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  • Non-Profit Newsletters

    Non-profit organizations continue to use traditional newsletters to reach out to the community that supports them. Newsletters tend to be extremely beneficial for non-profits because they are an efficient and inexpensive way for them to communicate their message to the public. They help promote non-profit organizations in a positive light and are a great way to get the organization’s name in front of the members
    of the community. Like businesses, non-profit organizations need to compete for the attention of their customers (supporters).

    Most non-profit organizations use newsletters, but there are still some that don’t. If your organization does not have one, first ask yourself if there is a need for one. Most likely your answer will be “yes”. If the organization already has a newsletter and wants to stop producing it, they should reconsider. Most non-profits need a newsletter in order to communicate with the community. A newsletter can help to tell the story of the organization’s cause and encourage people to get involved. It is simply a way to communicate with society, informing them of events, updates, progress, etc. Non-profit newsletters speak to members, donors, and volunteers. They can also inspire those who don’t know much about the organization. Once you decide it is important to have a newsletter, the next step is to decide who will coordinate it. Who will write the articles? Who will find photos to complement each article? Who will put all the pieces together, print it, and mail it out every month? Considering most non-profits have small budgets, their newsletters are typically developed by one person. Whoever is selected to manage the newsletter must be knowledgeable and passionate about the organization. They must have a firm understanding of the mission statement of the non-profit and all the workings of it. It will come across in the articles if the writer
    is unenthusiastic or disengaged with the organization. Once you have decided you need a newsletter and you know who will be in charge of it, you are ready to begin composing your newsletter.

    The first step in writing a non-profit newsletter is to define your audience. You will need to write focusing on the reader to ensure that your material is interesting and relevant. The content of your newsletter will be defined depending on your audience. Are you aiming to target members of the non-profit organization? Or were you looking to bring in new donors or volunteers? Obviously, large mailing lists are best, but be sure to know who your target audience is before beginning to write. If your newsletter is going to target a mix of people with different levels of involvement, be sure to include information that is pertinent to all of them. Make sure your target audience includes board members, committee members that aren’t on the board, any contributors (past or present), the media, and government officials associated with the non-profit. Typically, these are the people that will help your agency grow. Once you have narrowed down your target audience, you can begin to select the content you wish to include. Determine what the focus of the newsletter will be and showcase the benefits of being involved. Consider adding inspirational stories about how the organization has helped other people in order to spark emotion in the reader and initiate action. Once the content is complete, choose the layout, font, and colors for your newsletter (See Designing your Print Newsletters). Finalize your non-profit newsletter by choosing printing and postage options to fit your budget.

    Creating a non-profit newsletter is definitely worth the time it takes and can be extremely beneficial for your organization. While starting a newsletter from scratch can be intimidating, keep in mind the exposure and publicity that can be generated from it. As long as you keep your reader in mind, you don’t need to be an experienced writer to create a valuable newsletter for your non-profit organization. It is a good way to document and represent your organization in a positive light, and the benefits it can bring to your organization are endless.