Some of the most successful communicating a nonprofit can do involves paying attention to the news, and becoming part of the current conversation.
Right now, that conversation is about coronavirus. Literally every minute of every day, media organizations are pumping out stories about the many dimensions of this public health crisis. And your own supporters and constituents may be wondering what it all means for your organization and your mission.
You can write an opinion piece, release a report, pitch a story to a reporter, send an email to supporters, or make a call to action. You’ll need to think through your position, and write up talking points, not in the least because you may be called by media as the story develops and grows.
Here are some examples of how non-profits and advocates, experts in seemingly unrelated topics, have communicated about coronavirus:
- The Marshall Project (a nonprofit itself) reports on coronavirus and prisons with When Purell is Contraband, How do You Contain Coronavirus? Advocates for prisoners in Indiana called on the governor to release people from overcrowded prisons as a way to contain the virus.
- People who are homeless are also vulnerable. Philadelphia homeless shelters face the ways in which CDC guidelines are really not helpful to this population, in the WHYY story Philly Homeless Shelters Prepare for Unique Challenge Coronavirus Brings
- Terri Gerstein of Harvard’s Labor and Worklife Program shines a light on the dilemma of how to contain infectious diseases without paid medical leave in The Hill: America Needs Paid Sick Leave Laws to Stop Coronavirus from Spreading.
Does this seem like a stretch? To be clear: you should only communicate in a way and about issues that are authentic to your mission.
But if your work involves vulnerable communities—people without financial resources, immigrants, those who are incarcerated, people without insurance or those without a home—you could be speaking up, advocating for your people, and shining a light on their dilemmas.
Learn more about the author of this post, Carisa Cunningham.