Council of Public Relations Firms' Digital Marketing Workshops for Nonprofits

The Council of Public Relations Firms (Council) and its members conducted a series of half-day workshops for non-profit organizations in six U.S. cities, titled “Thriving and Surviving in Uncertain Times: Practical Digital Marketing Techniques for Nonprofits.”

The Opportunity

Across the country, nonprofits are bracing for a tough year. According to a Taproot Foundation survey conducted in September, 70% of nonprofits have already experienced funding cutbacks tied to the economic downturn; 92% wish they had greater support from external resources to help. There has been a wide range of organizations that have attended the workshops so far (or registered for future events), including local hospitals, churches and universities, as well as regional offices of large national organizations.

The Council’s Pro Bono Investment

To commemorate its 10th anniversary, the Council decided to hold a series of regional workshops that would demonstrate the digital and social media expertise of its member firms, and provide the various nonprofit communities with the tools and insight necessary to compete for visibility and funding in a tough economic environment.  A similar (non-digital focused) program, conducted in Chicago by the Council in 2000, had been rewarding for the nonprofit attendees as well as the Council and its members.

In the “Thriving and Surviving” series, digital communications experts from America’s leading public relations firms are providing attendees with instruction on how to use cost-effective social media and various other digital platforms (such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook) to communicate organizational messages, identify and engage constituents, and apply to branding and marketing initiatives.  The program includes presentations, panel discussions, and extensive Q&A sessions. In Los Angeles, for example, the presenters spent the last hour providing one-on-one sessions with attendees.

Participating firms included 360 Public Relations, Burson-Marsteller, Capstrat, Cone, Eastwick Communications, French/West/Vaughan, Gibbs & Soell, The Hoffman Agency,Ketchum, LaunchSquad, Levenson and Brinker Public Relations, MS&L, PainePR, PAN Communications, Peppercom, The Powell Group, Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, RLF Communications, The Rogers Group, Vollmer Public Relations, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, Weber Shandwick, and Widmeyer Communications.

The Impact

The workshops were held in Los Angeles, Boston, Raleigh, San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Dallas.  In Los Angeles, the first in the series, the attendee evaluations were excellent, with 90% claiming the program either met or exceeded expectations. By the end of the series, close to 30 member firms had donated their expertise and approximately 400 individuals representing 300 non-profit organizations had received their services.

Find more information, including agendas, presentations, and blog posts here.

About the Council of Public Relations Firms

The Council of Public Relations Firms is the national trade association for the public relations industry. Its membership represents the premier global, mid-size, regional and specialty agencies across every discipline and practice area, and represents an estimated 12,000 employees. The Council’s mission is to advance the business of public relations firms by building the market and firms’ value as strategic business partners. For more information about the Council, visit www.prfirms.org.