Branding and In-Kind Partnerships Vital for NFPs
20 March 2012 at 9:33 am
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Behind the scenes. Photo: supplied |
Not for Profits must address brand, message and profile in a highly competitive funding environment and increasingly reach out for ‘in-kind’ support, says homeless organisation Youth Projects.
The message comes as the organisation reveals that a major pro bono contribution by the advertising industry has seen a cutting-edge advertisement for Youth Projects air on the Seven network.
The 60 second commercial is set in Melbourne's tourist filled lane-ways and confronts issue of youth homelessness and substance abuse.
A team of over 25 people gathered in late 2011 to produce the commercial. Well known advertising executive Grant Booker helped draft the script and assemble the production team and actors.All cast and crew contributed pro bono, with a value of around $250,000.
Youth Projects Chairman Melanie Raymond says learning how to work in partnership with the private sector enables NFPs to tap new and different sources of support.
"We're promoting our name but more importantly, raising awareness of youth homelessness and the turnaround that can be achieved, with help from the community."
"Not for Profits will need to increasingly reach out for pro bono, "in-kind support", that adds immense value in new areas that are not traditionally within our budgets. We don't always need to ask for cash," Raymond says.
“Despite its 28 year history and large size, Youth Projects lacked recognition as a "household name" and needed to promote the effectiveness of its work.”
"The production team helped us find a way to broadcast very difficult subject matter, like injecting drug use, that is honest, and for some, confronting."
Gobstopper Productions says it invested in Youth Projects due to the unique nature of the agency's approach and confidence in them as a pro bono client.
"We feel it is a modern example of the contribution of the private sector to the NFP sector, supporting Melbourne's position as a leading philanthropic city."
The convergence of generational change, online technology and a need for nonprofits to raise awareness of the impact of their activities and their relevance to the community creates a perfect storm for new ideas and new ways of doing things.
In our seminar series, Joining the Dots we predict nonprofits will face increasing costs for new workers in their organisations. They will require people with information technology expertise, for marketing and stakeholder communication and for online strategies. These are luxuries only a mere handful of larger nfp’s have at present. In future every nfp will have to engage in these activities by either hiring people or forming collaborative partnerships to share functions. http://www.johncoxon.com.au