Designing A Solution for Frustrated Nonprofit Marketers
ROLE
UX Researcher, Product Designer
PROBLEM
There were presumptions and disconnects between funders and nonprofits about their capacity to outreach to targeted communities. I wanted to explore what was behind the disconnect to see how I can offer a solution for bridging the gap. To better understand how nonprofits outreach to San Bernardino County communities, I conducted a research survey amongst a sample of 30+ nonprofits to learn more about their perspective and experience of doing community outreach to their target audience.
SOLUTION
As a result of this survey which provided actionable insights, I pitched a workshop to Executives at First 5 San Bernardino and with partners at the American Advertising Federation-Inland Empire to address major concerns of nonprofits and their pain points in doing outreach.
With an open programming date that was close to the Super Bowl, I produced Game Plan for Nonprofits a sports-themed full-day workshop that walked nonprofit professionals through the development of an outreach strategy, with an accompanying workbook and planning guide.
USER RESEARCH: SURVEY
Survey Structure & Responses:
21 Questions
35 Respondents: Representing an audience mixture of Nonprofits, Universities, Systems & Government Departments
Key Insights:
NONPROFITS WANTED TRAINING
NONPROFITS WANTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER
Based on insights provided in the survey results, I designed a full-day workshop by calling in professionals from media and communications fields, and organized resources for nonprofits to reference as a toolkit. The workshop design considered their two leading responses as the basis for the solution design.
PRODUCT - WORKSHOP & WORKBOOK
At the workshop, nonprofit professionals were grouped by their target audience to communicate with each other about their approaches with their target audiences. Experts across the media industry in the Riverside-San Bernardino Metro came in for panel sessions to express their insights and answer questions.
In the workbook, users were asked to identify all the stakeholders that engage with their organization, from clients to funders, which set a journey in motion towards clarifying their planning strategy based on their users.
OUTCOME
Sold out event
Revenue for the event exceeded sales for typical monthly series for American Advertising Federation-Inland Empire
Garnered premium sponsorship from a regional news media outlet
100% participation rate from panelists, including media publishing editors, corporate communication representatives and other executive leadership in media, sales, and higher education institutions
Word-of-mouth buzz and feedback exceeded expectations, reaching Executive Leadership with positive reviews
Requests for Playbook and presentations based on the workshop received from representatives of local and federal organizations post-event
FEEDBACK
Users wanted more time communicating with fellow nonprofit professionals