Marketing
for non-profits

Marketing for non-profits is about people, not programs

Supporters do not give to a program description. They give to a person, a story and a specific next step. Marketing for non-profits and charities works when it shows one life changed, explains what a gift makes possible, and makes giving easy. Annual reports and strategic plans have their place, but not at the top of the home page.

Most small Canadian charities I talk to have the same pattern: a loyal circle of long-time donors, a few busy staff, a website built by a volunteer years ago, and a donate button that leads to a confusing third-party page. Fixing the donation path is often the fastest win. One page, your branding, suggested amounts tied to real outcomes, a monthly option and receipts issued automatically by your donation platform.

The Canadian giving calendar

A lot of annual revenue for many charities lands in the last weeks of the year. Planning that campaign in September, not December, makes the difference.

Google Ad Grants

Eligible registered charities in Canada can apply for Google Ad Grants, which provides in-kind search advertising. It is a real opportunity, but accounts must follow strict policies: relevant keywords, a minimum click-through rate, conversion tracking and active management. Many grants go unused or get suspended because nobody looks after them. I set up and manage Google Ads accounts with those rules in mind, focused on volunteer sign-ups, program information and donations.

Email, consent and stewardship

Email usually raises more than any other channel for a small charity. Registered charities have a CASL exemption for fundraising messages, but event tickets or merchandise promotions may not be covered, and a list built on clear consent performs better anyway. A CRM helps track donors, gift history and volunteer hours, so thank-you notes go out quickly and the next ask is personal. Stewardship, the thank-you and the report back, is what turns one gift into ten.

Accessibility, privacy and languages

Charities serve everyone, and their websites should too. Building to WCAG standards helps people using screen readers or keyboards, and in Ontario larger organizations have formal AODA obligations. Donor information is personal data under privacy law, so forms must be secure and the privacy policy clear. If your community speaks Ukrainian, Polish or Russian, I can write pages in those languages; in Quebec, French must be fully available, and that text would come from your own team or translator.

Volunteers are a marketing audience

Volunteers need the same clarity as donors: what the role is, how much time it takes, what training is provided and who they will work with. A dedicated page for each role and a simple sign-up form beat a general "get involved" paragraph.

If your organization runs a social enterprise, ideas from marketing for retail stores may help. Schools and child care non-profits should also read marketing for daycares and private schools.