Communicating the value and impact of nonprofits

A 2023 survey found that only 5.4% of respondents believed they or an immediate family member had received nonprofit services in the past year. At a time when nonprofits across the United States are facing the loss of government grants and increased scrutiny, it’s become ever more important to ensure the value and impact of nonprofits is recognized.  

One of the takeaways from a recent gathering Candid hosted for food security organizations was that “strengthening the ability of nonprofits to tell these stories—through communications training, media partnerships, and public education campaigns—would help protect and expand public investment in food security, even in a polarized environment.” 

The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) has issued a guide to help nonprofits “tell the value story of the nonprofit community, before it is defined by others.” Here’s how nonprofits can communicate their value and impact to the public, primarily through the media—with insights from Rick Cohen, NCN’s chief communications officer and chief operating officer. 

Drive the core message: Nonprofits provide critical support 

The core message on the value and impact of nonprofits is: “Nonprofits are America’s invisible backbone providing critical support to improve communities and save lives.” The guide suggests emphasizing three key points to help audiences better understand how nonprofits impact their lives for the better: 

1. Nonprofits bring people together in towns and cities of all sizes not only during crises but every day—through arts, sports, and children’s programs. 

2. Nonprofits boost the economy by providing affordable child and elder care, job training, and other support. 

3. Nonprofits offer opportunities to give back to and strengthen communities. 

Break it down into themes, data points, and examples 

The guide includes three themes that illustrate the value and impact of nonprofits—with examples and numbers that tell the stories of organizations assisting various communities.  

1. Nonprofits support large and small communities in unrecognized ways 

Many people don’t know that nonprofits serve not only major urban centers but also rural towns. In fact, 64% of U.S. nonprofits are based in suburban and rural areas, serving as lifelines for local families. In 2024, for example, World Central Kitchen served hundreds of thousands of meals to disaster victims in California, Florida, and North Carolina, while Catholic Charities supported 15 million people nationwide with essentials like food, health care, and job training. 

But why does the work of many nonprofits go unrecognized? “It’s not that the organizations aren’t communicating their value,” said Cohen. “It’s more that sometimes people don’t recognize that the organization is a nonprofit.” 

2. Nonprofits are mostly small, very local, and well managed

The public may only be familiar with large, high-profile nonprofits They may be surprised to learn that 92% operate with less than $1 million a year and run lean operations. For example, for just one dollar, Feeding America provides 10 meals—roughly 12 pounds of food. Nonprofits know how to do more with less. 

“We have always advised nonprofits to focus their communications on the impact that they make and to be transparent about what it costs to deliver that impact,” Cohen noted. “But it is important for people to know that most nonprofits aren’t large, national groups; they are the small groups embedded in their local community and making a difference in their lives every day.” 

3. Nonprofits provide critical support government does not 

Food assistance, disaster relief, and crisis support services are often provided by on-the-ground nonprofits that know where the need is most urgent. For example, more than two million women receive assistance from nonprofit domestic violence shelters each year. And Operation Homefront has provided more than $44 million in financial support to veterans and their families. 

Weave in stories of the communities and people you serve 

Media interviews are opportunities to highlight the impact and value of nonprofits—by focusing on your organization’s mission and the people you engage with. The guide recommends “weaving in the stories of your organization and most importantly, the communities and people you serve.” The impact of cuts to government grants for nonprofit services that rely on those grants directly affect those communities. 

“This is where it’s important for nonprofits to be communicating to donors and the media about the effects of these cuts, both in terms of increased demand for their services and decreased funding to meet that demand,” said Cohen. “And the focus shouldn’t be on the organization itself; it should be on the people being harmed, whether that is staff who are losing their jobs or the people the organization can’t assist because the resources aren’t there.” 

Media interviews can be uncomfortable; nonprofit leaders and staff are focused on serving their communities and aren’t used to tooting their own horns publicly. Unexpected questions can throw you off. But if you are well prepared, stay focused on the work you do for communities, and lift up the stories of the people you serve, you’ll be able to help the public better understand the value and impact of your organization—and of the nonprofit sector as a whole. And that deeper understanding will strengthen the sector and, in turn, the communities it serves. 

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