How Nonprofits Can Engage in Sustainability
Written for LinkedIn for Nonprofits Team
For this article, I had the privilege of interviewing Peggy Brannigan, Director of Global Environmental Sustainability at LinkedIn. I researched and spoke to SMEs to inform the questions I asked, then used those answers to weave an informational article for nonprofits.
Across the nonprofit field, many of us are looking for ways to incorporate sustainability into our work. Sustainability has three pillars: environmental, societal and economic, as described in the UN’s Sustainable Development Guide. At this pivotal moment, we acknowledge that long-term sustainability in any of these areas is unachievable if we don’t solve climate change. This is neatly illustrated by Stockholm Resilience’s Wedding Cake graphic, which shows how environmental factors are the basic components needed to build societal and economic gains.
A stable and predictable climate is key to creating long-term positive societal changes. Every action matters in reducing climate disasters and devastation, so what we do right now truly will have a lasting impact for centuries to come.
In order to best serve our current constituencies, organizations can benefit tremendously by incorporating a sustainability mindset. Here are six ways your nonprofit can meaningfully engage.
Make sustainability a priority
While sustainability is built into the fabric of some nonprofits, it isn’t top of the list for others. We suggest that it should be a priority. We can reshape how we approach sustainability and see it as an overarching necessity for every nonprofit issue. From poverty to human rights, medical research to the exoneration of the innocent—every noble effort will be challenged by the environmental destruction and systemic disruptions of climate change.
That’s why nonprofits need to start advocating for environmental sustainability, regardless of what their core mission is. Nonprofit leaders can educate their staff—and connect with peers, networks, and groups with shared goals. Leaders can extend this outreach to donors and board members by providing high-level skills training—and highlighting key projects and successes that show what can be accomplished with their support.
One example is the NAACP, whose core activities now include a robust Environmental Climate & Justice program. Save the Children has also launched a special program focused on this generation’s children, who are born into the climate crisis and Rotary International is mobilizing its global membership of 1.4 million Rotarians for a sustainable future by supporting initiatives in its 35,000 local clubs to tackle environmental issues in their communities.
Advocate for environmental justice and equity
Environmental justice aims to reduce the unfair burdens of climate change on marginalized poor communities. Whether the danger comes from rising sea levels, unhealthy air quality, heat waves, or unprecedented natural disasters that destroy housing and create food and water instability, people without necessary resources are bearing the brunt of our climate crisis. Environmental justice prompts nonprofits to think about what we can do now to minimize and mitigate these awful impacts.
Environmental equity is also important, ensuring that underserved community members have equal access to emerging green jobs and get the chance to develop in-demand green skills. Nonprofits exist to serve people and can be strong advocates for both justice and equity. Through policy changes, education, and service, it’s vital to elevate the voices of marginalized people every step of the way. Education is key. That’s why environmental literacy and a focus on environmental intersectionality should be core elements of every nonprofit’s sustainability initiative.
Build resiliency into nonprofit programming
A key opportunity area for nonprofit leadership is helping communities build resilience (physical, financial, and emotional) to adapt and thrive in this changing environment. Climate change events will continue to grow in number and severity, urging us to be intentional about the steps we’re taking. For nonprofits that work in conservation, wildfires are becoming a key consideration, while those orgs invested in human health programs will want to factor in the impacts of heatwaves, catastrophic storms, and flooding, and a wider scope of vector-borne diseases. Nonprofits involved in workforce development can support the transition of fossil-fuel workers into other jobs as the world economy moves to renewables.
It’s also crucial to promote green opportunities for those who face extensive barriers based on gender, race, or socioeconomic status. Diverse perspectives lead to the most innovative solutions, as people with various worldviews, backgrounds, and capabilities have valuable perspectives to contribute.
Provide educational opportunities
Give people opportunities to build their green skills through targeted training, workshops, and mentorship. Organizations like Greenbiz provide global sustainability resources, webinars, events, and newsletters. Also, check out these 10 powerful free resources specifically targeted for nonprofits to build their sustainability capabilities. Whether it’s in leadership, fundraising, or subject matter expertise, there will always be an area of growth that employees will want to tackle. They’ll be grateful for your efforts to partner with them in their educational and career-related growth.
Supporting your organization’s employees will always end up benefiting your cause. When spearheading sustainability initiatives, encourage ongoing education on sustainability and effective solutions. For instance, investing in LinkedIn’s educational resources, Employee’s Guide to Sustainability and Sustainability Strategies, is another way to encourage a culture of learning around sustainability. There will always be more to learn—and fostering a growth mindset will help everyone become more well-versed in the issues that your nonprofit stands for.
You could also help employees and partners by connecting them to other like-minded peers who share the same vision, allowing them to branch out their network with different groups. Ask the right questions
When launching or co-sponsoring environmental sustainability initiatives, begin by applying a materiality lens and asking yourself the following questions.
