Chapter 18

Role of Public Relations in Nonprofit, Health, and Education Organizations

Charitable donations to non profit organizations in the US.

2007 2009 2010

$307 billion $280 billion $290 billion

Fund Raising Methods

Organizations must regularly analyze the competition they face from other fundraising efforts. The public become put off and resentful of constantly being asked for contributions in the same manner.

Public relations professionals must use alternative methods to incentivize giving: corporate and foundation donations, structured capital campaigns, event sponsorship, telephone solicitations and online and social media are some of the ways that they can diversify the methods they communicate.

Role of Social media and donors

Nonprofits now must adapt and utilize social media as its main tool for attracting donors and remaining constant contact with them and their wider following base.

Head of the American red cross “All we had to do was tweet once” in regard to the Japan tsunami disaster of 2011.

Health OrganizationsPublic Relations personnel in the health industry are placed under immense pressure to deliver on government regulations and keep the customer happy, as well as seeking new customers.

When public relations professionals work in the health sector they have to communicate to all Americans, health information, prevention measures, and emergency response measures. It is very important that these professionals understand their task due to the major media attention health issues in the news.

Educational OrganizationsPublic relations officers are a major part of Universities throughout the United States. They are involved in many areas of the university conduct meetings, seminars, publish newspapers, and magazines. The most visible part of a universities public relations department is its news bureau. Public relations offer many jobs in education and the skills needed include working in teams, most directors will have a dozen or more staff working for them.

Summary of Public Relations from this chapter

Public relations workers must understand that when working in the sectors this chapter highlights they must have the skills to be able to delegate work to volunteers, and be able to make sure the work remains to a high standard. Such as fund raising.

It is very important for the public relations people to target their audiences for example in healthcare they must be clear in making a safe and efficient environment to the public that will encourage people to choose that hospital.