The Networked Nonprofit

The concept of the networked nonprofit is fairly new. Our grandparents were lifetime members and donors of organizations that supported causes in which they strongly believed. This commitment along with the desire to be associated with a worthy cause served as motivation for communities to come together and effect social change through face-to-face involvement. Times, however, are changing. As the Baby Boomers retire from their senior management positions in nonprofits, organizations must adapt to the cause-driven work styles of the Millennials. This generation is unique in that it is the first to live digitally connected lives. Focus is now on the individual rather than the institution. Although we maintain a commitment to causes in general, we tend to support various organizations as moved by particular efforts.

This generational shift is why nonprofits must embrace simplicity and transparency in seeking to make their interactions emotionally touching. People are looking for a variety of ways to participate at every level, and organizations can take advantage of this by making it their goal to engage in conversations that build lasting relationships. As our textbook The Networked Nonprofit points out, networking is only possible through social media. In turn, the revolution that is social media hinges on personal contact. We utilize this key concept as a class in COMM 456. For example, while planning our promotion strategy for the Safe Harbor Chick-fil-A event we determined that using personal invitations on Facebook and Twitter would have a greater impact than displaying posters at random on campus. Face-to-face interactions are definitely important but for social change to happen they need to be complemented with online activities. Using social media does require practice and dedication of time, but it is worth the effort if for no other reason than the majority of the population now has access to something called the World Wide Web.

The Networked Nonprofit also identified free agents as a powerful new force in communication. According to the text, “Free agents are individuals working outside of organizations to organize, mobilize, raise funds and communicate with constituents.” Free agents should be viewed by nonprofits as allies rather than interfering outsiders. They have the ability to influence large groups of people to support various causes with as simple a tool as a Facebook Causes application. This networking power can be a huge resource if given the freedom to function as the individual sees fit. History has already demonstrated that when given the opportunity, people are capable of making huge changes. Sparking and then connecting individual creativity and passion will ignite the fire of empowerment necessary to make the world a better place. That is the future of the nonprofit.