Published on October 29, 2025, at 10:34 a.m.

by Julia Fowler

PR often looks like a game of who has the biggest budget: glossy campaigns, celebrity endorsements, and Super Bowl spots. But in the nonprofit world, PR runs on something different: purpose. With limited dollars and high stakes, nonprofits rely on storytelling, trust and authenticity to win over public support. Nonprofit PR requires professionals to achieve corporate-level impact without corporate-level resources. Nonprofits face the challenge of navigating limited budgets, emotionally charged causes, diverse stakeholder needs, and constant pressure to prove value while maintaining originality and trust.

In the nonprofit world, wearing multiple hats isn’t just a saying, it’s a reality.

Unlike corporate PR teams that can divide responsibilities among many employees, nonprofit communicators often manage all those roles at once, on a fraction of the budget. “Our nonprofit has three full-time administrative staff,” said Lauren Chenoweth, Executive Director of Merrimack Huntsville, an organization that offers services to children and adults with special needs. “We’re constantly jumping into different positions and filling the roles needed to complete our day-to-day operations” From managing tuition and parent communications to running all social media channels, Chenoweth’s day-to-day looks nothing like the structured departments of a corporate agency. Similarly, Dr. Brooke McKeever, who formerly worked as an Associate Director for ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, explained that “you have to be a good manager of your time, and you have to concentrate your energy where it matters most.” Limited resources force nonprofit communicators to be efficient, creative and adaptable, often learning as they go.

Storytelling rooted in real-world challenges requires a balance between emotion and ethics.

For organizations like Merrimack Huntsville, the stories they share must highlight joy without minimizing the reality. “Merrimack is known as the happiest place in Huntsville,” Chenoweth said. “We want our story to be, ‘We like to have fun, just like you,’ rather than focusing on the hardships so many of our students face every day.” That approach reflects the emotional responsibility nonprofits face: to inspire without exploiting. 

With the goal of making healthy food accessible, Feeding America is one of the largest hunger-relief organizations in the nation. This nonprofit uses storytelling to highlight its mission and show the real effects in people’s lives. Its “Nobody Goes Hungry” campaign, for example, focuses on the faces behind food insecurity, while emphasizing hope and positive change. Nonprofit PR professionals must capture the dignity, resilience and humanity of those they serve, walking a fine line between authenticity and sensitivity. Every post, photo or article carries the weight of representing real people’s lives with care and respect. 

Nonprofit PR success isn’t measured by revenue charts or market reports.

In a corporate setting, success is measured in sales. In the nonprofit world, it’s measured in the organization’s trust, awareness and relationships. “One of the hardest parts is making sure our sponsors feel recognized,” Chenoweth said. “As soon as we finish one event, we’re on to the next, so the wrap-up piece, showing gratitude and maintaining relationships takes dedicated time and effort.” For McKeever, success at St. Jude meant “awareness of the organization, because if people aren’t aware of it, they won’t donate, volunteer or attend events.” Nonprofit communicators often rely on the intangible proof, community engagement, brand trust, and donor retention to show their worth. That invisible impact is harder to measure but no less important.

Nonprofit PR isn’t just about one audience, it’s about many.

From donors and volunteers to the media and the community they serve, nonprofits must communicate effectively with multiple different groups. A single message must resonate with board members reading a newsletter and high school volunteers scrolling through their TikTok feed. Chenoweth shared that she runs Merrimack’s social media herself, tailoring each platform’s tone. “We link our Instagram and Facebook, but it’s received two completely different demographics,” she explained. “High school volunteers engage with our Instagram, while parents and donors are mostly connecting through Facebook.” Chenoweth describes that she has to create content that fits with both demographics despite the two completely different audiences. With no data analytics team or social media strategist, nonprofit PR professionals must balance voice, tone and timing across audiences, ensuring every message still reflects the mission. 

Nonprofits must balance messaging across a wide range of audiences, from local supporters to national stakeholders, and that same balancing act applies even at the highest level. As one of the largest nonprofit networks in the country, Feeding America faces the challenge of connecting with both local communities and national media. During a recent appearance on Good Morning America for Hunger Action Day, CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot addressed the growing rates of food insecurity, and encouraged viewers across the nation to get involved. While this campaign resonated with a national audience of potential donors, Feeding America continues to prioritize its local impact through a network of more than 200 food banks, serving communities across the United States. In many ways, local storytelling is just as powerful as national coverage, proof that organic content often exceeds polished campaigns because it reflects authenticity and compassion. 

 For many nonprofits, communication happens in a sensitive territory.

While organizations like St. Jude and Feeding America stay largely noncontroversial, others walk a tightrope between advocacy and neutrality. McKeever noted that “you have to be careful with what corporate sponsors you work with, your values have to align.” A misstep in partnerships or messaging can quickly turn into backlash or donor withdrawal. Even well-intentioned campaigns can be misinterpreted, especially when addressing polarizing issues like healthcare, gun violence or human rights. Nonprofit communicators must anticipate those risks while still staying bold enough to advocate for change, a balance that tests both strategic skill and moral courage.

In the nonprofit world, authenticity is necessary.

Unlike corporations that can buy attention through paid campaigns, nonprofits rely on genuine stories to connect with their audiences. “Our storytelling is easy to keep genuine,” Chenoweth said. “It’s full of the smiling faces you see every day at Merrimack.” That organic content often outshines polished campaigns because it reflects real emotion and purpose. As McKeever explained, trust is at the heart of nonprofit success. When donors believe in the story, they believe in the mission, and that belief is what sustains the organization long after the campaign ends.

Nonprofit PR may not come with glamorous budgets or marketing plans, but it demands something deeper: genuine connections, heart and resilience. “If you’re the one telling the story,” Chenoweth said, “then you have to be a part of that story every single day.” In a world where corporate PR often looks like a competition of resources, nonprofit PR proves that the highest, and hardest, form of communication is driven by purpose, not profit.