Marketing & Communications

Philanthropy's New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language

MatthewCain — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 18:45:18 +0000

Philanthropy's New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language MatthewCain Tue, 03/19/2024 - 14:45

Philanthropy's New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language

United States foundations are an essential element of America’s social sector, supporting causes from public libraries to groundbreaking research, to new approaches to building a more equitable world. But despite their reach, foundations have an identity problem. From small towns to Washington, D.C., Americans have a limited picture of what foundations do. This leaves the door open for others to define foundations through critiques and harmful narratives about foundations and the nonprofits they support.

This report, “Philanthropy’s New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language,” offers science-backed strategies for foundations to build understanding and trust, starting with the words they use and the stories they tell. It is the result of a yearlong research collaboration between the Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications, drawing on:

A national survey of 3,557 people to assess attitudes about philanthropy and test language;
Interviews with policymakers and their staffs to assess their sentiment about the sector;
An analysis of Congressmembers’ social media statements about foundations;
A content analysis of Congressional Research Service reports; and
Interviews with communications practitioners, Congressional staffers, and a philanthropy researcher.

List Price

Download for Free in the Store

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Related Events

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy

NicoleBronzan — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 21:04:15 +0000

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy NicoleBronzan Wed, 03/08/2023 - 16:04

Webinar

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy

A recent landscape scan of the dominant narratives in philanthropy highlights some ways the sector must do better. Join the Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications for more insights from our findings, and a peek at our next steps.

The Council on Foundations and the Center for Public Interest Communications have recently completed a scan of the dominant narratives around foundations. Our findings, in short: We need better stories and better language if we really want to lift up the positive impact of our work, push back against false narratives, and build trust.

In this overview webinar, we’ll share:

Insights from social, behavioral and cognitive science that explain why some narratives can be harmful, despite our best intentions
A set of research-based principles for storytelling that helps others understand the unique role the sector plays in building a better world.
A peek at our plans for message testing and other research - and how you can be involved.

Join us to learn more about how nonprofits and foundations can tell stories in authentic and compelling ways that show how change really happens.

Speakers:

Nicole Bronzan, Vice President, Communications and Content, Council on Foundations
Ann Searight Christiano, Founder and Director, Center for Public Interest Communications
Aaron Zeiler, Director of Partner Strategies, Center for Public Interest Communications

In Partnership With:

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Marketing & Communications

Related Events

Related Resources

Community Foundation Week 2023 Resources

Brad.Ward@cof.org — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 18:51:14 +0000

Community Foundation Week 2023 Resources Brad.Ward@cof.org Mon, 09/28/2020 - 14:51

Community Foundation Week 2023 Resources

Celebrating National Community Foundation Week November 12-18: Engage with Your Local Community Today!

Community Foundation Week, created in 1989 by former president George H.W. Bush, recognizes the important work of community foundations throughout America and their collaborative and innovative approach to working with the public, private, and nonprofit sector. Annually, Community Foundation Week coincides with National Philanthropy Day on November 15.

Help raise awareness by telling your community about the work that your foundation is doing to address persistent civic and economic challenges during the week following National Philanthropy Day with social media campaigns, local storytelling in partnership with media outlets, and various other creative ways to engage around the importance of community philanthropy and your foundation the week of November 12-18.

To help support your work, the Council has designed a series of resources to assist you with outreach and awareness, including a draft press release, a draft op-ed, sample social media messages, web and social graphics as well as general facts about community foundations.

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Webinar Recording: Words Matter: Getting Your Communications Ready for #CFWeek

kelsey.gerber@cof.org — Thu, 01 Nov 2018 18:42:43 +0000

Webinar Recording: Words Matter: Getting Your Communications Ready for #CFWeek kelsey.gerber@… Thu, 11/01/2018 - 14:42

Webinar Recording: Words Matter: Getting Your Communications Ready for #CFWeek

With Community Foundation Week (#CFWeek) just days away, this midday webinar is the perfect time to brush up on communications tips around pitching press releases, creating marketing email campaigns that click with your audience, navigating social media, and showcasing your foundation's work through storytelling.

Council Vice President of Communications Janelle Brevard, joined by Director of Communications Rebecca Viser and Director of Membership and Marketing Allison Rafti, discuss tips and ideas for community foundations wanting to showcase their work this #CFWeek.