Does this initiative link to our organization’s most material environmental impacts?
Does the initiative align with and tie into our organization’s core mission?
Does the initiative take advantage of our key assets and unique value proposition?
Are we considering climate resiliency in our plans?
It’s also worth considering who the stakeholders are in this particular project and how they will own their goals and contribute to desired outcomes. Taking an inclusive approach here will be crucial. The inclusion of diverse and relevant voices from community leaders and members of underrepresented groups will clarify the problem to be solved and help identify the best options and opportunities. Ask yourself how your vision of success matches up with theirs. Is this work empowering and benefiting them?
Envision what success looks like, and how you will measure it. Also take time to consider possible unintended negative consequences, and how you could avoid or mitigate them. Furthermore, do you have the resources and buy-in from your leadership to achieve success?
If you are partnering with a person or organization for this initiative, ensure they also align with your values. What is their track record?
Share your resources
Tracking sustainability KPIs, such as carbon emissions reduction or diversity and inclusion metrics, is a vital part of securing the success of sustainability programs. However, measurement can be costly. Fortunately, there are a myriad of resources available for organizations that want to improve tracking in a cost-efficient manner.
Take the time to do your research, check out the SME Climate Hub for more information, and when you find the tools that propel your nonprofit forward, consider sharing them with other partnering organizations or key stakeholders to your cause. In this line of work, where we promote sustainability by also fighting for equity, unity, and inclusion, it’s crucial that you help and equip others whenever possible.
Sustainability is our collective responsibility, and it can only be successful if we continue to act as one determined, mutually-supportive unit. Let the world’s nonprofits—steeped in hope, versed in advocacy, and empowered by engagement and intention—act as an indomitable and winning force for change.
How to Build a Donor Cultivation Plan for LinkedIn
Written for LinkedIn for Nonprofits Team
LinkedIn can be a great place to find potential donors. But to make the most of LinkedIn for fundraising, you need a strong donor cultivation plan for the platform.
Ready to start raising money on LinkedIn? Here’s how your nonprofit can leverage LinkedIn throughout the donor cultivation cycle.
What is donor cultivation and how can nonprofits use LinkedIn to support it?
Donor cultivation is the process of identifying potential donors and preparing to ask them for a gift. Your donor cultivation plan is your roadmap for navigating this journey.
Since LinkedIn is home to more than 830 million global members, including countless professionals in executive and senior leadership positions, it can play a key role in the donor cultivation cycle. You can use LinkedIn to search for people who have an affinity for your cause, research and qualify them based on information on their LinkedIn profile, establish a connection, make an ask, and even grow the relationship over time.
How can nonprofits find prospective donors on LinkedIn?
As you get started raising money on LinkedIn, you can use the search bar at the top left-hand side of the website to identify potential donors. Depending on who you’re trying to reach, you could type in a specific job title or a keyword relating to your cause. Hit enter, then select “People” from the list of options below the search bar, and use the “All filters” option to narrow down your results.
This will generate a list of people who match your search criteria. From there, you can start reviewing their profiles to qualify them and determine the best way to engage them.
For more advanced donor cultivation features, consider investing in LinkedIn Sales Navigator, which is available at up to a 50% discount for eligible nonprofits. This solution gives you access to advanced search filters, an easy way to map your network and identify the best path forward, and more.
What else should be included in a LinkedIn donor cultivation plan?
Identifying potential donors is only one element of a strong donor cultivation plan. You can also leverage LinkedIn to build the relationship both before and after you first approach the prospect. After all, not every prospect will give right away, and others may not commit to a repeat gift upfront, so you’ll want to plan ahead to keep these prospects warm and maximize your efforts.
Here are some ways you can use LinkedIn throughout the donor cultivation cycle:
Invite prospects to follow your nonprofit on LinkedIn. Post regularly to keep your organization on their mind. Consider creating a LinkedIn newsletter, too — everyone who follows your nonprofit’s LinkedIn Page will be prompted to subscribe, and those who do will get a notification every time you post.
Keep track of prospects’ activity. Check the “Activity” section of their LinkedIn profile regularly to look for signals that it’s a good time to approach or follow up. You can also hit the “Follow” button at the top of their profile (it may be under “More”) to get notifications about their activity.
Get prospects’ attention with personalized InMail messages. If you have LinkedIn Premium or LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can send InMails (direct messages) to anyone on LinkedIn. Review the prospect’s LinkedIn profile before crafting your message to make it feel warm and personal. Be sure to mention any connection they have to your cause.
Elevate your donor cultivation efforts with LinkedIn
Whether you use it for identifying potential donors, researching prospects, building relationships, or all of the above, LinkedIn can be an invaluable part of any donor cultivation plan.
Take your donor cultivation efforts to the next level with LinkedIn Sales Navigator. Contact our team to learn more.