20 Nonprofit Blog Posts to Inspire, Entertain, and Educate Your Readers

By Grace Kennedy

Your nonprofit blog is a valuable marketing tool that helps you stay in touch with your audience, communicate news, and establish your organization as a thought leader in your industry. But coming up with consistently good content, post after post, can be daunting.

Mix up these 20 post ideas for a blog that gets your audience’s attention and keeps your organization top-of-mind for the people who matter most to you.

1. News from Your Nonprofit

People are tuning in to see what’s up at your organization, so use your blog to announce new programs, grants, staff changes, and events. But don’t double your work! Every time you send out a press release, use it for your blog content. A press release contains everything you need for a newsy blog post.

Example: Healing Art Photo Foundation

2. Guest Posts

Think of all the people connected to your organization who can share valuable information of some kind. Can a Board member provide relevant legal, financial, or organizational advice? Can a support group facilitator offer stress reduction tips for the holiday season? Guest posts establish your blog as a go-to source for helpful content that your readers will appreciate.

Example: Adopt a Love Story

3. Behind the Scenes

People love getting a peek behind the scenes of anything – even the operations of your nonprofit. You may think going to the storage unit to get the holiday decorations is just a task, but you could easily turn it into a fun sneak peek into preparations for an event. It’s a great way to humanize your nonprofit and get people excited for the event.

Example: Acumen

4. Volunteer Stories

Most volunteers would be happy to share their stories to inspire others. What better way to show, rather than tell, the benefits of volunteerism? People love personal stories. In fact, our brains are wired to remember them better than statistics and facts. Take advantage and share as many stories as possible.

5. Event Posts

Every event is worth at least two blog posts. Do a teaser beforehand, telling people what to expect, how they can help, and how to sign up. Then do a recap, thanking the sponsors, donors, and participants, and showing off all your wonderful photos.

Example: Covenant House

6. Impact Stories

Use your blog to drill down to the real-life impact of donor dollars. What do your programs look and like and exactly who do they serve? Be specific about the difference your programs make and draw a clear connection to the donations that make your programs possible.

Example: Maryland New Directions

7. Show Your “Why”

You know precisely why your nonprofit matters, but that doesn’t mean everyone else does. Use your blog to show in detail the need that your mission speaks to.  

Example: Wildlife Alliance

8. Be on Trend

Tap into an ongoing conversation by connecting your mission to a current event.  We all saw this recently with the Royal Wedding. It seemed like every story was connected to this event somehow. That’s because marketers knew people were already talking about it, so they jumped on the trend. As long as your connection is appropriate and not too much of a stretch, jump into that conversation.

Example: Case Foundation

9. Answer a Question

You probably get questions on your Facebook page, in-person from your volunteers, or from donors looking to learn about your nonprofit. These questions give you insight into what’s relevant to your audience. Use your blog to answer frequently asked questions and establish your organization as a source of expertise.

Example: Girls on the Run

10. Q & A

Select the most fascinating people involved with your nonprofit and interview them for a Question and Answer blog post. Two tips for crafting a good Q & A: Choose an interesting subject, and take time to create many good questions. The more questions you have, the more material you will have to work with when it’s time to put together your post.

Example: Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

11. Donor Stories

One of your best assets for getting new donors? The donors you already have. The majority of donors would be happy to share why they support your organization. Include details in their stories, so your readers will connect to the donor and be inspired to become one themselves.

Example: Americans for the Arts

12. Planned Giving Story

Many people are unaware of the planned gift options available to them and the tax benefits of the various options. Make the subject user-friendly by picking one planned gift donor and sharing his or her story. End the post with a call to action to learn more about planned gift options at your website or by contacting a staff member.

Example: Newseum

13. Book Club

Do you have a staff member who reads voraciously? Put them in charge of a virtual book club! Once a month, suggest a book on your blog and write about how it connects to your mission. People love book suggestions, and if they are already supporters of your organization, they probably care about your nonprofit’s area of service. Involve your readers by asking them to suggest future book club selections.

Example: California Foundation Fund

14. Partner Up

Nonprofits don’t exist in a vacuum – there is often a healthy web of community connections to be found in any organization. Take the opportunity to feature a partner organization on your blog. Highlighting community partnerships helps establish credibility for your nonprofit and creates goodwill with your partners.

Example: charity: water

15. Throw Back Posts

No matter how old your organization is, it has roots. Tend to those roots by turning back time for a blog post about the early days of your nonprofit. Talk to the founders – they probably have stories your audience would love to hear. Scan some old photos to really delight your readers!

Example: Foundation for the Carolinas

16. Ask for Input

Crowdsource your next fundraising event by asking your readers for their ideas. They will appreciate the gesture, and you will probably get some fantastic ideas to share with the staff and board members.

17. Video Post

Mix up your media with a video. Whether it’s covering an event or just saying a quick hello, people will enjoy seeing the friendly faces working for your nonprofit’s mission. You really don’t need bells and whistles – just be human, keep it brief, and have fun.

Example: Restore NYC

18. Infographic Post

Do you have a spiffy new annual report full of statistical proof that your nonprofit is amazing? Use an infographic to wow your audience without making them sift through lots of data. Tools like Visme make it easy and inexpensive to create infographics for your organization.

Example: Oxfam

19. Share a Relevant News Story

Part of being a leader in your industry is curating helpful articles for your service area. There is so much content available, but most people do not have time to sort through everything out there and find reliable, accurate information. Do this service for you your readers, and they will appreciate the effort.

Example: Conservation International

20. Supporter of the Month

Your blog provides a venue for recognizing the people who share their time, talent and treasure to help your nonprofit. Having a monthly post to recognize these people will not only help you fill your blog with positive content, but it will also reward your supporters for their contributions.  Supporters can be anyone who helps, whether through a financial donation, in-kind contribution, or volunteering. Think outside the box – do you have a handyman or IT person who helps you pro bono or at a significantly reduced rate? Use your blog to say thank you and inspire others to act locally.

Example: Convoy of Hope

What are your favorite blog post types? Which types of posts have been most successful for your audience? Please share your success stories and questions with us!

Grace Kennedy is a nonprofit and education writer. Learn about her services at www.gracekennedy.net.