Community relationships are the backbone of effective nonprofit work.
Nonprofits grounded in solid connections can rely on the community for support, allowing the organization to navigate economic uncertainty and fund transformative work in the community. More importantly, strong relationships keep nonprofits attuned to community needs, allowing them to deliver better outcomes for their beneficiaries.
But how can your nonprofit develop these relationships and bolster existing ones to increase its impact? This article explores practical ways to strengthen community relationships so your nonprofit can become a trusted partner and drive more impact for your community.
1. Practice Inclusive Data Collection and Reporting
Data is at the heart of informed decision-making, allowing nonprofits to take mission-aligned actions and track their progress along the way. However, to make decisions that work for everyone, your nonprofit needs data that accurately reflects the full diversity of its community.
First, identify all current data sources, whether the information is stored in spreadsheets, databases, or marketing tools. You may need to organize your records or append data to fill gaps in your database. This is also a good time to consider the effectiveness of your technology and work with a consultant to make improvements where needed.
Next, collect additional data for a fuller picture of your community’s needs and the way your nonprofit meets (or fails to meet) them. This might involve conducting surveys or referencing publicly available data, but it largely depends on the types of information you’re looking for.
According to UpMetrics’ impact measurement guide, your nonprofit should collect two major types of data: quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative Data
Quantitative data refers to data that can be given a numeric value. These data points help measure community engagement levels, allowing you to analyze trends, set benchmarks, and measure outcomes.
Examples of quantitative data include:
- Number of program participants across the community
- Demographic details such as age, income, or education level
- Website traffic or engagement with your other resources
For example, let’s say your data reveals lower program participation rates in one neighborhood compared to others. This could signal a need for more outreach and localized programming. Your nonprofit may plan and promote a fundraising event dedicated to supporting this neighborhood and make the program more accessible to your target audience.
Not sure where to start?
Qualitative Data
Qualitative data captures qualities, characteristics, experiences, and behaviors in a descriptive or narrative form. These insights help your nonprofit understand the “why” behind the community’s needs and experiences, as well as cultivate relationships with donors, beneficiaries, and other community members based on their direct input.
Examples of qualitative data include:
- Quotes from interviews or open-ended survey questions
- Observations of community behaviors or program engagement
- Stories of individual experiences with your nonprofit’s services
Qualitative data can supplement quantitative data, providing insights that explain the numbers (or, sometimes, contradict them).
For example, perhaps one of your nonprofit’s programs has a high rate of community participation. However, a focus group voices that even though community members participate in your programs, they feel disconnected from your organization’s leaders. With this insight, you might put executive leadership at the forefront of your community engagement efforts and allow community members to connect with your nonprofit’s higher-ups.
2. Share Your Impact Story
According to Getting Attention’s marketing statistics, people remember stories 22 times more than facts alone. That’s because stories make facts memorable, and they invite audiences to engage with the overall message.
A similar thing happens when your nonprofit shares the story of its impact, positioning community members at the heart of what you do. Packing your nonprofit’s mission and vision into a compelling narrative allows you to garner more support and get the community excited about what’s next.
Using storytelling to strengthen community relationships requires the following considerations:
- Developing a purpose-driven narrative. Is your story highlighting an upcoming fundraiser, a beneficiary’s experience, or your nonprofit’s goals for the new year? Knowing why you’re telling this story can guide how you tell it, which influences the connections you make through it.
- Targeting a specific audience. Your community includes donors, beneficiaries, grantmakers, corporate partners, and many other stakeholders. Different stories will be relevant to different audiences, and you’ll need to tell them in different ways.
- Choosing your story’s main character. Positioning the community as the main focus of your story makes them feel a direct connection to your cause. Highlight your donors’ accomplishments or showcase a beneficiary’s transformative experience. The key takeaway here is that the main character should never be your nonprofit.
The quantitative and qualitative data your nonprofit collects will also be valuable for storytelling, allowing you to infuse your narrative with statistics and quotes that improve its authenticity. If you’re able to measure social returns on investment (SROI), this is also valuable data that can reassure community members that your nonprofit is working to fulfill its promises.
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3. Embrace Collaboration
Impact isn’t achieved in isolation. Communities want to be involved in the decision-making processes that affect them and want to know that their voices are heard.
This requires a collaborative effort, not just between your nonprofit and community members, but among each party involved in driving community impact:
- Grantmakers: Advocate for community participation in funding decisions. Engage in collaborative initiatives where your nonprofit can exchange ideas with funders and advocate for the community’s needs.
- Individual community members: Invite community members to serve on advisory boards or planning committees. Gather their feedback regularly to see how your nonprofit can improve its approach.
- Other nonprofit organizations: Discuss problems and opportunities with similar organizations. Work together to develop and implement new ideas, and compare community data to identify overarching needs.
- Corporate partners: Build relationships with local businesses that are similarly committed to improving community outcomes. Involve them in volunteer opportunities or co-hosted events and work with them to identify emerging community needs.
When your nonprofit is plugged into the community, your connections will increase the community’s confidence that you truly have their best interests in mind.
Strengthening community relationships is more than a strategy your nonprofit employs. It’s a mindset that your whole team should adopt to become truly integrated in the community you serve!
Whether you’re trying to plan the perfect timing for your next fundraiser or develop a new program that addresses a pressing need, your community should be your first consideration. When constituents feel heard and empowered, everyone benefits: nonprofits, their beneficiaries, and the broader community.
