The nonprofit world is as competitive as it is supportive. For those in the nonprofit trenches, this is hardly earth shattering news. Organizations actively compete for funding, volunteers, board members, programming, services and technology. For the good people who support the work of nonprofits, this cutthroat environment may come as something of a surprise.

It’s all good, though. Really. This competition pushes organizations to innovate, achieve and exceed. In our increasingly technology-focused world, developing a clear and compelling online presence is more important than ever before.

There’s a lot of great work being done in Nashville and we’re fortunate enough to have nearly 900 registered nonprofits throughout Davidson County (Giving Matters). We browsed hundreds of websites; we visited countless Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts; and we read dozens of blogs and newsletters. We were on the hunt for clear mission statements, dynamic branding, tailored messaging, compelling content, interactive stakeholder communication and innovative fundraising and recruiting campaigns. And we struck gold.

Now that our eyes have cleared, we’d like to tip our hats to a few local nonprofits who have the online savvy to succeed and serve.

Soles4Soles

Stunning. The beautiful, image-right mobile first website is simply stunning. Their commitment to fighting poverty on a global scale through the collection and distribution of shoes and clothing is rendered poignantly through photographs of smiling volunteers, children, employees and corporate partners.

  • Branding
  • Logo and icon development
  • Concise and emotionally compelling content
  • Inspirational, educational and research-based appeals
  • Use of statistics
  • Motivational calls to action
  • Active and varied social media channels
  • Showing appreciation
  • Fiscally transparent
  • Personal, well-written blog posts featuring organization-specific photography

 

Nashville Food Project

Keeping it simple, Nashville Food Project brings “people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city.” Their modern, fast and responsive website pulls readers into the meat of their content and work.

  • Vibrant photography that tells a story
  • Blog posts that appeal to a range of stakeholders
  • Inviting social media content
  • Clear website navigation
  • Variety of ways to become involved
  • Creative infographics that incorporate relevant statistics

 

The Belcourt Theatre

Even though their doors are closed due to construction, the Belcourt is open for business online. Since 1925, the Belcourt has entertained and amused the Nashville community. Today, they seek to “engage, enrich, and education through innovative film programming.”

  • Sharing news and construction updates on social media
  • Clear development campaign messaging
  • Ongoing “pop-up” events keep supporters engaged in the mission

 

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts

The Frist’s website grabs you at first glance. Loading ever-changing and up-to-the-moment content quickly, the responsive design is striking and serves the museum’s vision “to inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways.

  • Dynamic, responsive website
  • Frequent social media updates
  • eNewsletter sign up
  • Clear, tagged content and navigation

 

Urban Green Lab

Nashville’s innovative Urban Green Lab seeks to “improve well-being through sustainable living.” Their one-of-a-kind Mobile Lab reaches diverse and underserved populations and inspires sustainable behavior and living. Making the most of limited organizational resources, their simple website targets donors, volunteers and educators with fresh and relevant content.

  • Frequent and varied blog posts
  • Great media kit with relevant links
  • Complete Team Page with great images

 

Doing More with Great Digital Marketing

To succeed in a crowded market every nonprofit needs a strong online presence supporting and advancing their important work. Branding, messaging, relevancy, planning, audience awareness and an engaging social media presence are all solid stepping stones along the path to forging personal connections and achieving maximum impact.

Start connecting with your stakeholders today. Download our free eBook, Top Newsletter Tips of 2016.