National Nonprofit Day: 8 Ways to Celebrate & Show Support

National Nonprofit Day is celebrated every August 17 to recognize and celebrate non-profit organizations of the invaluable contributions to the community.

Here are 9 ways businesses can honor National Nonprofit Day.

What is National Nonprofit Day?

National Nonprofit Day, on August 17, is a special occasion celebrated to recognize and honor the contributions of nonprofit organizations.

There are approximately 1.8 million nonprofit organizations in the US. About 25% of American adults volunteer. They help with a wide range of essential needs, from affordable housing and food assistance to education and social service.

Given the important and labor-intensive work nonprofits undertake, National Nonprofit Day raises awareness of people about the efforts of nonprofits and encourages participation.

How to celebrate National Nonprofit Day

Although National Nonprofit Day is an opportunity for nonprofits to raise awareness and encourage participation, businesses can take meaningful action to show support.

There are countless creative ways to celebrate National Nonprofit Day. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. Make a donation

The simplest way to support a nonprofit is by making a donation to their cause.

You can support employees in many ways:

• Offer employees the option to contribute a portion of their salary to a nonprofit through payroll deductions.
• Allow employees to make individual donations to their preferred organizations.
• Encourage employees to combine their personal donations.
• Organize a fundraising event. Management can make a final donation that matches or exceeds the collective contributions.

2. Engage employees in nonprofit appreciation

National Nonprofit Day is an excellent opportunity to tap into the knowledge and interests of your employees regarding nonprofit organizations.

You can:

• Organize a special lunch or in-house event where employees share information about their favorite nonprofits.
• Conduct a survey to gather insights into the nonprofits that resonate with your team.
• Invite community members and customers to share their favorite nonprofits.
• Create a poll on social media where people can vote for nonprofits they love.

By sharing about nonprofits, your team can discover organizations they don’t know. You can also understand more about what matters to your workforce and customers.

3. Recognize and appreciate volunteers

National Nonprofit Day is also a great time to acknowledge and express gratitude to the volunteers.

You can:

• Highlight and feature your staff volunteers for their dedicated service. Showcase their contributions through in-house publications, blog posts, or social media shout-outs.
• Encourage employees and customers to nominate volunteers who are making a significant impact.
• Share stories of donors and the impact of their donations. Interview donors and let them share their motivations for giving, which can inspire others to follow suit.

4. Promote awareness of community issues

National Nonprofit Day presents an excellent opportunity to educate your employees and customers about the specific challenges faced by their communities.

To enhance awareness, you can:

• Consider employee input: Reflect on the favorite nonprofits your employees shared and inquire about the community issues they believe are most important. Organize brainstorming sessions to discuss ways to educate both the community and your staff.
• Bring in nonprofit representatives. Arrange for representatives or leaders from nonprofits to share valuable information with your employees. Make the event enjoyable with complimentary lunches or a fun-filled venue.
• Host a fair. Organize an event where community members can interact with nonprofit leaders, gaining insights into their missions and activities. Consider a banquet, BBQ, or street fair where volunteers and donors can join and learn about impactful contributions.
• Use digital platforms. Feature relevant content on social media and other digital channels to raise awareness. Share stories of nonprofits and individuals who have been positively impacted by nonprofit organizations.

5. Collaborate with local nonprofits

Reach out to local nonprofits and find out areas where they need assistance. Communicate this information to your employees and encourage them to help.

Doing so enables employees to explore various volunteer opportunities and empowers them to make a difference.

6. Use social media

Use social media and the hashtag #NationalNonprofitDay to share how you celebrate the day and express your support for causes.

Share links to websites of nonprofits, donations, or local events.

This can inspire your followers to get involved, spread kindness, show support or make donations.

7. Remove barriers to support nonprofits

One way to keep a culture of support is to remove barriers that hinder participation and make it easier to contribute.

Here are some actionable steps:

• Feature nonprofits regularly. Showcase different nonprofits on your website, social channels, or in-store point-of-sale system. Customers and employees can contribute directly to these featured organizations through online donations or rounding up purchase totals.
• Integrate online giving. Providing convenient online giving options through your website or app. Make it simple for people to donate, especially on mobile devices.
• Become a drop-off point. Make your business a drop-off location for donations. Help local nonprofits find accessible drop-off points.

8. Extend the spirit of giving

Although charitable activities surge in December, you can extend the spirit of generosity beyond the holiday season.

Here’s how you can create a sustained impact throughout the year:

• Plan community events. Organize both in-person and online events that bring attention to nonprofit activities. Consider hosting fundraisers, volunteer drives, or educational sessions.
• Feature nonprofits throughout the year. Collaborate with nonprofit organizations and highlight their work on your social channels. Showcase their mission, projects, and impact to inform and inspire your audience.
• Create themed content, products, or services. Develop and offer content, products, or services that align with specific nonprofits or causes. Donate a portion of the proceeds from these offerings to nonprofits.

Takeaway

By proactively planning for National Nonprofit Day and fostering a culture of giving, you can inspire your employees and audience to make a positive impact.

Engage your employees and audience, collaborate with local nonprofits, and leverage your promotional efforts to amplify the impact of this special day and beyond.