TL;DR: Nonprofit teams are stretched thin, facing shifting donor expectations, burnout, and tighter budgets. This 10-step checklist breaks down what works in 2025—from data-smart content planning and digital accessibility to the practical use of AI and workflow tools. Whether you’re leading comms, fundraising, or both, this post helps you build a sustainable marketing plan with real impact.
Nonprofit marketing can feel overwhelming, especially with limited resources and multiple goals. This checklist simplifies the process into 10 actionable steps that help you connect with supporters, improve collaboration, and track results. Here’s a quick overview:
- Review Current Marketing: Analyze what works and what doesn’t using metrics like engagement and conversion rates.
- Know Your Audiences: Create profiles based on demographics, motivations, and behaviors to tailor your outreach.
- Create Clear Brand Messages: Develop consistent, impactful stories that resonate with your supporters.
- Build Online Presence: Optimize your website, leverage social media, and use basic SEO to expand your reach.
- Create Content Schedule: Plan engaging content around key events and use a mix of formats like stories, updates, and appeals.
- Connect Through Email: Segment email lists and focus on mobile-friendly, personalized campaigns.
- Use Data Tools: Track donor behavior with a central database and measure key metrics like retention and lifetime value.
- Connect Teams: Align marketing, fundraising, and advocacy teams to ensure consistent messaging and shared goals.
- Plan Your Budget: Allocate funds wisely, focusing on staff, digital tools, and measurable outcomes.
- Track and Improve: Regularly review performance data and refine your strategies based on results.
Creating A Nonprofit Marketing Plan To Boost Growth In 2025
Step 1: Review Current Marketing
Take stock of your current marketing efforts to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and where there’s room for improvement. This review lays the groundwork for every marketing decision moving forward.
Marketing Review
Start by gathering data from the past year’s marketing activities. Perform a SWOT analysis to evaluate your current position. Key areas to examine include:
- Digital presence: Website performance, social media engagement, email campaign metrics
- Print materials: Brochures, newsletters, and direct mail results
- Event marketing: Outcomes from fundraising events and community outreach
- Partnership efforts: Corporate sponsorships and media collaborations
- Marketing tools: Evaluate software, databases, and automation platforms
Check Audience Response
Analyze how your stakeholders engage with your marketing using key performance indicators (KPIs):
| Metric | Data | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement | Email open rates, social shares, comments | Measures how relevant your content is |
| Conversion | Donation rates, volunteer sign-ups, event attendance | Tracks how effective your calls to action are |
| Retention | Donor retention rate, volunteer return rate | Reflects the strength of ongoing relationships |
| Reach | Website traffic, social media followers, email list growth | Shows how much your audience is expanding |
Set SMART goals for each channel. For instance, instead of saying, “We want more donations”, aim to increase monthly recurring donations through a specific email campaign. Tackling one goal at a time with these insights can lead to better outcomes and a sharper strategy.
Step 2: Know Your Audiences
Getting to know your nonprofit’s supporters is key to creating messages that truly connect. By understanding who they are and what drives them, you can create content that speaks directly to their interests and reasons for supporting your cause.
Build Audience Profiles
Creating donor profiles helps you uncover who supports your nonprofit and why. To do this, focus on three main types of data:
| Data Type | Key Details | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Demographic | Age, income, location, education | Identifies the basic traits of your supporters |
| Psychographic | Values, attitudes, lifestyle | Explains the motivations behind their support |
| Behavioral | Giving history, preferred channels, engagement level | Shows how they interact with your organization |
Use tools like your donor database, website analytics, and direct interviews with supporters to gather this information. For example, an Alzheimer’s support group might discover that many of their engaged donors are middle-aged professionals personally impacted by the condition.
Group Similar Audiences
Once you’ve built profiles, organize your supporters into groups based on their level of involvement. This makes it easier to customize your communication and manage resources effectively.
- Active Donors: People who donate regularly or make recurring contributions.
- Volunteers: Individuals who give their time and skills to support your cause.
- Corporate Partners: Businesses that offer sponsorships or provide in-kind support.
- Community Advocates: Supporters who spread the word about your mission within their networks.
- Event Participants: Those who attend or contribute to your fundraising events.
Step 3: Create Clear Brand Messages
Once you understand your audience, the next step is crafting a brand message that connects with all your supporters. A clear and consistent message helps donors, volunteers, and advocates grasp your mission and its impact.
