organizations fail to target communities because they do not understand the demographics of those communities. A social justice organization may focus its attention on ethnic, religious, or other mission-driven causes, but they may not know where to focus on in the hopes of attracting the right people to their events. A PR firm can help nonprofits target local communities in order to increase their chances of attracting the right people and finding the right funding.
As you can see, working with a trusted advisor can prove to be a very wise decision for nonprofits. The benefit of working with a professional PR firm far outweighs the cost, as you can expect results through strategic planning, thought leadership training, and a comprehensive strategy for success. Therefore, working with a trusted advisor for nonprofits is a critical step towards building influence and winning social change. Do not delay in making this important decision. Your reputation is at stake!