The biggest challenge for animal welfare nonprofit organizations, and any other type of charity, is maintaining a donation level that covers expenses. Without reliable funding, the work done by an organization grinds to a halt. But to find dependable donors, the nonprofit must garner trust in what they are doing. In 2024, Independent Sector and Edelman Data & Intelligence found that trust in nonprofits was at 57% in the United States with the percentage increasing in recent years. Consistent communication of vision, successes, community engagement and ongoing needs is the key to building trust in your organization, and animal welfare public relations should play a crucial role in this.
How Does PR Help?
With over 50,000 animal welfare organizations in the United States, the choices for donors interested in supporting these efforts multiply every year. Most groups rely on established channels to communicate their needs, mainly word of mouth, but few have considered animal welfare public relations. But PR can be a highly effective means to communicate with donors, both current and potential.
Having a public relations plan in place to follow as you share your mission, impact stories and ongoing needs enables organizations to raise awareness and stature in their community. When current and potential donors see positive stories in credible settings, like television, news outlets, magazines and other media, it builds their trust through education.
Why Trust Matters
Donors who offer support to organizations both large and small like to know what is being done with their money and feel assured that the expectations are being met. Through animal welfare PR, messaging provides added opportunity because stories told through a combination of written narrative, photography and videography make stronger connections.
Highlighting engagement with the community, along with your work related to animal welfare, builds trust. When donors see peers engaging with an organization, it gives them more reason to trust your results and respond to requests.
Just like the business world, a strong animal welfare public relations strategy provides your organization with a guide that can connect your story with media looking for a feature.
If you’re ready to see what an expert animal welfare public relations strategy can do for your non-profit, give our experts at Orange Orchard a call at (865) 977-1973 or visit us online today.