Nonprofits Can't Rely on Pro Bono for It All

By Lisa Brusio Coster



Just as the size and type of nonprofit organizations vary, so do the way they conduct and budget for public relations (PR) and marketing. There are large nonprofits, such as those that serve as member associations, that are staffed with employees in all disciplines of communications. Then, there are family foundations or direct services organizations that may employ only one staff member and a handful of volunteers who attempt to perform all the necessary tasks.

Some local nonprofits, such as the Association of Community Services Howard County, j-ref and the Howard Hospital Foundation, do not have public relations or marketing personnel on staff, but budget for public relations and/or marketing consultants. Others rely on pro bono assistance for their public relations efforts or special event management.

Those nonprofit organizations that operate without sizeable communications budgets generally depend upon donor agencies or pro bono assistance. As such, they often lack the resources to launch a successful public relations campaign and the knowledge and interest among general staff members to implement such a campaign.



Underestimating Value

The executive director of j-ref, Michael Mobley has worked in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. He says organizations on both sides of the fence that do not budget for public relations and/or marketing often do not understand the value of those services.

"It is not always a matter of budget. Organizations that believe marketing and PR are soft services feel they can do it themselves," he said. "While they can get an ad in the paper, they lose sight of the fact that their communications need to be coordinated. They underestimate the messaging that goes along with it."

Nonprofits need accounting services because they have certain reporting requirements. They need to rely on human resources professionals because they can get sued. Foundations and charities hire sophisticated development officers to raise funds and lobbyists to protest their interests. Public relations and marketing should be treated in the same vein.

"Nonprofits like j-ref have services we have to sell, and people have to understand our services," said Mobley. "It is important to create appropriate messages and to create a particular image, to touch people in various venues so that they see, hear and learn about our brand. Nonprofits need to put money in the budget for these services."



Marketing on a Shoestring

One way nonprofits can alleviate the financial stress of developing and implementing a communications plan is to seek out other like-minded organizations for co-promotions and co-advertising opportunities. Two small budgets can be better than one.

Secondly, charities and foundations that do not include annual communications expenses in their budget can instead fund for events or small initiatives. If they hire a marketer as a subcontractor, for instance, they save on the expenses of employment. Many times, communications professionals who work as independent practitioners will charge a special nonprofit rate, as well.

Public relations professional Karen Lubieniecki, of KAL/PR (and also an occasional writer for The Business Monthly), is one who discounts her rate for nonprofits at the start of an engagement. In addition, she is careful how she allocates her time and talents to charities.

"I recognize that small nonprofits often have limited budgets, and so I do reduce my hourly fee for them," said Lubieniecki. "I try to give my 'free' - both in terms of what I charge and what personal time I have available - to causes to which I'm personally committed. But I also recognize the practical potential business benefits of some pro bono work. When a business colleague asks for help with his or her personal cause, it can be tricky."

Third, nonprofits should tap their resources, starting first with conducting proper board development and building strong steering committees loaded with professionals who have passion, time and talents.

"Nonprofits that do not budget for communications services can instead build their board with the skills of public relations and marketing professionals. It's a win-win for the professional and the organization," said Lubieniecki.

Lastly, organizations can solicit pro bono assistance from communications professionals for short-term goals or project work. Organizations are best served by approaching professionals, staff members or board members who are already emotionally vested in the organization.



'Get What You Pay For'

If that pool of talent is not deep enough, the talents of professionals in the geographic area or field of interest that matches the organization may be used to support the cause. Before engaging a PR pro or top-notch marketer, though, nonprofits need to be honest and realistic with the professional about their needs and budget, if any. If the organization brings some value to the table, the negotiation will go further with the pro bono candidate. For example, charities can offer free advertising at events and foundations can offer board positions.

Mobley noted, "Be careful of the pro bono hire. Sometimes you get what you pay for. To consistently ask someone to compromise the generation of revenue is not fair. We all have matters of the heart that we give our time to, but don't expect it across the board."

Communications services provide a wealth of value, including strategic planning, advertising, branding and media relations, just to name a few of the tools necessary to operate a nonprofit successfully. These services require the research, knowledge and implementation of a professional. Including communications services in the nonprofit budget, no matter what the size, makes the organization stronger in the long run.



Lisa Brusio Coster is the president of Coster Communications Ltd., a public relations firm based in Marriottsville. Follow her on Twitter @lbcoster, find her at www.independentpr.com/profile/coster, write her at lbcoster@costercommunications.com or call her at 410-442-3734.