Hundreds of billions in federal funding cuts. Grants cancelled. Income frozen. One in three nonprofits reported a decline in federal funding and/or state or local grants in 2025.
And yet, the need is greater than ever, client and patient wait lists are surging across nonprofits that address hunger, homelessness, mental health, and more. My client Hope For The Warriors in D.C. has seen a record number of requests for food and financial assistance. Beyond Hunger in Illinois is searching for new space to expand access to free groceries, while budgets shrink around them. In North Carolina, where our client Partners for Impact is headquartered, child homelessness is at crisis levels, with state advocates estimating more than 32,000 children under age 6 experience homelessness every year. Suicide rates continue to spike among veterans and first responders. According to the National Institutes of Health, career firefighters report lifetime suicidal ideation as high as 46.8%.
We can’t slow down. We can’t stop and just let our doors shutter.
The obvious next step is to cut costs temporarily wherever you can. Diversify your revenue through corporate partnerships, relaunch monthly giving programs, expand your major gifts program with a focus on urgency or emergency funding. Keep advocating for the release of government funds. You might even start talking about a merger. I’m seeing all of my nonprofit friends taking exactly these steps.
But let me be clear: You won’t win those dollars or those partners without a strong, clear message and a brand that makes clear exactly what you do that’s different and why that matters. You must go in with a compelling story and a clear ask.
We marketing and communications folks put that under the banner of “brand.” But if that feels funny to you (because you think brand and you think logo), that’s fine. Take the label off and prioritize these three steps.
Step One: Make a List of 5-7 Value Propositions.
These are your selling points or unique selling propositions (USPs), core features or strategies or identifiers that make your organization special and worth the investment. They are the areas where your organization shines. It is not a list of services. It’s the way you provide services or offerings that are unique.
At St. Andrews Lutheran Church and School in Park Ridge, IL, it’s their prime location next to the commuter train, their small teacher to student ratio, and the close-knit community feel. At Pillars Community Health, it’s their 100-year history of innovating around local mental health and domestic violence needs–they have regularly been the first to the plate creating solutions in the community. At Nonprofit Allies, it’s their development consultants’ depth of experience and ability to jump right into a nonprofit as the need arises.
What are the unique selling points of your nonprofit organization? What makes you stand out from other organizations who do what you do?
(Note: A brief brand audit can make these value propositions obvious.)
Step Two: Turn Your Boilerplate Into a Positioning Statement.
Your boilerplate is that standardized language you use to describe your organization in every grant application and every About Us web page and brochure. The problem with many boilerplates is that they simply describe the what–often they’re just a list of services. Your boilerplate needs to make clear your why.
Why does your 501c3 continue to work toward this mission? What are you ultimately trying to accomplish? What happens if that mission isn’t accomplished?
The easiest way to parse this out is to develop a positioning statement (more marketing speak!). It’s usually a couple of sentences that articulate your target audience, primary benefit (your most compelling value proposition), and what differentiates you from others doing similar work. Since you’re going to use this everywhere as part of your boilerplate going forward, it’s smart to create it with key stakeholders, rather than alone. Ask for input from your staff, board, donors, partners, and clients. They stay involved for a reason. Find out what that is.
(As part of brand strategy, Flicker Media runs focus groups and surveys to craft nonprofit positioning statements, if you need help.)
Step Three: Make Your Ask Stand Out.
Now you know what makes you unique and how you want to say it. But up until now, we haven’t actually asked for anything. This is where a strong, clear appeal with eye-catching design closes the deal.
When you make your ask, don’t dance around it. Say it plainly, with urgency. No generic “You can make a difference” or “support us today” statements. Tell us what you need:
To stop the veteran suicide rate from climbing even higher, we need $X by X date to purchase software that will help us identify and intervene when veterans express suicidal ideation. To house 30 more children in the next 6 months, we need $X by X date; would you contribute $200 toward this goal?
Now we turn our attention to making it pretty. I’ve heard so many nonprofit folks over the years say they don’t want to design things because then people think their funds are being used for design instead of direct services. The reality is, when your design looks dated or subpar, it gives funders the sense that your organization is dated and subpar. I will always urge clients to work with a designer, particularly on pieces that are aiming to bring big revenue (your annual appeal, a capital campaign folder, a corporate partnership brochure, etc.). Designers are looking for work right now and the vast majority will give discounts for nonprofits. If you really truly can’t, then take advantage of AI tools like Canva for Nonprofits. These tools are free so there is no excuse for an appeal without a beautiful design.
Further, take another look at your logo and overall brand identity. Is it beautiful? Is it dated? Does it look like every other player in the space? It might be time for a rebrand or light refresh.
If you’re looking for a brand marketing partner who leads with kindness and strategy, look no further: Those are the values Flicker Media was built on. Take a look at our brand offerings, and then let’s have coffee to see if we could be good partners for your organization. Times are tough but together, we can.
