My Favorite Content Ideas for Nonprofits That Show Impact & Expertise

Dec 5

Content is everywhere, and everything is content, from your glossy impact reports to your handwritten thank-you cards. But not every form of content is ideal for every goal. Social media, for one, might be good at showcasing events, but it probably isn’t the best place to earn newsletter sign-ups, especially if you’re not ready to spend money on frictionless call-to-action buttons and links.

In my experience, many nonprofit leaders and directors are looking for ways to produce content that not only communicates the organization’s value but positions it (and sometimes themselves) as an industry thought leader and community expert.

Luckily, there are lots of great ways to do that. So if you or your team are stuck, thinking social media virality and big-budget resources are the only way to show impact and expertise, I invite you to think outside the box with me.

I compiled my favorite content ideas for nonprofits, plus their ideal formats. If you like what you see but still aren’t sure of how to get started, let’s chat! A quick 30-minute consultation could be just the thing you need to implement these strategies with confidence.

1. Pitch media stories and commentary to news agencies and influencers

One of the best ways to get stories out is to appeal to the people and organizations that already have an audience via media pitches to news channels or newspapers (usually, digital), for example, and press releases.

The easy part is finding where to send your pitches — most local news outlets have emails, forms, and tiplines that anyone can access. Their writers and anchors are all likely to display contact information, like emails and social handles, in their previous articles.

Even a quick look at the followers and following lists of these figures on LinkedIn can reveal local or national influencers in their networks. The hard part is drafting a compelling story that can appeal to their audience, and communicating its value. This is where I see most people fumble. They craft stories that appeal to them (the writer or organization) but not to the influencer’s or news agent’s audience. Remember, you aren’t your target audience, the community is. Your story needs to appeal to them, and the journalist who is telling it.

As you’re thinking of story ideas, consider the community problem you’re trying to solve or have contributed to solving. If there’s a feel-good angle to your pitch, that’s even better. News agencies can pick up feel-good success stories any time of the year.

But also consider that the problems your nonprofit is trying to solve may be more relevant at certain points in the year. An easy example would be fundraisers and food or toy drives around the holidays or free wellness exams during major awareness months or back-to-school events, and the number of kids and families you helped or expect to help.

A less obvious example might be around legislative sessions and being ready to pitch relevant stories when a policy or legislation increases the need for awareness around your services and organization. For example, Medicaid or SNAP program changes, foster care policy, or DEI or humanities program cuts.

Consider the following questions to inspire your next great pitch:

Have you recently hired the first of a certain type of person or community member in a significant position?
What campaigns have you started or finished that will (or had) a significant impact on your community?
What part of your mission might be directly affected by new policies or legislation?
Has your latest impact report revealed sobering or thought-provoking statistics that might challenge the wider perception of your community or mission?

Answers to all of those are fair game. In your pitches and releases, be as clear and straightforward with the facts as you can. Include powerful, meaningful quotes from yourself, a board member, or another nonprofit director that can add authority and perspective.

And leave the door open to collaboration. Even if an influencer or reporter can’t pick up your story, offer to provide commentary on your niche when the need arises. In fact, connecting with a journalist that covers your niche before you have a story can be a great way to position yourself as an accessible go-to expert.

My favorite content formats for pitching stories

Press releases: This is the tried-and-true method for getting your news in front of journalists. Press releases outline the facts and the story in a way that’s easy for reporters to pick up and run with. The best press releases do some of the reporter’s work for them — who wouldn’t want that?
Short-form video segments: This content idea can apply to news outlets or influencers, but part of your pitch might include an offer or invitation to bring the host along for a behind-the-scenes look at your base of operations or upcoming event.
Other video pitches might be around a community organization or a member spotlight that you sponsor if your a health organization, for example.
Op-ed pitches: Similar to a press release, you present the facts and relevance of your story. But, in the end, you’re the one writing the story.
OpEds can be great for showcasing your voice and communicating your mission and message authentically. Just know that op-eds are best written in response to another issue or inciting incident, so timeliness is essential.
Rapid-response pitches: A rapid-response pitch will definitely require what its name suggests (speed). Whenever an issue related to your mission comes up in the news, be ready to fire off emails to local contacts, offering quick commentary on it.
In your pitch, state clearly that you or another authority figure is available to comment on the day’s topic and provide not only relevant talking points but also any certifications or qualifications you or the subject has.

2. Create feel-good success stories and high-impact case studies

I love these content ideas because they’re a staple of content marketing for nonprofits, they allow you to own and control the narrative and publishing timeline, and they’re relatively low-cost.

As long as you or someone on your team can write and publish on your website and social media platforms, you have endless potential to share your expertise and impact through the lens of the people and communities you’ve helped.

Part of showing thought leadership and expertise with these content ideas means framing the story in a relevant way. Remember how I talked about considering new policies and legislation as part of your press pitches? That same notion applies here (really, following this blog alone can help you build an entire content campaign 😉).

Framing someone’s story as a response to community-wide changes can show that your organization stays current and is ready to respond to potentially life-changing events. And remember that people you’ve helped aren’t limited to those who use or are affected by your services. They can also be volunteers and community partners.

Consider the following questions to inspire your next great success story:

Have you recently onboarded a volunteer whose experience represents a larger challenge your community faces?
When has a community, client, or volunteer interaction made you think, “This is why we’re here”?
How has a family or community member you’ve helped continued to grow, heal, or thrive since you started working with them?
What challenges or barriers have you been able to remove from the lives of the people, families, or organizations you help?

