Transitioning from Corporate PR to Nonprofit PR: What Should You Expect?

Marketing, public relations, and advertising are all necessary for organizations to succeed and/or exist in the current advertising market. Organizations that do not have a plan for their efforts in these sectors moving forward will struggle to build awareness, increase audience interest, maintain sales or donations, and ultimately fail long-term. Although necessary for organizations, there are a few key differences between public relations (PR) efforts for a for-profit corporation versus a nonprofit organization. So, what should you expect when entering the nonprofit sector? 

Reach vs Impact

First, for-profit companies seek to reach more people on a larger scale to boost awareness. These types of organizations are particularly interested in boosting profits and sales, which involves increasing awareness and engagement as well as pushing consumers through the buyer journey through information and persuasion to achieve the end goal: profit. 

On the other hand, nonprofit organizations have a mission, vision, and values at the core of their operations, including marketing, PR, and advertising efforts. Although nonprofit organizations seek to boost awareness, they also have a larger purpose behind everything they do—these organizations seek to make an impact. This involves storytelling and community/donor engagement. 

Storytelling can benefit both for-profit and nonprofit organizations; however, storytelling is arguably more important for nonprofits because it creates a connection with the audience and fosters a supportive community. For nonprofits, storytelling takes many forms. The most notable are testimonials by those impacted by the organization’s actions, volunteer testimonials, and key memories. These stories highlight the importance of the nonprofit organization and its impact on the community. By cultivating these stories, nonprofits can increase support and engagement with their audiences, hopefully leading to donations. 

Promotion vs. Fundraising 

For-profit organizations seek to promote a service or product to increase profits. Content often focuses on promoting specific sales and services offered by a company, targeting customers and possible stakeholders. 

Although nonprofit organizations must promote themselves to increase awareness and spread their message, the end goal is soliciting donations. For nonprofits, donations are the key to expanding an organization’s impact. By widening the scope of nonprofit organizations’ impact, they can raise awareness around an issue or cause, gain support for the population(s) served, and reach more people and potential donors. Stakeholder engagement includes community events, donor recognition events or letters, interaction on social media platforms, as well as specialized volunteer programs. Engaging with stakeholders helps to foster meaningful relationships and connections, and is key to increasing the likelihood of donations and sustaining the life of nonprofits. 

Salary & Budget

Sadly, there will most likely be a pay cut between working in PR or marketing for a nonprofit organization versus working the same role in a corporate setting. In a 2018 survey, it was found that Marketing Managers earned 18% less and Marketing Coordinators earned 7% less than their counterparts at a for-profit company. Nonprofit organizations likely have significantly less funding than for-profit corporations, so many nonprofits seek to make their current coordinators take on other tasks like PR and marketing. 

Although PR and marketing professionals at nonprofit organizations may not earn as much as their for-profit counterparts, these professionals work to amplify the community voices behind the mission, vision, and values of the organization. This involves persuasive storytelling, community outreach, and donor engagement. PR professionals in the nonprofit sector advocate for the community and raise awareness around a particular issue. Even though nonprofit PR professionals may not be equally compensated financially, nonprofit work can be rewarding, providing individuals with a sense of personal fulfillment. 

When deciding whether to work for a for-profit company or a nonprofit organization, it’s important to acknowledge that each has a unique purpose and benefit. For-profit PR focuses on expanding reach and driving sales, whereas nonprofit PR emphasizes community impact through storytelling. So, in deciding the right fit for you, it’s important to consider where your skills and passions lie–ultimately deciding where you feel you can make the most valuable contribution.

Taryn Dole is a senior at Grand Valley State University pursuing a degree in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Nonprofit Administration. Taryn is currently the Marketing and Communications Intern at West Michigan Therapy Dogs, Inc., a nonprofit organization committed to providing organized pet therapy in the Greater Grand Rapids community. She hopes to work for a local nonprofit after graduation. Taryn is passionate about animals, loves to bake, and enjoys volunteering in the community!