Your focus doesn’t need to be a massive issue like global warming or animal cruelty. It’s perfectly fine to focus on a smaller area of concern. If you’re struggling to think of an issue to focus on, start small. Ask people in your local community what they think could be improved where you live. You’re more likely to generate interest in your group if the people around you care about your topic.
It may be that there is no achievable solution to your problem in sight. In this case, consider creating an exploratory volunteer organization—a group that seeks to explore the dynamics of an issue. You could also create an awareness group to heighten people’s understanding of a topic, or a conservation organization—a group that focuses on saving a specific place or group from potential dangers. [3] X Research source
Awareness campaigns, door-to-door surveys, and public protests are all actionable steps that would serve as great places to start.
For example, “Students for Peace is a nonprofit that focuses on preventing inner-city violence by connecting with at-risk youth and running after-school programs to provide a safe space for these young people,” is an excellent start to a mission statement. It explains why the group exists, who it serves, and how it helps. A mission statement is important because it guides every decision that an organization makes by anchoring it in a specific belief and orientation towards a problem. Ask a friend or colleague to proofread, edit, and revise your mission statement. You want it to be as tightly and carefully written as possible, since you’ll use it to appeal to your audience, recruit volunteers, and make major decisions.
American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Peace Corps are all organizations with great names because they’re memorable, catchy, and give you a sense of what their goal is in their name. An easy way to come up with a name is to use a simple formula. Take your volunteer demographic, use the word “for,” and then include the issue. Examples might look like “Citizens for Justice Reform,” or “Young Workers for a Higher Wage. ”[6] X Research source
Registering a nonprofit or volunteer organization typically requires you to pay a fee, but it often gives your organization protection from lawsuits and copyright infringement. [8] X Research source
Use a professional web address. A safe way to go is to simply use your group’s name as your web address if it’s available. Weebly, Ucraft, Wordpress, and Google Sites are all popular platforms that are used to create websites. They’re also free, and easy to use. [9] X Research source Squarespace is a popular website builder, but it’ll require a monthly payment plan. [10] X Research source
If you’re designing your marketing materials yourself, make sure that you don’t violate any copyright laws by including images without the owner’s permission. This could get you into big trouble as a registered nonprofit or volunteer organization.
Develop a quick pitch that can be delivered in one minute or less. Make sure that you explain your organization’s importance and how you plan to affect change.
A good social media post will start off with a call to action, followed by more specific details about your group. A strong call to action will activate interest in your group’s solution to a problem. “Save the whales!” or, “Don’t you want to improve life here in your city?” are both excellent openers because they provoke the reader to do something. Keep hashtags as short as possible in order to make sure that people remember them. They should include an action, whenever possible. “#StopLittering” is a perfect example of a simple hashtag that demands something from the audience.
You can also appeal to an audience’s sense of belonging to attract members. Try playing up networking opportunities and telling potential members that they’d make a great fit in your organization. [14] X Trustworthy Source Kansas University Center for Community Health and Development Community-based research center focused on supporting public health development and education Go to source
Be open to input from the members of your group. If they can’t get behind your idea, you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone to show up. Keep volunteers engaged by communicating often and finding something fun about your project. If you can listen to music while you work, consider bringing some speakers and playing some fun background tunes. [16] X Research source Have volunteers sign in by bringing a blank contact form so that you can reach out to active volunteers in the future. [17] X Research source
Ask people about what motivates them directly. You may be able to delegate a lot of responsibilities to members that care deeply about your group’s mission. [19] X Research source
Keep a record of your work and growth by saving important events in a calendar. You can use a physical or digital calendar, but you’ll want to track events and membership in order to change your group’s direction in the future.