And yet, the need is greater than ever, client and patient wait lists are surging across nonprofits that address hunger, homelessness, mental health, and more. My client Hope For The Warriors in D.C. has seen a record number of requests for food and financial assistance. Beyond Hunger in Illinois is searching for new space to expand access to free groceries, while budgets shrink around them. In North Carolina, where our client Partners for Impact is headquartered, child homelessness is at crisis levels, with state advocates estimating more than 32,000 children under age 6 experience homelessness every year. Suicide rates continue to spike among veterans and first responders. According to the National Institutes of Health, career firefighters report lifetime suicidal ideation as high as 46.8%.
We can’t slow down. We can’t stop and just let our doors shutter.
The obvious next step is to cut costs temporarily wherever you can. Diversify your revenue through corporate partnerships, relaunch monthly giving programs, expand your major gifts program with a focus on urgency or emergency funding. Keep advocating for the release of government funds. You might even start talking about a merger. I’m seeing all of my nonprofit friends taking exactly these steps.
But let me be clear: You won’t win those dollars or those partners without a strong, clear message and a brand that makes clear exactly what you do that’s different and why that matters. You must go in with a compelling story and a clear ask.
We marketing and communications folks put that under the banner of “brand.” But if that feels funny to you (because you think brand and you think logo), that’s fine. Take the label off and prioritize these three steps.
Step One: Make a List of 5-7 Value Propositions.
These are your selling points or unique selling propositions (USPs), core features or strategies or identifiers that make your organization special and worth the investment. They are the areas where your organization shines. It is not a list of services. It’s the way you provide services or offerings that are unique.
At St. Andrews Lutheran Church and School in Park Ridge, IL, it’s their prime location next to the commuter train, their small teacher to student ratio, and the close-knit community feel. At Pillars Community Health, it’s their 100-year history of innovating around local mental health and domestic violence needs–they have regularly been the first to the plate creating solutions in the community. At Nonprofit Allies, it’s their development consultants’ depth of experience and ability to jump right into a nonprofit as the need arises.
What are the unique selling points of your nonprofit organization? What makes you stand out from other organizations who do what you do?
(Note: A brief brand audit can make these value propositions obvious.)
Step Two: Turn Your Boilerplate Into a Positioning Statement.
Your boilerplate is that standardized language you use to describe your organization in every grant application and every About Us web page and brochure. The problem with many boilerplates is that they simply describe the what–often they’re just a list of services. Your boilerplate needs to make clear your why.
Why does your 501c3 continue to work toward this mission? What are you ultimately trying to accomplish? What happens if that mission isn’t accomplished?
The easiest way to parse this out is to develop a positioning statement (more marketing speak!). It’s usually a couple of sentences that articulate your target audience, primary benefit (your most compelling value proposition), and what differentiates you from others doing similar work. Since you’re going to use this everywhere as part of your boilerplate going forward, it’s smart to create it with key stakeholders, rather than alone. Ask for input from your staff, board, donors, partners, and clients. They stay involved for a reason. Find out what that is.
(As part of brand strategy, Flicker Media runs focus groups and surveys to craft nonprofit positioning statements, if you need help.)
Step Three: Make Your Ask Stand Out.
Now you know what makes you unique and how you want to say it. But up until now, we haven’t actually asked for anything. This is where a strong, clear appeal with eye-catching design closes the deal.
When you make your ask, don’t dance around it. Say it plainly, with urgency. No generic “You can make a difference” or “support us today” statements. Tell us what you need:
To stop the veteran suicide rate from climbing even higher, we need $X by X date to purchase software that will help us identify and intervene when veterans express suicidal ideation. To house 30 more children in the next 6 months, we need $X by X date; would you contribute $200 toward this goal?
Now we turn our attention to making it pretty. I’ve heard so many nonprofit folks over the years say they don’t want to design things because then people think their funds are being used for design instead of direct services. The reality is, when your design looks dated or subpar, it gives funders the sense that your organization is dated and subpar. I will always urge clients to work with a designer, particularly on pieces that are aiming to bring big revenue (your annual appeal, a capital campaign folder, a corporate partnership brochure, etc.). Designers are looking for work right now and the vast majority will give discounts for nonprofits. If you really truly can’t, then take advantage of AI tools like Canva for Nonprofits. These tools are free so there is no excuse for an appeal without a beautiful design.
Further, take another look at your logo and overall brand identity. Is it beautiful? Is it dated? Does it look like every other player in the space? It might be time for a rebrand or light refresh.
If you’re looking for a brand marketing partner who leads with kindness and strategy, look no further: Those are the values Flicker Media was built on. Take a look at our brand offerings, and then let’s have coffee to see if we could be good partners for your organization. Times are tough but together, we can.