Nonprofits Must Tell Donors About Solutions if They Expect to Win the Public’s Trust

We’re living in a post-trust era. And it’s that fact—not merely a faltering economy or a dysfunctional political system—that’s led to a tough few years for nonprofit institutions.

The questions of how we got here and who is responsible are up for debate. What isn’t up for debate is that government is seen as dangerously partisan and ineffectual.

Large financial firms are seen as predators, not partners. And many view the big institutions that used to help define and unite us—churches, schools, the news media—with skepticism, if not outright scorn.

Unfortunately, nonprofits aren’t immune from the public’s growing distrust toward all things big. Causes that used to be fairly uncontroversial, like Head Start and Planned Parenthood, are now flashpoints in our national debates. As Americans have grown more suspicious of each other’s motives and convinced that our problems are intractable, the ability of nonprofits to marshal wide swaths of public support has diminished.

True, reports suggest that charitable giving is finally on the rise again, but most nonprofit organizations have learned the hard way that we’re living in a different world. Successfully navigating these uncharted waters of the post-trust era is about much more than just economics. It’s about absorbing how potential donors’ worldviews have changed and what we must do to continue to thrive.

Whether it’s selling a new product or securing more money, convincing skeptical audiences to act is more difficult than ever. This deepening distrust creates a communication gap between organizations and their audiences.

Fortunately, after talking to hundreds of Americans about where, how, and why they did give, we’ve uncovered four smart ways for nonprofits to break through in this post-trust era.

More guiding principles than unbending rules, these tactics will help organizations connect with potential donors in ways that increase awareness, build trust, and motivate them to support good causes.

Play the long game. While it’s natural to focus on immediate needs—feeding a hungry child, clothing a homeless person, or helping a teenager graduate from high school—people are weary of short-term fixes. For today’s donors, organizations that are looking at long-term solutions that can result in “generational change” and “breaking the cycle” are powerful themes that actually move people to act. Donors want to support institutions with a realistic, long-term view of the problems they’re helping to solve.

Focus on solutions, not just problems. Obviously many nonprofits must first call attention to problems before they can ask donors for money to help solve them, but they should do so cautiously.

Chances are that the people a nonprofit seeks out for help already know that the issues it is fighting for are real. What they wonder is whether the organization can really do anything about it. Yes, child poverty and cleft palates are terrible, but how will your group make a meaningful difference?

Too much energy is spent trying to pull people’s heartstrings by focusing on the problem rather than showing that the organization can deliver solutions. Instead of quantifying problems, quantify solutions.

Help people help themselves. For many organizations, the goal should not be what you can do for recipients but rather how you can help people help themselves. Many people in need want to be good providers for themselves, their families, and even neighbors and others in their community. But the language of many charities is too focused on what the nonprofit can do rather than on what the resources the nonprofit provides will allow people to do for themselves.

The words organizations use matter greatly. Rather than talking about helping the “poor” or “disadvantaged,” nonprofits must adopt the language of positive action: providing more opportunities to those in need; and helping people with the strength and resources to move forward.

Don’t over-promise—attack the achievable. It’s said you should shoot for the moon because even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.

Well, not in this case. While a nonprofit’s goals may be lofty, donors don’t want to think it’s shooting for the moon. Their skepticism leads them to lower expectations of what an organization can realistically accomplish, so the group’s communications should reflect that. Messages that talk about goals deemed unrealistic such as eradicating poverty can actually cause a group to lose credibility and support.

In short, nonprofits should use their communications to set up achievable milestones. No donor expects radical changes overnight. For many, the idea of making even a small, positive difference is a win. Focus on the impact of individuals, families, or communities while promising gradual progress instead of revolutionary strides.

Developing successful communication for a post-trust era is achievable. But it takes work. It takes seeing the world through your audience’s eyes—and crafting messages that address that new worldview.