If you want to work in the charity sector, you’ll have to make a choice. You can either work in a well-established organization, or you can start your own. Each option has pros and cons, but there is something very exciting about creating a charity from scratch that means it could be the ideal option for you. Of course, it will be a lot of hard work, but the rewards you – and the cause you’re supporting – will receive will certainly make up for it.
However, no matter what cause you’re working for or what kind of charity you want to set up, you’ll need to grow it. Small charities are great and can do a lot of good, but a bigger charity can do more good, and that’s the direction you’ll most likely want to go in. Read on to find out more about how to make your charity grow.
Have A USP
A USP, or unique selling proposition, is usually something you would associate with business. It’s a way for that business to stand out from its competition by showing the world what makes it different and therefore what makes it worth buying from.
It might be a business term initially, but having a USP is something that charities can benefit from as well. People like to donate to a good cause, but there is only so much they can do, and they’ll have to pick and choose what money they give to which charity. If you can work out your USP and use that to convince people that your charity is the one they should give money to or donate time to and volunteer to, you will be able to grow.
Make Your Budget Go Further
Again, just like a business, a charity will have to advertise if it is going to attract donations and especially if it is going to grow. Yet advertising costs money, which is why you need to be very careful about your spending to ensure you can make your budget go further.
Free options are clearly a good idea, but some free advertising isn’t worth doing because it has no reach and no one is going to see it. Something like free PPC advertising for charities can be an excellent place to start, and it’s a good idea to seek advice to help you determine what will work and what won’t.
Word of mouth is also a good idea because that won’t cost you much, and perhaps nothing at all. This can be a hard thing for a charity, but if people can see the good work you’re doing, they’ll talk to others and convince them to donate.
Use Your Local Community
When it comes to growing your charity, the local community is a resource you can use to help you hugely. If you can make your charity feel like part of the community and give agency to the people who live where you work, they will become proud of what you do and want to contribute more.
This idea is all about give and take. For example, your charity might offer to make some positive changes to a local community area, and the community itself can then come together to help you.
It might take some time, but as more and more people see what you are doing and how it is helping them, they’ll become more engaged with your mission.