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Marketing & Communications

Related Events

Related Resources

Community Foundation Marketing Toolkits

council-webteam — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 16:30:40 +0000

Community Foundation Marketing Toolkits council-webteam Wed, 10/25/2017 - 12:30

Community Foundation Marketing Toolkits

Through partnership and with the leadership of Council of Michigan Foundations, the Council on Foundations is excited to share customizable marketing tools repackaged from the original portfolio created by the National Marketing Action Team (NMAT).

Whether you need to jumpstart your marketing activities or simply want support for enhancing and expanding your existing marketing program, these free resources for members can help. These portfolios include well-written and well-designed product sheets as well as presentation slides and print ads that can be customized, branded with your logo, and used quickly, inexpensively, and easily.

Visit the Marketing Materials Hub

Use the password "cof" (case-sensitive) to log in, exclusively available to Council members.

Once in the hub, select a template from a range of topics. Add custom content, download the file for print or email, and share!

One-pager topics include:

The Power of Endowment
Ways to Give
About the Community Foundation
Planned Giving
Fund Types
Donor-Advised Funds
And much more!

We encourage you to utilize the toolkit and share your feedback within the Hub to ensure the templates are designed to meet your needs now and in the future. If you have questions or feedback, please utilize the contacts within the Hub.

For Good. For Ever. Positioning Statement

This positioning statement has been developed for individual and collective use by community foundations. It is a clear, concise, and memorable phrase that quickly communicates what is unique about community foundations.

Download the guidebook
Download Windows art files
Download Macintosh art files

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Marketing & Communications

Related Events

Related Resources

Charitable IRA Portfolio

council-webteam — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 18:02:56 +0000

Charitable IRA Portfolio council-webteam Tue, 11/11/2014 - 13:02

Charitable IRA Portfolio

The Charitable IRA Portfolio is a collection of tools designed to help communicate the exciting giving opportunities available to donors.

Revised to reflect recent legislative changes, the portfolio includes:

Talking points, a fact sheet, and Web content
An event presentation
Tools that explain which available options might best serve donors
Donor and professional advisor advertisements

Download the toolkit

Download Document

Guide to Using the IRA Rollover Toolkit

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Related Resources

Related Events

Giving Days

council-webteam — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 19:40:42 +0000

Giving Days council-webteam Tue, 01/07/2014 - 14:40

Giving Days

2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first community foundation, The Cleveland Foundation, in Cleveland, Ohio. Since then over 700 community foundations have been created in the United States and countless more globally. The Council recognizes the critical and unique role of community foundations, and these resources can help you determine if a giving day is the right strategy for you.

Knight Foundation Giving Day Playbook

The Giving Day Playbook is a free resource provided through the Knight Foundation’s effort to support all community foundations interested in planning a Giving Day. It includes best practices, examples, and templates from Giving Day organizers across the country in one easy-to-use guide.

Giving Tuesday

GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Join the movement and give – each Tuesday and every day – whether it’s some of your time, a donation, or the power of your voice in your local community.

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Development & Gift Management

Marketing & Communications

Related Events

Related Resources

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations

council-webteam — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 17:12:23 +0000

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations council-webteam Sun, 11/17/2013 - 12:12

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations

Visibility is vital to community foundations as they seek to gain credibility and attract new resources. But how can younger and smaller community foundations best use their limited marketing budgets? What audiences should they target first? How important is broad public awareness — and how much investment does it merit? This paper, written by Williams Group, addresses these questions and offers a tested model along with relevant examples and worksheets to help any community foundation create and manage its marketing program.

This is a resource from the Community Foundations Series from The James Irvine Foundation.

Go to External Resource

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Related Resources

Working with the Media

council-webteam — Sun, 17 Nov 2013 15:28:36 +0000

Working with the Media council-webteam Sun, 11/17/2013 - 10:28

Working with the Media

Working with the media should be part of your overall communications plan. Even if you don't have a written communications plan, you still need to focus some attention toward the media. Working with the media—that is, public relations—establishes a strong public presence and image for your foundation. This helps the public understand your foundation and its value in the community. You also shape public opinion and, ideally, influence the actions of donors, grantees, and community leaders.

