Nancy Schwartz - Articles

What is the place of nonprofit communications in the wake of disaster, particularly when even the most recent crisis of epic proportions—the January 2010 7.0 earthquake in Haiti—has generated less giving than the Hurricane Katrina relief effort?

For a nonprofit, the answer lies in the way (if any) your organization is involved in the relief effort. The following guidelines derive from an analysis of news of, and fundraising for, relief efforts in the response to the Haitian earthquake and the plight of its three million survivors in need.

For organizations providing services in the earthquake relief effort

Make it clear why your organization is well-equipped to help. Be as specific as possible.

• Partners in Health, having worked in Haiti for the last 25 years, was well positioned to provide immediate rescue help and medical care before many other relief organizations could get on the ground in Haiti. PIH immediately crafted messaging emphasizing the value of its long-established operations and relationships in Haiti, and the breadth of its services:

“For the last 25 years, Partners In Health and Zanmi Lasante (our Haitian sister organization) have been delivering community-based care that extends well beyond the hospital. It involves building houses, bringing clean water, and providing emotional and social support to those in need. While the enormous task of treating people physically injured by the earthquake still looms large before us, we cannot ignore the mental health injuries that are also ubiquitous at a time like this, particularly for those who were already living on the margins, suffering from the vicious cycle of poverty and disease.”

•  The International Rescue Committee’s(IRC) online appeal focuses on its rescue staff’s expertise:

“Our specialists are veteran first responders who have quickly set up effective emergency programs around the world during violent conflicts and natural disasters. They also have a long history of working closely and effectively with local aid organizations.”

Communicate broadly, clearly and visually (if possible) about how donations are managed, where they are going and what your organization’s relief effort is achieving. That comes after thanking donors immediately (and often) and adding them to your donor database for follow up. Interest in the relief effort fades much more quickly than your organization’s need for support.

More immediately, you’ll need reliable, timely reporting out, even though you’re frequently working with technological and logistical constraints. This is the time to put Web 2.0 tools, from Skype to Twitter, to work for all they’re worth. Communicating on disaster relief work is where these tools make a huge difference in sharing the focus and impact of your work on the ground in real time via podcast, photos and/or video.

• Partners in Health(PIH) reached out immediately for donations to fund medical care for Haitian survivors of the earthquake. The PIH team started reporting out to donors immediately via emails every second or third day, and Stand with Haiti, a website covering the relief effort and featuring videos, interviews, a blog and instant updates from the field (via Twitter).
• The American Red Cross’ home page features its work in Haiti, and ongoing campaign to raise more funds.  Its report-out on aid and impact is outstanding, with weekly podcasts from the field, photos of its work on the ground and a constant stream of news on relief work.The Red Cross has done an admirable job of deflating fears about its potential to repeat its flops in previous relief efforts, spearheaded by this on-the-ground video of Red Cross president Gail McGovern. McGovern speaks specifically on dollars used to date and how they’ve been allocated.
• Doctors without Borders(MSF) just released this eye-opening video to convey how relief needs have changed in the two weeks since the earthquake. It serves to motivate additional donations while emphasizing MSF’s capacity to provide the aid that is needed, even as those needs change over time.

Be thoughtful in your use of graphic photos of the disaster.

• The press is working for you by publicizing shocking photos of the disaster (not to mention the videos floating around YouTube, and the tens of thousands of photos on Flickr).
• Some journalists argue that graphic photos (such as those of dead children) are too much. Others assert that the seriousness of disasters like this one necessitates the use of photos to convey the gravity of the situations, especially to a jaded U.S. audience in the midst of an economic downturn.

Follow-up to transition disaster donors into loyal donors.

• Giselle Holloway, IRC’s Director of Direct Response, reminds us that “a person doesn’t truly become a donor until they make their second gift. When donors join your organization through an emergency, you need to start cultivating them immediately so you can retain them after the crisis is over. Send them an e-mail or letter that thanks them for their support, welcomes them to your organization and educates them about your broader mission. You also might want to make welcome phone calls to new donors at higher giving levels or try to convert them to monthly giving. And don’t forget to send all your new donors updates on a regular basis that show how their gift is making a difference.”

For organizations fundraising for aid efforts, but not directly providing aid

Be proactive and specific in conveying the process for distributing donations and where/how/when the money will be spent.

• United Jewish Federations of North America(UJF) launched a mini-site to solicit donations for nonsectarian earthquake relief efforts, carried out through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee(JDC), a 94-year-old humanitarian aid organization that works in over 60 countries worldwide. “Funds are being collected on a non-sectarian basis as part of JDC’s International Development Program(IDP) which responds to natural and manmade disasters, providing immediate relief and long-term assistance.”

Explain why your organization has chosen to get involved as a pass through for donations.

• This role, which is probably an unusual one for your organization, has the potential to confuse your established audiences. Help them understand what you are doing, and why.
• UJF does a great job of explaining why it’s getting involved in raising money for relief work. Several reasons are cited including its ability to reach out to its national network of Federations to encourage them to raise for money for JDC’s relief work (a fundraising machine, already in place); its funding of the Israel Defense Forces field hospital, the first portable medical facility operational in Haiti; and working with the National Association of Jewish Chaplains to mobilize chaplains trained in disaster spiritual care and partnering with the American Red Cross for deployment.

For other nonprofits continuing with fundraising and communications outreach

Be sensitive to inappropriate pitches.

• You may actually go as far as to acknowledge the magnitude of the earthquake and cyclone disasters, and the contributions your donors and prospects are likely to have made. In doing so, you craft the opportunity to talk about your issues (hunger, shelter and health are directly related) and/or service recipients and the fact that these needs persist in the face of these tragedies.Fundraiser Jeff Brooks characterizes disaster giving as “above-and-beyond giving,” and cautions, “There’s no need to take away from the need in Haiti. Relief giving is not taking gifts away from you.”
• Remember that your audiences have been immersed, whether they have wanted to be or not, in disaster coverage.

Relate your work to relief work when relevant—but don’t overstate.

• Make sure you don’t overstate a connection between your organization, services or programs and the disaster.
• At the same time, acknowledge the earthquake. Pretending the disaster didn’t happen is the worst mistake your organization can make. And hunger is hunger, be it among survivors in Port-au-Prince or Philadelphians living in poverty.

Continue with your planned communications and fundraising campaigns.

• Don’t get nervous and pull the plug on carefully designed plans. Yep, many journalists are focused on earthquake relief coverage and other front-page news. But if you have a timely pitch, make it.
• However, if you are planning a once-a-year bash or fundraising campaign and it coincides with the week of a disaster, consider delaying it. Otherwise, full steam ahead.

Plan to communicate even more effectively around the next crisis.

• If your organization isn’t focused on relief, or passing through contributions, it’s likely that you’ll be on the sidelines next time round.
• While this experience is still fresh, sketch out a one-page plan of what you’ll do next time round. This approach will help you avoid panic at that point, and stay as productive as possible with marketing and fundraising communications.

I recommend you continue to track how these organizations, and others, are communicating on their relief efforts or in the shadow of the Haiti disaster. There’s lots to learn about how your organization can improve its outreach, in times of disaster or, better yet, days of calm.