Principles & Practices Citation 

XII. C. Principle–Public Relations

Board members, staff, volunteers and friends are encouraged on their personal time to be public advocates for their charitable organizations and the entire charitable nonprofit sector at the local, state and national levels.

Practices

  1. Organization communications should identify the organization as charitable in purpose and in action.
  2. Organization should cooperate with other charitable nonprofits to inform how they collectively serve the public as charitable organizations.
  3. Organization communication should enhance public awareness and understanding about the charitable nonprofit sector as a whole.
  4. Organizations should identify specific public spokespersons.
  5. Organizations should have a procedure for developing public statements which reflect the full range of the views of the organization’s constituencies and not just the opinion of a few people.

Recommended book 

The Public Relations Handbook for Nonprofits (2005) by Art Feinglass.

Suggested online source 

The Free Management Library

Frequently Asked Questions about Public Relations

How can my organization formulate a public relations plan?

A public relations plan has four main components: research, planning, communication, and evaluation. Research includes defining the public relations problem faced by the organization then agreeing upon realistic and measurable steps to a solution. Establishing metrics will be valuable when you evaluate the success of your public relations plan. Planning involves further developing the steps you will take toward your goal such as setting a budget, how to approach the media (e.g., selecting a spokesperson, what audiences you wish to reach, what message to communicate). Communicate your agreed-upon message and execute your plan. Evaluate your success by looking at your metrics. How many people came to your functions? What could you have done better? How close did you come to your goal?

How can public relations affect my organization and how can I do it effectively?

Public relations is strengthening relationships between your organization and its publics. The relationship that you have with your publics could increase the amount of money donated by them, the quality of volunteers and employees willing to work for your organization, and the numbers of people who use your facilities and programs. Your organization needs to: 1. set up a public relations plan; 2. keep up to date on news in your community to identify areas of need and how your organization can help; 3. develop a media list that includes names, addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers of media contacts; 4. have a central message that is consistently communicated by your organization; and 5. use the media wisely. Communicate with reporters when there is something newsworthy. Be prepared for their questions. If you don’t know the answer, tell them you’ll get back to them, then do so promptly.

How do I prepare for a media interview?

When the media calls, find out what their interest is and who else they are talking to in connection with the story. Find a mutually agreeable date and time to call the reporter back. The day and time should allow the reporter to make her deadline but also give you enough time to prepare for the interview. Anticipate and be prepared for likely issues. Be open and forthright. If you don’t know the answer state that you will check and get back to the reporter right away, then do so. For an on-site interview, suggest a neutral location such as a boardroom or hallway and not your office. You might have papers visible in your office with information you are not ready to release. Journalists are good at looking around and gathering information from their surroundings, and you do not want things in your office that tell a story different from what you are trying to convey.

What are some public relations tools?

The following are tools that your organization can use to teach others about your organization:

1. Your website. This should include your organization's message, ways to contact you, current events or news involving your organization, and ways to become involved and receive more information;
2. Press releases. Press releases announce events or other newsworthy items about your organization to members of the media.
3. Brochures. Brochures should explain what your organization offers, its mission, and contact information.
4. Newsletters. These can be annual, monthly or bimonthly news and should include stories and articles about what is happening in your organization.
5. Annual reports. The annual report summarizes your organization's activities for the last year and should give a detailed report about your organization's financial status.

What is a press kit and what should I put in one?

A press kit once referred to a written package of information about an organization, however, many organizations now create online press kits or media rooms. This works especially well for nonprofits with limited budgets, plus your information is immediately available to the media. Whether printed or made available online, the components of the media kit are, for the most part, the same. The kit should contain the following:

  • an introduction letter that summarizes what your nonprofit does and what it stands for along with names and contact information for persons to be contacted for more information;
  • a page listing all enclosures; 
  • one or two recent press releases about events or programs representative of your organization's activities;
  • a one- to two-page fact sheet which can be a bulleted list stating when your nonprofit was started, relevant statistics, and notable achievements;
  • a biographical sheet with biosketches of important people in the nonprofit such as the executive director or the keynote speaker for an upcoming event with a photo if possible;
  • copies of published articles or clips of newspaper coverage of your organization;
  • literature that supplements the above information such as promotional pieces about upcoming events or a copy of the most recent annual report;
  • a business card for an executive or the communications director.

What is a public service announcement (PSA) and how do I write one?

Many radio and television stations allot a portion of their air time to broadcasting public service announcements (PSAs) for nonprofit organizations. Check with local media outlets on their policies regarding PSAs. A PSA is usually 30 to 60 seconds in length. The who, what, when, where, and why should be the focus. Be clear and concise to make it easy for people to get more information about your organization or event.

What is Public Relations?

Public relations focuses on the relationship between the organization and the public. The relationship includes news, information, crisis management, and government relations (Principles and Practices IX.C.2.).