Access to the media means access to the public. Mass media can convey your message to a large number of people very quickly. The media will provide a third-party view of your organization, which is in contrast to your own promotional publications.

What are the challenges of working with the media?

When a third party is involved, it's sometimes challenging to get your message across in a clear, accurate, and compelling way. That is why it's important to be thoughtful and strategic about how you work with the media.

It takes persistence and planning to obtain media coverage, especially in large metropolitan areas. Like fundraising, cultivating the media is an ongoing process. Your strategy for press coverage needs to go beyond trying to land one big story. Instead, you want the press to know that you are the community source to contact whenever they are doing a story that relates to your mission.

How do we prepare to work with the media?

The following tasks will get you ready:

Determine your foundation's "key messages" to use with the media. Make sure these are tied to your communications plan and that they are brief and quotable.
Develop a targeted media list. Identify media and reporters who are important to your foundation and your audiences, and who have written about philanthropy or charitable activities.
Build relationships with members of the media. Offer to meet with them and provide them with news releases and information. Position yourself as a resource and expert.
Develop an information kit for the media and for federal and state legislators.
Pursue regular media outreach opportunities. Pitch news stories when you have news. Invite reporters to foundation-sponsored events. Write op-ed pieces and letters to the editor.
Talk to members of your community. Make speeches to local organizations. Develop (or encourage grantees to develop) an op-ed column for the local newspaper highlighting foundation goals and achievements in relation to hot local issues.
Encourage grantees to share accomplishments with the media. Provide grantees with a few foundation information kits. Support your grantees' media outreach.

Who at our foundation should work with the media?

News people like to have one contact within an organization that they can call for information, not only about the foundation itself but as a resource for other stories. You should identify one spokesperson (a communications staff member, the president/CEO, a veteran board member, etc.) who is experienced in working with the media and comfortable responding to inquiries. In smaller community foundations with fewer staff, you might use a volunteer who has media experience to serve as the foundation's media liaison.

Be sure that your spokesperson is knowledgeable about the foundation and familiar with the local media outlets: understanding what they want, what kind of stories they feature, their deadlines, and the best way to approach them. Provide your spokesperson with the key messages about your foundation that you would like included in the stories.

Make sure that everyone in your office knows who the spokesperson is and understands the importance of referring all media calls to this person. It is essential that your organization speaks with one voice—and this can best be accomplished when you are clear about who speaks for your organization. It helps to have a written policy that clearly lays out who speaks on behalf of the community foundation and how media inquiries should be handled.

Meeting the Media

"We try to position ourselves as a resource, and it works! We've had great success by arranging 15- to 20-minute meetings with media representatives one-on-one. We call this our ‘Meet the Media' campaign. We come up with a few story ideas for that reporter beforehand (trends in the community, something a grantee is doing, etc.), even if it doesn't benefit us. Then we call and ask for a few minutes of their time, saying ‘we'd like to know how we can help you and learn more about the types of stories you are looking for.' We make it about them, and most are receptive to this. At the meeting, we give them a packet with our fact sheet, annual report, etc. and give them a brief overview of what we do."—The Denver Foundation

How do we build relationships with members of the media?

It's important to have solid working contacts within the news media. The most successful media relations moments have come from gradually getting to know (and be known) by the local media as a resource, even when there's no immediate promise of a story. Here are some tips for cultivating relationships:

Keep your eye on your local media for stories that relate to the sector (philanthropy, nonprofits, community issues—all of which you can establish yourself as an expert). Get to know who's reporting on what. Send them an e-mail once in a while to compliment a story.
Create a media list that includes outlets you've contacted or plan to contact, as well as those who have contacted you. These lists should cover all media: radio, television, web, and print (including small newspapers), and include the appropriate contact person for each outlet.
If you get to know a reporter, become a good source. Send them information or background on things they seem to be interested in, even if there's no story in it for you.
If you think you have a newsworthy idea or a new angle on a story you've seen, give the reporter a call to pitch your idea. Be ready to follow up right away with something in writing—a news release or other information you want made public.
Be as prompt as possible in responding to a query from a reporter. They will remember your help.
Be wary about non-media relations staff or board members giving you advice on how newsworthy a story is. It's important not to do things that could damage your reputation or credibility with reporters.

