Delivering Our Message: What Brooklyn Nonprofits Told Us About Communications

Brooklyn’s nonprofits are doing extraordinary work every day—meeting urgent needs, strengthening neighborhoods, and building solutions to some of our borough’s greatest challenges. But too often, the stories of that work don’t reach the people who need to hear them.

At Brooklyn Org, we work closely with hundreds of local nonprofits, providing not only funding but also resources, training, and opportunities to connect and grow. We see firsthand the incredible impact these organizations have on our communities, as well as the challenges they face operating with limited staff and resources. When every dollar and every hour is focused on delivering essential services, something important can fall through the cracks: telling the story of why that work matters.

And that comes at a cost. People can’t support work they don’t know about. 

That’s why we’ve spent much of this year helping Brooklyn nonprofits strengthen their communications, from our spring capacity-building offerings focused on storytelling to our annual Nonprofit Conference: Communicating with Clarity, which brought together more than 200 nonprofit staff and board members.

Through these engagements, we heard directly from nonprofit leaders about the challenges of communicating their work. We wanted to better understand how organizations across Brooklyn are sharing their stories, what’s working, and where they need more support.

In partnership with Argus Strategies, we surveyed local nonprofits, and the findings informed our new white paper, Delivering Our Message. The research will help shape how Brooklyn Org continues to invest in strengthening nonprofit communications across the borough. We also hope it serves as a call to action for our philanthropic partners: if we’re serious about strengthening nonprofits and building their long-term capacity, investing in communications must be part of that commitment.

Download The Report [PDF]

A few findings stood out:

• Only 28% of organizations surveyed have full-time staff dedicated to communications.

• Among organizations without dedicated communications staff, 71% rely on their executive directors to fill the gap.

• Reaching new donors was the lowest-rated area of communications effectiveness.

These findings reinforce an important reality: nonprofits are often so focused on delivering programs and meeting immediate needs that communicating their impact takes a back seat.

But what’s the cost when these stories go untold?

It’s the potential donor who never discovers an organization doing work they care deeply about. The Brooklynite who doesn’t know that essential services are available in their neighborhood. The advocate who could have amplified an important message. The community partner who might have helped an organization reach more people.

These aren’t just missed communications opportunities. They’re missed opportunities to connect people, mobilize resources, and strengthen our communities.

Strong communications aren’t simply about promoting an organization. They’re about building power, trust, and community around a mission. They’re how nonprofits rally supporters, bring new people into their work, mobilize advocates, and turn awareness into action.

And perhaps most importantly, they’re how organizations tell their own stories.

Brooklyn’s nonprofits have deep knowledge of their communities and firsthand experience with the challenges and opportunities facing them. Their perspectives should be shaping public conversations about our borough’s future, not getting lost in someone else’s version of the story.

We also recognize that resources are tight. When organizations are struggling to meet immediate needs, investing in communications can feel like a luxury. But the cost of not investing can be far greater than we realize. Every missed connection represents a potential missed opportunity to advance a mission and make a difference.

The good news is that strengthening communications doesn’t always require a big budget. Our white paper offers practical recommendations, from telling human-centered stories and communicating consistently to understanding audiences and measuring what resonates. The goal isn’t to be everywhere or do everything. It’s to be intentional about how organizations communicate and who they’re trying to reach.

For nonprofit leaders and boards, the message is clear: communications can’t be an afterthought.

They need to be part of organizational strategy, with dedicated time, attention, and resources. Staff, board members, and supporters all have a role to play in helping organizations reach new audiences and amplify their impact.

And for funders and donors, there’s an equally important lesson: supporting a nonprofit’s mission means investing not only in the programs it delivers, but also in its ability to build relationships, attract supporters, and sustain its work over time. Communications capacity is part of what makes that possible.

At Brooklyn Org, we believe that helping nonprofits thrive requires more than writing checks. We’ll continue investing in opportunities for organizations to build these essential skills, including through our free capacity-building resources, where nonprofit leaders can access trainings and tools at their own pace.

Brooklyn’s nonprofits have powerful stories to tell. And when those stories reach more people, they can inspire greater generosity, stronger partnerships, and more opportunities for Brooklynites to get involved in shaping the future of their communities.

The work happening across our borough deserves to be seen, heard, and supported. Let’s make sure it is.

Read our new white paper, Delivering Our Message, for research findings and practical recommendations to strengthen nonprofit communications. Brooklyn Org will also be offering related programming in the coming months. Explore our capacity-building resources, which includes recordings from Communicating with Clarity, free graphic design platforms, and strategic upskilling workshops, and sign up for our nonprofit newsletter to stay informed.

Thank you to Argus Strategies, to every organization that took the time to participate, and to University Settlement, Bed-Stuy Gateway BID, and New Sanctuary Coalition for sharing their stories.