Part 1 of 2

Introduction

Some non-profit organizations are established to serve a particular segment of population, known as the “community.” A non-profit organization that is set up to serve such a specific stakeholders must develop effective outreach strategies to better understand and help that community. If a non-profit organization’s mission includes reaching out to engage and serve a particular underserved community, then it is incumbent upon it to follow specific and targeted strategies to connect with that community to better understand—and respond to—its needs. This blog sets out the basics of how a non-profit organization should go about developing effective outreach strategies. What follows is a de facto checklist of dos and don’ts in devising such a strategy.  

 

Definition: What is Community Outreach?

Before delving into the details of what should constitute the contents of a viable strategic outreach plan, a good starting point would be to have an agreed-upon definition of what “Community Outreach” is.  Community outreach refers to efforts that connect a non-profit organization’s day-to-day activities to the public it is established to serve. Outreach is not marketing. It’s key component is education through which the organization reaches out to—and engages—the community. Outreach strategies should always be developed in such a way to be perfectly linked to the organization’s mission, objectives, and strategies.

 

Highlights of A Strategy

Community outreach and engagement strategies discussed below are intended to be practical guides—road maps, if you will—for a non-profit to build bridges with underserved communities that it is set up to serve. While a community outreach strategic plan may take many forms, there are basic principles that must be included in any such strategy. Regardless of the specific measures that a non-profit can take, the following is a list of the general subjects such a strategy should cover. In other words, what follows is in effect a “table of contents” for a comprehensive outreach plan:

  1. Overview – To cover the Race and Social Justice Implications of Community Engagement.

  2. Essential Steps for Creating Lasting Community Engagement – To cover Cultural Sensitivity, and Six Best Practices for Inclusive Community Engagement. 

  3. Quick Guide – To cover Important Processes in the Development of Effective and Inclusive Community Engagement.

  4. Critical Steps – To cover the Development of a Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Community Outreach and Engagement.

  5. Evaluation – To cover the Development of a Mechanism for Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Community Involvement Plan and the Execution thereof.

1.     Overview

Community outreach and engagement strategies must be drawn in a way to help develop and implement outreach and community engagement processes that involve people of diverse races, cultures, gender identities, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status. 

Here are the five pillars that such a strategy must be founded on:

a)     Create effective processes and forums with opportunities for underserved communities to fully participate. 

b)     Identify the impact of institutionalized racism and cultural impediments on a proposed community engagement strategy. 

c)     Identify and use instruments that help select racially and culturally appropriate public processes and forums. 

d)     Identify strategies to generate increased interest and involvement in the entire spectrum of services aimed at underserved communities. 

e)     Identify and use culturally sensitive stakeholder and data analysis tools that recognize and utilize communities’ cultural values and knowledge.

 

2.     Essential Best Practices

Effective community engagement takes careful planning; and the recognition that each community that a non-profit works with offers a unique opportunity to broaden the organization’s understanding of what constitutes a community. Here are six critical steps in building bridges to connect with the target group:

  1. Building personal (by the organization’s management at all levels) relationships with target population;

  2. Creating a welcoming environment;

  3. Increasing/improving access by community members;

  4. Developing alternative methods for engagement;

  5. Maintaining an active presence within the community; and 

  6. Partnering with other organizations and non-profits with synergistic missions.

 

3.     A Guide for Developing Effective Strategies

To be successful, there are important steps for a non-profit to follow when developing and promoting an inclusive community engagement. Below is a simplified “how-to” list:

a.     Define Scope of Work:  Identify the decisions to be made and determine where and how the target community can influence decisions. 

b.     Identify Stakeholders:  Who does this affect directly or indirectly, positively or negatively? 

c.      Define Roles:  Define roles for the organization and other stakeholders. 

d.     Incorporate Racially & Culturally Appropriate Engagement Activities:  Assess scope of work for incorporating the above-mentioned six strategies for more inclusive engagement.

e.     Create an Inclusive Community Engagement Plan:  Prepare a community engagement plan that includes key activities, milestones, and products on the plan timeline.

 

In Part 2, we will introduce the remaining two components of a comprehensive community outreach plan along with a few practical steps. Stay tuned.