There's some debate about whether it's appropriate to take a reporter to lunch. At some media outlets, reporters don't have time for lunch. At others, they may be more flexible and open to the idea. Use your judgment. Most reporters will not accept an offer for you to treat. Perhaps start by asking the reporter if he or she has time to meet for coffee—and expect to go Dutch.

How do we get the media interested in our foundation?

Think like a journalist. The media will only be interested in you if you do newsworthy things.

Do something new, unusual, or controversial.
Tell an evocative human interest story.
Host an interesting event or one with a news angle.
Offer a vital service.
Demonstrate how you made a compelling, "news-making" difference in your community.
Show that a large number of people are affected by your work.
Link your local event to a breaking national story.
Be experts on philanthropy and other charitable issues.

That last bullet is important. Community foundations are often seen as a neutral source when it comes to charitable issues in the community. What expertise from your staff and volunteers can you offer the media?

If you have any kind of breaking news or a great photo opportunity, call the newsroom of the paper and let them know about it. Television stations especially like to know about these opportunities and appreciate hearing about news that can be told visually. Note: In community foundations, news conferences are rare. Reserve news conferences for major breaking news that you want to get to reach many media outlets at once.

What makes the news?

Answer the following questions to help you determine the newsworthiness about a topic you might pitch:

What is the local angle?
Is it timely or relevant to current events? Can you link your local story to national news?
Do you have an expert spokesperson on the topic?
Is there human interest?
What is new about your topic?
Is there a significant prediction or finding (research results, economic forecast, etc.)?
Is there humor?
Does it have visual potential?
Can you say what your story is in 20 to 30 seconds? (Reporters think in quotes and sound bites.)

Pitching a Story

"When sending a press release and follow-up, I always include a short one-paragraph ‘pitch' with the e-mail that will grab the reporter's attention. Reporters are busy and you need something to get them right off the bat. A well-written pitch can accomplish this, especially if the story can be framed in the experience of a real human being in the community."— The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation

How do we pitch stories?

The media want to hear about people: how your agency is helping them, the results of your efforts on your clients' behalf, and how people are affected by what you do (or don't do). If you have a good story to tell, don't be afraid to contact a reporter and "pitch" the story to him or her. "Pitching" news stories is nothing more than packaging what it is you want to communicate in a way that will spark a reporter or editor's interest.

If you're holding an event to raise funds for your organization, tell the story of why the public should support what you're doing. Find out who covers particular beats at the paper (e.g., arts, health and human services, education) and give them a call. If nothing else, they'll know that you can be a good resource. Television stations are always looking for stories with a strong visual component so keep that in mind when pitching a story.

There are three easy steps to pitching a story:

Step One: Prepare a news release

News releases must be about real news. If you send news releases on every move your foundation makes, you will quickly lose the attention of the media.

In general, reporters look for news about (1) people, (2) the environment, (3) location, (4) money, and (5) data or reports (such as survey results). Send your news releases to those reporters with whom you have a relationship or those on your media contact list. Always deliver your release to an outlet in the form they want to receive it—fax, email, or post.

Tip: Don't forget about small papers as a market for your message. Even in large or mid-sized areas, there are often many smaller papers that would often be more than happy to print what you send them in a news release.

Many media professionals report that they rarely read news releases. Even so, releases serve an important purpose: leading you to Step Two.

Step Two: Follow up

After you send out your news release, always follow up with a phone call to make sure the media outlets received it and to see if they need additional information. This phone call is the most important part of pitching the story—it is when you "sell" the idea. Think like a reporter: Why should his or her readers care about the story? Explain the idea, answer questions, and offer alternative angles if the reporter does not bite on your original packaging.

Step Three: Be interviewed

Once a reporter has accepted your pitch, they will most likely set up an interview with a spokesperson for your community foundation and/or a relevant secondary source (such as a professional advisor or a grantee). Be prepared with three or four key talking points and a few good quotes. Whenever you are talking with a reporter, consider your statements always "on the record." Provide the reporter with an information kit and suggest photo or video opportunities.