Tell Your Story
Your story should highlight real outcomes and resonate emotionally with your audience. To make your narrative effective, focus on these elements:
| Story Element | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Mission Impact | Demonstrates measurable results | UNICEF Canada ties stories to specific programs |
| Beneficiary Voice | Creates emotional engagement | Habitat for Humanity Canada shares family stories |
| Call to Action | Encourages involvement | Canadian Cancer Society emphasizes audience roles |
Use specific examples—like statistics, testimonials, and evidence of impact—to make your story compelling.
“Establishing brand guidelines boosts visibility and comprehension. Consistency within the visual and messaging elements of your brand is incredibly effective and will drive awareness and comprehension.” — Angela de Burger, Communications Professional
Keep Messages Uniform
A style guide is essential for maintaining consistency across all communication channels. Here’s what it should include:
- Voice and Tone: Define your nonprofit’s personality—whether professional but friendly, passionate yet balanced, or bold and direct.
- Key Message Framework: Center messages around your main program pillars, like UNICEF’s child-focused mission areas.
- Visual Standards: Set rules for logo usage, colors, fonts, and photography style. Consistency builds trust.
Step 4: Build Online Presence
Your website is your digital home base. A strong presence improves credibility and expands your reach—especially important as donors and volunteers increasingly find causes online.
Optimize Your Website
Make sure your site is easy to use and reflects your mission clearly.
| Area | Focus | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Page load time | Compress images, use caching |
| Mobile-Friendly | Responsive design | Test on multiple screen sizes |
| Donations | Streamlined process | Use clear CTAs and minimal fields |
| Accessibility | Inclusive design | Add alt text, captions, keyboard navigation |
Enhance Social Media
Pick 2–3 platforms that align with your audience. Use them consistently to share updates, showcase impact, and drive engagement. Schedule posts in advance to save time.
Apply Basic SEO
Even small SEO wins add up. Use keywords in headings, URLs, and image alt text. Tools like Ubersuggest and Answer the Public can help with research.
Step 5: Create a Content Schedule
Structure your content around key moments throughout the year. This keeps your outreach proactive rather than reactive.
| Quarter | Focus | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | New year, donor onboarding | Share vision, success metrics, upcoming plans |
| Q2 | Spring campaigns | Celebrate volunteers, share testimonials |
| Q3 | Back to school | Promote youth initiatives, gear up for Giving Tuesday |
| Q4 | Year-end giving | Launch appeals, share annual reports, donor highlights |
Step 6: Connect Through Email
Email still drives donations. Prioritize list hygiene, segmentation, and design that works on mobile. Track open rates, but optimize for clicks.
Step 7: Use Data Tools
Use analytics tools to see what’s working—and what’s not. Google Analytics 4, Meta’s event manager, and your CRM’s reports can reveal supporter behaviors and content performance.
AI for Nonprofits: Scale Thoughtfully, Not Just Quickly
AI is no longer just for tech giants. Nonprofits are increasingly using artificial intelligence to reduce manual work, personalize donor outreach, and optimize fundraising campaigns—without breaking the budget.
- Fundraising Boosters: Tools like Fundraise Up use machine learning to recommend ideal donation amounts and increase conversion.
- Content Generation: AI writing tools (like Jasper or ChatGPT) help create draft emails, social posts, or donor appeals that your team can refine and personalize.
- Donor Insights: Platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce use AI-powered scoring to highlight high-potential leads and automate follow-ups.
Tip: Start small. One newsletter, one chatbot, or one automation can free up hours of staff time—without losing your human voice.
Enhance Digital Accessibility
Accessibility isn’t just a legal checkbox—it’s essential for inclusion. For nonprofits especially, digital equity reflects mission integrity.
- Website: Use alt text for images, proper header tags, and keyboard navigation support.
- Social Media: Add captions to videos and use image descriptions in posts.
- Documents: Ensure PDFs and resources are screen reader-friendly with proper formatting.
Free tools like WAVE by WebAIM and axe DevTools can help check your content.
Step 8: Connect Teams
Break down silos between fundraising, marketing, programs, and leadership. Create a shared calendar, hold cross-functional meetings, and align around your most urgent goals. Internal collaboration = external clarity.
Step 9: Plan Your Budget
Map spending to results—not just line items. Use last year’s performance data to forecast impact this year. Prioritize flexible dollars for testing new ideas. Don’t forget to factor in staff time and mental health.
Step 10: Track and Improve
Make performance review a regular habit. Look at traffic, conversions, bounce rates, and channel performance. Even 10 minutes a week can help you catch what’s working and tweak what’s not.
Next Steps
Start with one of the 10 areas and commit to improving it over the next 30 days. If you need help building a smarter, calmer nonprofit marketing system, we’d love to help.
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