Public Relations Is Not a Luxury — It's a Survival Strategy

In times of uncertainty, many nonprofits face an all-too-familiar budget shuffle. Funding gets delayed. Priorities shift. Programs stretch thinner. And often, public relations and communications are among the first things cut or put on the back burner.

It’s understandable — public relations can feel like a nice-to-have when your team is scrambling to meet core mission needs. But visibility, credibility and trust are lifelines when everyone is trying to make sense of what's going on. And public relations is the strategy that helps you secure them.

Visibility Fuels Support

If no one knows your work is happening or why it matters within the bigger picture, they can’t fund it, volunteer for it or champion it. And in a crowded, noisy, attention-strapped world, even the most powerful impact stories won’t gain traction unless they’re actively shared.

Public relations isn’t about fluff or fanfare. At its core, it’s about building relationships and trust. It ensures your stakeholders, partners, funders and community understand your value and why it matters.

The Risk of Going Quiet

When organizations pause public relations efforts, they often disappear from the public eye at the exact moment they need support the most. Hiding creates a perception gap: If your organization isn’t visible, people may assume you’re not active — or worse, not relevant.

That silence has real consequences. Missed media opportunities mean missed funding. A lack of consistent communication can erode donor confidence. And without a steady drumbeat of updates or publicly sharing your insights and point of view, you risk being excluded from the conversations shaping the issues you’re working so hard to address.

Reframe Public Relations as a Strategic Essential

Let’s stop thinking of public relations as a cost center and start seeing it as a strategic investment in your organization’s long-term success.

You don’t need a massive budget or a big agency to make public relations work. Here are three low-cost, high-impact strategies any nonprofit can adopt:

1. Tell Your Own Stories Regularly

Use your owned channels — email, blog, social channels, etc. — to share wins, lessons and the people behind the work. Don’t wait for a media outlet to cover you. Start publishing consistently — even once a month makes a difference.

2. Lean Into Thought Leadership

Identify leaders in your organization who can speak to your mission’s urgency and relevance. Pitch them as contributors to industry blogs, speakers at local events or as guests on mission-aligned podcasts.

3. Build Relationships With Journalists Before You Need Them

Reach out to local or niche reporters with a quick intro and an insight or data point. Offer yourself as a resource. When the time comes to pitch a story, you won’t be a stranger.

Your Voice Matters — Especially in Crisis

Nonprofits are on the frontlines of today’s most urgent issues — education, healthcare, climate, equity and more. When headlines are full of uncertainty, your work brings hope and solutions. These are stories that must be shared.

In times of scarcity or upheaval, it’s tempting to go quiet. But often, that’s when it’s most important to speak up. Strategic communications can be the difference between being overlooked and being championed.

Public Relations Isn’t Just for the Good Times

Public relations isn’t just about press releases or pitching stories. It’s about showing up and speaking out, consistently and clearly, so people understand who you are and why your work matters. It helps you build the relationships and reputation that make people want to support you, especially when times are tough.

If you wait to communicate until everything is figured out, you’ve waited too long. Public relations doesn’t require perfection. 

It requires intention.

So, don't sideline your communications strategy even when the budget is tight and your to-do list is never-ending. Public relations is not a luxury. It’s a critical lever for building the awareness, trust and momentum your mission needs to thrive.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with NonProfit PRO. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of NonProfit PRO.