Caution: Never pitch the same story angle to competing media outlets, unless you are issuing a broad release. For example, if you have two daily newspapers with overlapping circulations, talk to one about Story A and the other about Story B. You can put a deadline on your offer: "I have a story idea for you, but can you let me know by 11 a.m. this Thursday if you want it? Otherwise, I will pitch it elsewhere, but I wanted to give you first dibs." Reporters understand this.

What should a news release include?

News releases alert the media to upcoming events they may want to cover and offer the basis for a later news story (e.g., coverage of the good works of your organization or the announcement of new management personnel). Because news releases conform to an established format, they are easy to write. Once you learn the format, all you have to do is fill in the blanks. It's important, however, to always follow the format. Otherwise, the outlet receiving your release won't take it seriously, let alone publish it.

There are six basic elements that every news release should have in terms of content and how it appears. All news releases must:

Be on foundation letterhead or a standard form with contact information, including a name and telephone number
Include "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE" written in all caps at the top
Have a compelling HEADLINE written in bold and all caps
Include the date and city
Describe the who, what, when, where and why in the body of the copy
Be double spaced, single-sided, pages numbered, and end with the symbols ###

Keep your news releases as concise as possible—ideally no more than one or two pages. With such little space to explain your news, you'll have to make every word count. Be sure to write releases in everyday language (no jargon) with a message that is clear. Place the most important information at the beginning, and use a catchy heading that will hook the reader. Of course, check the spelling and grammar before you send it out. You don't want to let a simple typo damage your credibility.

Tip: Never send an attachment in a cold email to reporters. Many news outlets have filters that strip attachments from emails. Only attach a file once you have the reporter's permission. If you send a news release by e-mail, include it in the body of the email.

How can we prepare for a media interview?

Meeting with reporters is important and exciting. Relax, but be prepared. Plan out a few key points and reiterate them. Stick to your plan and you will get your message across. Here is a list of Do's and Don'ts for talking with the news media:

DO's:

Be proactive. Instead of waiting for the media to contact you, call them with the information.
Write down two or three points you want to make and use them early in the exchange.
Tell the truth.
Watch your body language and maintain eye contact.
If you cannot answer a question, say "I don't know" and promise to get back to the reporter within a short time period (one hour or one day, for example). Ask when the reporter's deadline is and meet it.
Keep answers brief and focused. Stay on message.
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Convey your message over and over again.
Speak in clear, everyday language and take time answering questions.
Spell out names when talking to a reporter.
Remain calm even if hostile questions are asked.

DON'Ts:

Don't speculate. Stick to the facts.
Don't be long-winded. Try to find the shortest possible way to answer a question.
Don't say "no comment." It implies guilt.
Don't become emotional or defensive.
Don't say anything "off the record." Even if reporters tell you they are collecting background information, be aware that everything you say could still be used as a direct quote.
Don't annoy reporters. They have the last word.

What goes in a press kit?

A press kit is a package you assemble for the media and others to help them understand what you do and to assist them in covering a specific event. Press kits are living, changing documents that should be continuously updated with important background information, statistics, news, fact sheets, publications, and any other pertinent materials. The press kit can be sent in advance to targeted media or handed out as they arrive to an event.

Press kits usually include the following:

a statement of the foundation's mission and vision
a fact sheet about the foundation
a pertinent news release
the most recent newsletter
a brochure or handout outlining the message platform
a brief statement on the foundation's background and history
bios of the CEO/president and/or other key staff
relevant charts, graphs, or figures
photos, if possible
recent press clips about the foundation
contact information, including the foundation's website address

Questions?

Connect with Council Staff

Marketing & Communications

Related Events

Related Resources

Getting Started With Social Media

council-webteam — Sat, 16 Nov 2013 21:25:57 +0000

Getting Started With Social Media council-webteam Sat, 11/16/2013 - 16:25

Getting Started With Social Media

Social media is an increasingly prevalent part of our world. Whether it’s on the news, sitting in traffic, or talking with colleagues, you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid mention of Facebook or Twitter. Is there a good way for your foundation to become involved?