Finally, depending on your organization, not everyone you’ve helped will be ready to share their identity or story with the world. In that case, create a pitch or plan to maintain confidentiality, change someone’s name, or prevent personally identifying details from making it into the story.

My favorite content formats for creating success stories

Blogs and newsletters: Written content and blogging have changed a lot in the last year, with the implementation of AI in search results and every other corner of the web. But the value of blogs hasn’t changed for nonprofits. I maintain that it’s one of the best places to house and share success and impact stories.
You can give your nonprofit blogs and articles new life in other publications you own, like email and social media newsletters. Summarize your stories or pull out impactful quotes to feature in all your external communications.
Online resource guides: Creating online resource guides around challenges or initiatives you support has been gaining traction among my clients. These resources not only outline where to get assistance in certain areas, who qualifies for assistance, and how to get that assistance, but they can also feature snippets from related success stories.
If you’re creating something like this, I highly recommend keeping a version of it online, as opposed to just having it in print. The flexibility of websites makes resources easy to update as contacts and requirements change. For in-person events or print sharing, QR codes can help community members and partners access the information.
Short-form video: If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a video is worth even more. Extend the life of your impact and success stories by introducing a video component. As your team is crafting stories, invite your subjects to appear in short videos that are easy to share across platforms.
As an expert, you can also get involved. Introduce the challenges, changes, or issues affecting your community via an on-camera interview or voice-over. The more your audience sees, hears, and experiences you as someone on your community’s front lines, the greater impact you’ll drive as a thought leader in your industry.

3. Host collaborative, educational virtual events

All of my best content ideas for nonprofits involve some element of writing (doing good with words is my specialty, after all). But not all of them need to have writing or long-form content at the center.

Events are an amazing way to show your expertise to your community partners and legislative or political leaders, as well as your nonprofit’s beneficiaries. The great thing about events is that they can be as formal or as casual as you want.

Let’s say you’re working to improve access to affordable housing in your community. Consider hosting a biweekly or monthly event where you invite prospective clients as attendees to learn how to access resources or apply for assistance. In these sessions, you can answer questions live and immediately help troubleshoot more complex steps.

My favorite content formats for virtual events

Pre-recorded events: You may not be ready to host a live event, and that’s OK. Take your ideas for a test run with pre-recorded sessions that beneficiaries and community partners can access anytime.
If you take this route, include segments where you answer frequently asked questions, and place supplementary information, like applications, in content descriptions and on web pages. Finally, invite your community partners or representatives for the resources you’re sharing to participate in these segments.
It not only shows how you’re well-connected and collaborative in the community, but also gives your content more chances to be widely shared with their audiences.
Live events: These can take on many formats, from fireside chats to facilities tours and even “live AMA” (or “ask me anything”). For each of these events, you can invite local leaders, community members, and change-makers to participate and drive greater value.
For example, collaborating with mayoral offices can go a long way in showing the positive relationships your organization has with those who have the greatest ability to make change.
Social media lives: You can also take a non-traditional approach to this content type by hosting live events on your social media platforms. Try posting a quick announcement in the morning with details on when you'll be going live on a certain topic.
This gives people a reason to come back to your account and a chance to participate by asking questions and leaving comments. Social media lives are a quick and easy way to communicate with local communities in times of uncertainty or administrative transitions that might affect access to food, healthcare, housing, and other essential social needs.

4. Engage in meaningful social media discussions with peers and community groups

My last recommended content type for nonprofits isn't new by any means. But it is one of the most effective ways to highlight your organization and your expertise. To establish yourself as a thought leader, you'll want to start or enter conversations where you can make the greatest impact.

That means staying active on platforms and in places where conversations are happening related to your organization. But it also means not being afraid to state your opinion, encourage someone else's ideas, and ask others for their thoughts in return. And there's really no limit to how you can show up in conversations authentically, from comment threads to video responses.

Remember that you show the most value when you’re bringing something new to the conversation. A simple like or “I agree!” won’t take you as far as it might have just a few years ago. No matter where the conversation happens, stay curious about what others are saying, even if they’re saying something you don’t agree with.

My favorite content formats for social media engagement

Collaborating on a social media video: React to a trending topic, add helpful context, or share your organization’s perspective directly alongside someone else’s post. This format lets you join conversations already capturing attention and redirect that energy toward your mission.
Entering comment threads on LinkedIn or other professional platforms: Thoughtful comments, whether you’re adding insight, offering resources, or asking a meaningful question, can position your nonprofit as an active, informed voice in your field. It also helps you build relationships with peers, funders, journalists, and potential partners.
Inviting partners to do behind-the-scenes content: Collaborative posts with partner organizations, volunteers, or community members give audiences a transparent look at the work happening every day. This content deepens credibility and shows the real people, processes, and collaborations behind your impact.

Do good with words, and share your expertise across content types

Effective nonprofit storytelling is only as effective as the ideas and platforms that support it. And you don’t need a huge budget or a massive following to make your expertise stand out.

When you use the right mix of content types, from media pitches to success stories, virtual events, and social engagement, you give your community more ways to see, hear, and trust the work you do every day. With the right content strategy, your organization can position itself as a true thought and community leader.

Alexis Bennett