{"id":114070,"date":"2019-06-11T23:31:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-11T23:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rockcontent.com\/?p=114070"},"modified":"2025-09-10T06:18:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T09:18:53","slug":"5-ways-to-create-an-effective-toolkit-for-a-nonprofit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pingback.com\/en\/resources\/5-ways-to-create-an-effective-toolkit-for-a-nonprofit\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways To Create An Effective Toolkit For a Nonprofit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nonprofit organizations sometimes refer to all the content that goes into promoting their cause a \u201ctoolkit<\/a>.\u201d This toolkit will include a variety of artwork, captions, hashtags, videos, logos, and differing imagery based on audience (some targeting people in a wheelchair, some targeting pregnant women, etc.) Often times, an agency or freelance writer will be working on creating the content for this toolkit. If you\u2019re ever in the position to write content for a toolkit, these tips may help you navigate that process<\/a>. Or perhaps you\u2019re a nonprofit organization looking for a writer to help with your toolkit, in that case, these tips may also be relevant and informative too!<\/p>\n

1) Introduce The Nonprofit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No matter how obvious the name of the nonprofit (Medicaid, Breast Cancer Awareness, etc.), introduce the nonprofit\u2019s purpose and goal. Often times, writers jump ahead, assuming you\u2019re well acquainted or can deduce the nonprofit\u2019s mission by its title or tagline. It\u2019s important to establish a context for the nonprofit and laying out what it does or aims to do to acquaint potential donors or interested participants to its cause.<\/p>\n

2) Generate Interest with Testimonials and Storytelling<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t assume the cause itself is enough to convince someone to donate or contribute to your non-profit. Often times both the nonprofit and the writer explain the cause and think that already tells a story. What\u2019s even more powerful than laying out the cause, is showing the effect. Find people who were saved or uplifted or effected by your nonprofit and ask them to share their story in interview form or if they\u2019re camera-shy, perhaps a voice recording while you display alternative visuals. Or perhaps, they\u2019d rather write it out and the freelance writer could edit it. Testimonials like this show the cause in action and tend to be poignant and powerful. Also, they often legitimize and liven up the facts and claims with humanity and specifics.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t get discouraged if you have trouble finding people willing to give testimonials, by the way. Sometimes, people aren\u2019t comfortable putting their personal stories out into the world, especially if they\u2019re still raw or private. In those cases, anonymous or aggregated anecdotes work too\u2014as long as they feel specific and you\u2019re upfront about why there\u2019s no name or face attached. No one expects you to force a story that isn\u2019t ready. Just be patient, and keep that door open for later.<\/p>\n

3) Undergo Training For Writing For Blind, Deaf, and Intellectually and Physically Disabled<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Often for toolkits, you\u2019re creating content for communities that will be reading subtitles on videos, need concrete wording over abstract, and benefit from visual arrows, large icons, and step-by-step conceptualizing. It\u2019s important to acquaint yourself with the organization\u2019s standards, the community\u2019s needs, and the national rules for making content for the dead, blind, and intellectually disabled communities. Often times, your organization may have you undergo training with classes or send you style documents, but inquire for this orientation and adhere to national protocol before you dive in. Non-profits have more pressure than other companies and brands to adhere to these standards and be inclusive to all communities. Sometimes, those at the organization will assume you as a writer know the protocol and not bring it up, so it\u2019s important to be well-versed and ask them their rules.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s wild how often accessibility is treated like an afterthought when, if you\u2019re honest, almost everyone benefits from more approachable content. Not just people with specific disabilities\u2014think about anyone reading quickly on their phone or someone who\u2019s just tired. If you haven\u2019t experienced a bit of that training yet, you might actually find those best practices make your toolkit clearer and friendlier across the board, not just for the intended group. Some nonprofits share feedback directly from their community on what actually works, which beats guessing every time.<\/p>\n

4) Who\u2019s Your Audience?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sometimes, a nonprofit easily segments their audience based on role. For instance, Special Olympics<\/a> offers opportunities to volunteer, coach, and compete as an athlete. Be sure to get all the segments straight instead of assuming you\u2019re only talking to Special Olympics athletes. Likewise, The Light the Night Leukemia. and Lymphoma Society<\/a>, divides their donors into \u201cSurvivor,\u201d \u201cSupporter,\u201d or \u201cI walk in remembrance\u201d Your content will be speaking to those who are coming from a place of loss and those from a place of endurance so tone-wise, it cannot be all sunshine and roses, it has to acknowledge the shadows. Just as you train yourself in communicating clearly to communities, also adjust your tone to reach all segments and variations in your audience.<\/p>\n

5) Consistent Taglines and Message<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To drive home what the nonprofit does and why, it\u2019s important to make all social media posts consistent with emails and brochures. Make up your own style guide so that all material contains logo, a particular hashtag, a tagline, and manner of speaking. If there\u2019s a particular event your nonprofit\u2019s emphasizing, do not talk about it in 8 different ways on each type of collateral, but be sure to repeat some of the core messages across the board so your tweets, email marketing copy, and flyers convey the same clear mission statement and goal.<\/p>\n

We hope these were helpful tips both for writers working on toolkits and nonprofit organizations themselves. Need a writer to create content for your nonprofit\u2019s toolkit? Check out the conscientious and ultra competent writers of Writer Access!<\/a><\/p>\n

Interested in examples in comprehensive tool kits? Check these out!<\/p>\n