How Slalom Boston Participated at 48in48
Slalom Boston’s involvement in the 2018 event evolved from two site development teams in 2017, which created nine sites to an impressive five teams building 15 total sites for incredible nonprofits including !the Boston Cyclists Union, Boston CASA, and Blueprint Schools Network. (Click the link to see their awesome new sites!) Slalom Boston also led two capacity building workshops for the participating nonprofits:- Hiking the Salesforce Trails, an overview of the solution for non-profits
- Refining Your Pitch, a storytelling workshop
- Project management/operations. It’s no secret that small nonprofits often operate on limited resources and in a highly reactive way. In that environment, project management can have a major impact on the outcomes of key initiatives and programs a nonprofit is trying to launch, while also juggling the reactive work. Having one dedicated person responsible for creating a project plan, tracking it, logging risks and issues, and managing the budget are all game-changers for nonprofits. A project like re-building a website requires a dedicated resource and team to make sure it gets done. Having 48in48 and a dedicated project manager is transformative for under-resourced organizations.
- Access to free technology (like Salesforce!) There are countless resources available for free online. Over the weekend event, we spent time telling nonprofits about about Salesforce technology that they can use for free based on their 501(c)3 status. Salesforce for Nonprofits provides a 360-degree view of the non-profit organization — from fundraising and programs to marketing and engagement. There is also substantial free training in Trailhead.
- Audiences are important. While many businesses struggle to understand their customers, nonprofits excel at knowing who their “customers” are and how to support them. But when it comes to other audiences, such as potential donors and volunteers, nonprofits don’t always have the data (which could be captured by website visitors) or perspectives they need to expand their audience of supporters. All organizations, nonprofits included, should define their target audiences thoughtfully and think about them when defining their online presence, so new volunteers are captured.
- Start with brand and messaging. For many nonprofits, brand and messaging aren’t top-of-mind or they struggle to articulate it crisply. While they often invest in communications with the goal of spreading awareness and raising funds, it isn’t always easy taking the next step towards a more thoughtful brand and messaging platform. But a little extra effort can go a long way, especially for nonprofits thinking about their digital presence. We think investment in the resources required to create a memorable brand, with a well-articulated story that resonates with all target audiences, is an important way that nonprofits can provide a compelling online experience that reaches the right people with the right message.
- Prioritizing. Most nonprofits need to balance a diverse group of audiences and a long list of goals. Managing each of these goals often becomes more difficult given the limited resources nonprofits have available to them. We see great value in tying priorities to desired outcomes, including when considering digital presence, so that the work conducted is not only the most pressing, but most valuable too.