Perhaps your board chair suggested that your foundation join Facebook. Maybe you connected with other foundation leaders on LinkedIn and noticed their foundations had established LinkedIn profiles and discussion groups. Perhaps you were intrigued by the Council on Foundations’ use of Twitter during its most recent conference. Whatever your reasons, the goal of this guide is to demystify the world of social media and give you some practical first steps to incorporate social media into your organization.

Why should my foundation use social media?
In this day of on-demand information, people don’t want to read long articles or to wait a week to receive the latest news. Social media offers concise and immediate bursts of information to a broad audience.

Social media can help you...

Reach and interact with a new audience

Unlike with other forms of communication, a social media audience has self-selected to follow your foundation to receive information. This means you have a captive audience that wants to hear from you. The audience may also comprise a different set of demographics than supporters who engage in other ways. Who will be your target audience for social media: grantees, other philanthropic entities, or the general public? The goals of your overall communications strategy will determine your target audience.

Make your foundation more accessible and approachable

Social media can remedy a perceived power imbalance between grantmaker and grantee by providing an informal setting for interaction. It can promote ongoing and dynamic dialogue about lessons learned from previous grants, innovative solutions to issues, trending topics in the field, and other news and events. What you hear online from your stakeholders may differ from what those engaged in more traditional ways have to say.

Promote a culture of transparency and openness

A robust social media presence expresses your foundation’s commitment to openness and accountability by making its activities more transparent. Such openness helps demystify the grantmaking process and promote public trust.

Listen to and join the conversation

Like it or not, your foundation is coming up in virtual conversation, and you need to participate in that discussion. Although you’re still in the majority among your philanthropic peers if your foundation hasn’t embraced social media, your nonprofit counterparts surely are engaged. According to Larry Blumenthal of Open Source Advisors, about 15 percent of the largest 100 foundations have blogs, while 37 percent are on Facebook, and 31 percent are on Twitter. According to the“2011 Nonprofit Social Network Benchmark Report,” 89 percent of nonprofits are on Facebook, and 57 percent are on Twitter. Many discussions happening online may interest to you—and some may even mention your foundation. By having a social media presence, you can participate in and control the dialogue and be knowledgeable about trends related to your grantmaking.

What are the most common social media platforms?

Blogs offer commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video in an interactive format on a website. Grantmakers often create blogs to share perspectives on issues, the grantmaking process, or to promote their grantees’ work. In 2011, more than 150 million public blogs existed.

Facebook is a social networking service that allows individuals or organizations to create a free public profile that appears as a Web page. Individuals can “friend” profiles and follow their friends’ status updates to remain connected. Users can also “like” a foundation’s public page to receive updates. A strong Facebook page should include the foundation’s basic profile, its grantmaking priorities, grantee information, and contact information. Use the page to share information on issues, the latest news, and upcoming events. As of 2011, Facebook had more than 600 million active users.

LinkedIn is a business-related social media service designed to facilitate networking. Registered users maintain a list of personal and professional “connections.” These users can access the profiles of their primary and second-degree connections. They can also create professional groups in which participants can have free moderated discussions on topics of interest. As of 2011, LinkedIn had more than 100 million active users.

Twitter is a social information and microblogging network that allows users to send short, immediate messages, called “tweets,” to other subscribers or “followers.” Tweets are posts of up to 140 characters displayed on the user's profile page. Users see the posts of all “tweeters” they follow displayed as a news feed. Grantmakers can group posts together by topic by using the hashtag – words or phrases prefixed with a "#" sign.

For example, Council conference attendees might tweet status updates using the hashtag #2012annualconf. Interested followers could then search and read all public posts connected to that hashtag. The "@" sign followed by a username is used for mentioning or replying to other users. As of 2011, Twitter had more than 200 million active users.

YouTube is a free video-sharing platform that allows users to upload, share, and view videos. Grantmakers can create and share videos that communicate foundation strategies, philanthropic trends, and best practices. Increasingly, YouTube is integrated into other social media platforms as an interactive way to share information.

What steps should we take to start using social media?

