Innovation Lab for Nonprofits

Most nonprofit startups struggle to get the word out and share their missions. Very few small nonprofits have marketing staff, and if they do, marketing budgets are typically tiny. Paid advertising is not always affordable and free channels are not always effective.

The vitalink team has always been purpose-driven, regularly watching for opportunities to help a worthwhile cause. After talking with several nonprofits in need of marketing direction (but with limited budgets), the team brainstormed around ways we could help multiple organizations with some of the basics. Innovation Lab for Nonprofits was born.

Innovation Lab became a reality in 2015 and was offered free to employees of nonprofits. The “lab” was a series of three 90-minute workshops taught by vitalink CEO, Jeanne Frazer, using interactive, real-world examples and designed just for non-profits to help them target, plan and engage stakeholders with both paid and unpaid tactics. The United Way of the Greater Triangle was kind enough to offer space for the training sessions. More than 35 nonprofits were represented.

The sessions included:

•  Check Your Vitals – A deep dive into understanding supporter bases and mission drivers.

• 3 Simple Steps to Engage Your Audience – Discussed opportunities to build partnerships with potential donors and engage with those interested in the organization’s cause. Attendees spent hands-on time developing content calendars they could put to work right away.

• When Cheap is TOO Expensive – The final session in the series helped attendees find potential disconnects between internal and external brand perception, then shared the secret to building brand language and messages that resonate with stakeholders.
  

After the series ended, Jeanne Frazer offered a free consultation with interested attendees to provide further direction. All-in-all, Innovation Lab was a great way to give back and help support multiple nonprofits in the Raleigh-Durham area.