The History of Nonprofit Day
August 17th is National Nonprofit Day. On this day, the goals and positive impacts nonprofits have on the world are recognized and honoured. Awareness about nonprofit charities and their importance is raised.
The day was founded by Sherrita J. Herrings– a renowned speaker, best-selling author and business strategist- in 2017 and is celebrated annually on August 17th. This date holds important weight. The Tariff Act of 1894 was signed into law on August 17th. This act excluded nonprofit organizations from income tax. It is this act that has allowed nonprofits to use their funds to their greatest efficiency.
How to Celebrate National Nonprofit Day
1. Give Recognition
Recognizing and showing appreciation to your supporters is important. Take this opportunity to utilize your organization’s social media accounts to feature those most dedicated to your organization. You could also send a heartfelt thank you message to employees and volunteers. Knowing that your organization appreciates the hard work that they do will motivate them to continue doing good.
2. Use Hashtag #NationalNonprofitDay
Use this hashtag to generate momentum and drive traffic to your campaign page.
When it comes to hashtags, think engagement. The first 24 hours of posting something is important; it’s crucial to draw in as much activity as possible. High engagement signals a quality post, which pushes said post higher up on supporters’ newsfeeds.
Use compelling imagery or engaging video in conjunction with the hashtag to ensure high engagement. Create an impactful caption with descriptive language.
3. Create an emotional connection
You can create an emotional connection with your supporters by effectively telling your nonprofit’s stories. Tell the story of how your organization impacts people at the individual level, how you improve the lives of those you help and how your supporters and donors can reach fulfilment by helping you achieve your goals. You need to add a human touch to what you do.
4. Share a success story
As nonprofits continue creating positive change within the communities we serve, we can get a bit caught up in the daily efforts of making a beneficial impact on said communities. Take a moment to celebrate what you’ve done by sharing a success story. Doing so will remind everyone of what your nonprofit does; it’ll motivate employees and supporters to continue doing good work. Sharing success stories will also remind you of the good that your organization does; this will help you keep yourself focused on what you need to do.
