5 Keys to Building a Nonprofit Marketing Plan
Running a nonprofit is more than having a great mission—it’s about making sure people actually hear about it. That’s where a nonprofit marketing plan comes in.
Without a plan, marketing becomes reactive—posting randomly on social media, sending a newsletter when you remember, or struggling to explain your mission to donors. A structured plan brings clarity, focus, and measurable results.
In fact, according to the Nonprofit Marketing Guide’s 2023 Trends Report, only 25% of nonprofits say they have a clear marketing strategy. The rest admit they’re “winging it”—and it shows in their donor retention rates.
Here are the five keys to building a nonprofit marketing plan that works.
1. Define Your Goals
Before choosing platforms or designing campaigns, you need clear goals. Ask: What do we want marketing to achieve this year?
For nonprofits, common goals include:
Increase donations (one-time or recurring).
Grow brand awareness.
Recruit volunteers.
Retain existing donors.
Example: If your goal is to increase recurring donations by 20%, your plan should focus on storytelling and nurturing monthly givers—not just one-time fundraising pushes.
Pro Tip: Use the SMART framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
2. Know Your Audience
Not every supporter is the same. Segment your audiences into groups and tailor messaging to them.
Key nonprofit audiences:
Donors (major, monthly, one-time)
Volunteers
Beneficiaries
Community Partners / Sponsors
According to Donorbox, nonprofits that segment donor lists see up to 760% revenue increases compared to generic outreach.
Example: Instead of sending the same newsletter to everyone, create a version for volunteers (with event invites) and one for donors (with impact updates).
3. Choose the Right Channels
With limited time and resources, don’t spread yourself thin across every platform. Choose channels where your audience is most active.
Social Media → Awareness & engagement. (71% of nonprofits say social media is effective for fundraising — Nonprofit Tech for Good).
Email Marketing → Best for donor retention. ROI = $36 for every $1 spent (Litmus).
Website & Blog → SEO builds long-term visibility and trust.
Events → Still powerful for community engagement, especially when integrated with digital promotion.
Pro Tip: Start with 2–3 strong channels you can manage well, then expand later.
4. Create Consistent Messaging & Storytelling
Your mission is your story—but it needs to be told in a way that resonates.
Best practices:
Use impact stories (before/after, real names/photos if possible).
Be transparent with numbers (“$50 feeds a family for one week”).
Use consistent tone and branding across platforms.
Example: Charity: Water grew from a small nonprofit to raising over $750M by centering everything around clean water impact stories and strong visuals (Charity: Water Annual Report).
5. Measure and Adjust
A marketing plan is only useful if you track results. Choose metrics tied to your goals:
Website traffic and SEO rankings.
Email open & click rates.
Social media engagement (shares, saves, comments).
Donor retention rate.
👉 Example: If your open rates are below the nonprofit average of 26.6% (Campaign Monitor), test new subject lines or segment your list further.
Regularly review results and adjust your tactics. Marketing isn’t “set and forget”—it’s a cycle of testing, learning, and refining.
A nonprofit marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on these five keys—goals, audience, channels, storytelling, and measurement—you’ll have a clear roadmap for growth.
Remember: the goal isn’t to do everything, it’s to do the right things consistently.
At Socials Runway, we help nonprofits build simple but powerful marketing plans that save time and grow donations. Download our free Nonprofit Marketing Plan to get started today.
