Non-profits Thrive by Word of Mouth. They Need More Mouths.

By Larry Kilman

Friday, 24 February 2017

I asked Dima Hamdan one simple question, and she told me everything I needed to know.

Dima manages the Marie Colvin Journalists’ Network, an online community of female journalists working in the Arab world. The network provides mentoring, advice and support and is a valuable resource for the participants.

I spoke to Dima as part of the research I’m doing for a UNESCO report on innovative and inspiring media initiatives that protect journalists and combat impunity.  Dima made my job easy; one question was all it took to get a precise overview of the network and its work.

The greatest pleasure of writing this report is speaking with passionate individuals who communicate their enthusiasm and motivate others to contribute time, energy and resources. These organizations deserve more attention and support, and I hope the report will help (contact me if you’d like to suggest an initiative for inclusion, or if you’d like a copy when it’s published).

It isn’t surprising that Dima is a great spokesperson for the Marie Colvin Journalists Network. She’s a former reporter for the BBC World Service and a former External Relations Officer for the UN Refugee Agency. She’s been trained to concisely report pertinent details.

But not every organization has someone with these skills. In doing this report, I’m struck by the number of organizations that are doing great work but are flying under the radar.

And if they’re doing great work, why aren’t they better known?

Lack of communications training is part of the answer. A chronic shortage of time and resources is also to blame. Modesty might also be an explanation, a reticence to “brag” about the work. And some are simply satisfied with the size of their community and don’t consider communications a priority.

Even when there is an understanding of the value of communications, many organizations simply don’t know how to go about it.

As my student April Ward put it, “sometimes a good heart isn’t enough.”

Most people who get involved in associations, civil society groups and non-governmental organizations are not communications professionals. Staff often believe that communications and public relations are the responsibility of others within the organization when those tasks should involve everyone.

Donors are aware of this problem, and are more frequently requiring the organizations they fund to publicize their work. They understand that publicity increases the return on their investments, and they are disappointed when projects don’t get the attention they deserve

Better communications training for NGOs and non-profits would help address this issue, and bring greater attention to projects that deserve it. But how to go about it? Two places where I work -- The NGO management program at the American Graduate School in Paris and the London-based Institute for Media Strategies -- are addressing that very question, with new training programs in the works. Other organizations are doing the same.

Training programs can help. But what is really needed is an understanding that communications should be at the heart of any organization’s strategy, not tacked on as an afterthought. Non-profits thrive when they are known. Good work can get lost in the dark.

Larry Kilman is a UNESCO specialist for the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity. He is also a professor of NGO management at the American Graduate School in Paris and Associate Director for Communications for the London-based Institute for Media Strategies. He lives in Paris.

Photo credit: Jack Moreh via Freerange photos