Calling all nonprofits: Do you ever feel like you’re shouting into the void while trying to make your voice heard? Or are you feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start (hello, blank page syndrome – trust us, we’ve been there!)
If you’re a nonprofit organization (or a new business) on a tight budget, we’ve got you! In honor of National Nonprofit Day, we’re sharing these free tools for nonprofits to make sharing your story online much easier without breaking the bank. And if you’re still not sure where to start, we’re here to help!
Social Media Marketing
Social media can be a fantastic tool for nonprofits. Signing up for social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or even Linkedin can be a great way to connect with potential donors and volunteers or just share your message in general. The best part? Signing up for an account is totally free. Instagram is a great place to build a community and find passionate volunteers, while Facebook is a good place to showcase events. LinkedIn is beneficial for connecting with potential donors and partners.
If you have a business Facebook and Instagram account, you can also take advantage of the Meta Business Suite. This tool allows you to post on Facebook and Instagram at the same time, check and answer direct messages, and even look at the analytics on your post. This can help show which posts are performing best and which need a little love to reach the right people.
Email Marketing
Sending emails is a great way for nonprofits to engage with their audience. Emails allow you to engage with supporters on a personal level. You can collect email addresses from interested individuals with a popup form on your website, or the emails of people who attended previous events hosted by your organization.
Mailchimp is a great tool that allows you to send emails and manage your contacts. Mailchimp offers a free tier for organizations with less than 500 contacts and a 15% nonprofit discount for larger nonprofit organizations with more than 500 contacts.
Content Creation
No matter where your marketing efforts are taking place, it’s important to create beautiful and engaging content to share with your audience.
Canva is one of our favorite tools for nonprofits that allows you to create eye-catching designs for social media, websites, posters, and presentations. You can even use Canva to create videos. Canva offers the premium features to nonprofits for free–all you have to do is apply for a Canva for Nonprofits account.
If you’re looking for photos, Unsplash one of our favorite royalty-free resources that has an expansive library of stock photos from professional photographers available to use.
Advertising
Google Ads is an effective way to reach your target audience and connect with new individuals. If paid advertising is out of the budget, don’t worry – Google offers Google Ad Grants for nonprofits, which provide up to $10,000 worth of ads every month to nonprofit organizations. Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations can sign up for Google for Nonprofits, apply for a Google Ad Grant, and then start placing Google Ads each month.
Planning Ahead with Scheduling Tools
Even with all these great free tools, it’s important to have a plan! Before coming up with a social media post or an email, always ask yourself “Who am I trying to reach, and how can I reach them?” One of the easiest ways to save time (and headaches) is scheduling posts in advance with a social media scheduling tool. These platforms allow you to schedule posts weeks in advance. Set it and forget it! Not every social media scheduler is free, but most do have a free option or a nonprofit discount. Buffer is a great social media scheduling platform that has a free option to help bring your social media posts to life.
Sharing your message with the world is crucial for any organization, and doing so starts with a well-planned marketing strategy. If you need a little extra support to bring your marketing strategy to life, don’t hesitate to reach out!
