Charities, regardless of the cause they support, play a critical role in providing support and relief to those who need it most, both in the UK and abroad. While charities are typically grateful for any support they receive, be it in the form of financial donations, equipment, supplies, labour, or other concessions, charities that manage to build a community around their cause are significantly more capable of amplifying their reach and providing ongoing assistance.
Building a community around a charity, one that willingly rallies around your cause, can offer so much more than financial or other physical benefits. It means ongoing moral support, continuous engagement, and a support base that raises awareness for your cause because they believe it’s the right thing to do.
Unfortunately, even the most genuine and truly beneficial charities typically face a number of challenges when trying to build a supportive community base. The vast number of charities in need of support can cause donor fatigue, where continuous solicitation leads to decreased interest or willingness to donate or participate; economic downturns or crises can shift the public focus and financial priorities away from charities; and the persistent need for engagement can take its toll on charity organisers.
All that being said, there are several practical and actionable steps that you can take to help build long-term support from a dedicated group for your charity.
1.Understand the different groups you could approach
A common mistake that charities make is throwing out too large a net. A targeted strategy, one where a specific group has been identified and approached with a uniquely tailored message, is much more likely to succeed than simply asking strangers to join your cause. Different ways to segment the population for a charity approach could include:
- People in a geographical area: If your charity focuses on benefiting within a specific geographical area, be it a neighbourhood, town, or city, residents may feel a stronger personal connection to the cause and be more motivated to contribute. This approach can easily ride the wave of community pride and support.
- People with a shared interest: People like to associate with others and groups that align with their values. By engaging with people with shared interests, for example, environmental conservation, animal welfare, or support for the disabled, charities can tap into a pool of motivated individuals more likely to support their cause.
- Corporate partners: Businesses can be powerful allies for charities. It enhances their corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, signals their values to their clients, and, in some cases, qualifies them for tax breaks. Approaching businesses with the right message is a fantastic option for building long-term support for a charity.
- Demographic groups: Certain causes may resonate more strongly with specific demographic groups based on age, gender, occupation, or socioeconomic status. For example, a charity that supports STEM education for girls might receive ongoing support from female professionals working in the tech industry.
Other groups that you could consider targeting, depending on the nature of your cause, include community and faith groups, online communities built around a specific cause, alumni groups, and philanthropic foundations or grant-making bodies.
2. Be transparent
We cannot overstate the importance of transparency when trying to build a community around your cause. Transparency, especially when there are financial implications, is a cornerstone of trust and accountability in a world where we so often hear of misappropriated or missing funds.
Transparency entails more than simply disclosing how your available finances have been allocated. It means being open about your operations, successes, and challenges. It’s important to remember that your supporters are more likely to continue supporting your cause in the long run if they can see how their contributions are being used and understand the impact of your charity’s work.
Another less obvious benefit of transparency within your charity is that it enhances accountability. When hiding failures—whether caused by accident, poor management, or dishonesty—isn’t an option, it promotes continuous evaluation and improvement of the charity’s operations.
3. Demonstrate the impact your charity has made
Nothing validates and reinforces support for your charity more than being able to demonstrate the impact you’ve made. It validates your mission and activities, strengthens trust and engagement with your current support base, enhances your credibility and reputation, and acts as a magnet for drawing in new supporters who appreciate your cause.
Some effective strategies that you can use to demonstrate the impact you’ve had include:
- Setting clear goals and measurements: While saying “Our goal is to help protect our wetlands” is noble, this goal is unclear and difficult to measure. On the other hand, “We aim to raise £55,000 to build a footpath and install signage, a public restroom, and bins in an at-risk wetland” is much clearer and provides a tick list of successes that you can use to demonstrate your impact and efficacy.
- Engaging storytelling: While your goals and measurements should absolutely include quantifiable data, there’s more to reporting your successes than numbers. Compelling stories from those who’ve benefited from your actions can be a powerful tool for demonstrating your value and swaying minds into joining your community of long-term supporters. These stories should be shared through social media, newsletters, and events to engage with your community on an emotional level.
- In-person engagement with your supporters: While reaching out to your supporters through digital platforms such as social media, email campaigns, or videos on YouTube has its benefits, nothing beats the personal touch of live engagement. Creating opportunities for supporters to see the impact of their contributions firsthand can have a powerful emotional effect, easily motivating them to continue supporting your cause and spreading the word. In-person engagements could include site visits, volunteer opportunities, or events where beneficiaries share their stories with a live audience.
Running a charity, despite how important and beneficial they are to so many people and causes, can be incredibly challenging. By using the advice provided in this article to cultivate and maintain a committed community of supporters, you can dramatically reduce operational difficulties and ensure that your charity continues to be a powerful force for good for years to come.