Listen and track the information being presented on social media channels.
You can “listen” to online dialogue even before you are ready to participate. What is being communicated about philanthropic trends? What are other funders saying? What are your grantees saying? What are others saying about your foundation? In particular, Twitter is a good way to see what topics are trending. You should also follow other foundations or review their Facebook page to see the type and frequency of information that they post. What information will you share? What pages do other foundations “like”? By determining other foundations’ social media strategies and knowing what trends are being discussed, you will be better prepared to develop your own strategy.
Define your foundation’s social media goals and focus.
Even though your foundation can have multiple goals for social media, pick a primary focus for the first six months. Do you hope to build awareness of a new grantmaking initiative? Do you hope to connect with new supporters? Do you hope to connect with your grantees in more meaningful ways? As you start out, make sure your posts reflect your primary goal.
Consider which social media sites will benefit your work the most.
Don’t go overboard initially. Instead, start with one site and gradually build your social media presence, rather than join too many and not be able to maintain them. Facebook’s and LinkedIn’s many users require a minimal amount of maintenance time. You might consider adding Twitter later, as it generally requires more frequent posts, or “tweets,” to drive the discussion.
Integrate social media into your overall communications strategy.
Social media tools should be used as a part of, and work in concert with, your overall communications strategy. Regardless of whether your communications team is responsible for managing your foundation’s social media presence, a targeted strategy for social media should be integrated into the overall communications strategy.
Develop a social media calendar and identify your social media manager.
What: Decide in advance what you will post each week, whether it’s events, deadlines, trends, or research. Set an informal schedule that aligns with your overall communications calendar, so you don’t have to scramble for a topic.
When: Decide on the frequency of your posts. For Facebook, the general guideline is to post at least once a week, and no more than three times per day. For Twitter, you may tweet as much as you like—be sure to use a #hashtag to allow your followers to track discrete or trending subjects.
Who: Decide who at the organization will be the primary contact for your social media. Establish a policy for social media use across the organization, including those who will have access to your foundation’s account.
Develop a social media policy.
Your foundation should have a clearly defined social media policy to ensure all staff members understand its appropriate uses. Some issues to consider as you create your foundation’s policy include:
- Ensure that all users are trained in the proper use of social media and that your policy lists the minimum training requirements.
- Establish goals and metrics for use of social media.
- Be sure to check all facts (statistics, citations, grantmaking information, and event dates) before posting anything.
- Establish guidelines about who can participate on social media sites on behalf of the foundation or as individuals and how often they are expected to be involved.
- Consider ways to protect your confidential and proprietary information.
- Respect copyrights and fair-use statements if you are sharing external resources with the public.
- Have a clear definition in your policy to underscore the distinction between public and personal information.

Marketing & Communications

Philanthropy's New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language

Philanthropy's New Voice: Building Trust With Deeper Stories and Clear Language

Questions?

Related Resources

Related Events

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy

Better Stories, Better Language: A New Voice for Philanthropy

Speakers:

In Partnership With:

Speakers

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

Community Foundation Week 2023 Resources

Community Foundation Week 2023 Resources

Celebrating National Community Foundation Week November 12-18: Engage with Your Local Community Today!

Sample Press Release

Sample Social Media

CFWeek Graphics

Sample Fact Sheet

Questions?

Webinar Recording: Words Matter: Getting Your Communications Ready for #CFWeek

Webinar Recording: Words Matter: Getting Your Communications Ready for #CFWeek

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

Community Foundation Marketing Toolkits

Community Foundation Marketing Toolkits

Visit the Marketing Materials Hub

For Good. For Ever. Positioning Statement

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

Charitable IRA Portfolio

Charitable IRA Portfolio

Download Document

Questions?

Related Resources

Related Events

Giving Days

Giving Days

Knight Foundation Giving Day Playbook

Giving Tuesday

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations

The Four Ps of Marketing: A Roadmap to Greater Visibility for Community Foundations

Go to External Resource

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

Working with the Media

Working with the Media

What are the challenges of working with the media?

How do we prepare to work with the media?

Who at our foundation should work with the media?

Meeting the Media

How do we build relationships with members of the media?

How do we get the media interested in our foundation?

What makes the news?

Pitching a Story

How do we pitch stories?

Step One: Prepare a news release

Step Two: Follow up

Step Three: Be interviewed

What should a news release include?

How can we prepare for a media interview?

DO's:

DON'Ts:

What goes in a press kit?

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources

Getting Started With Social Media

Getting Started With Social Media

Questions?

Related Events

Related Resources