How to Match with the Right Marketing Experts for Nonprofits

Back to Blog

Oct 22, 2025

How to Match with the Right Marketing Experts for Nonprofits

Back to Blog

Start with a marketing audit: Identify what's working, what's not, and where to focus efforts.
Set clear goals and priorities: Link marketing strategies to your nonprofit's objectives, whether it’s increasing donations, growing volunteers, or raising awareness.
Choose the right partnership model: Options include freelancers, agencies, or AI-powered platforms, each with distinct costs and benefits.
Evaluate experience and alignment: Look for partners with nonprofit expertise and a genuine connection to your mission.
Craft a detailed RFP: Clearly outline your needs, budget, and success metrics to attract qualified candidates.
Use a scoring system for proposals: Objectively compare candidates based on experience, pricing, communication, and timelines.
Conduct interviews and reference checks: Ensure your chosen partner can deliver results and aligns with your values.

How to Build A Profitable and Impactful Nonprofit Consulting Business with Cindy Wagman

Review Your Nonprofit's Marketing Requirements

Before selecting the right marketing partner, it’s essential to evaluate where you currently stand and clarify where you want to go. This involves assessing your existing marketing efforts, identifying successes and shortcomings, and prioritizing your goals.

Run a Marketing Audit

Think of a marketing audit as a checkup for your nonprofit's promotional efforts. It helps you understand what’s working, what isn’t, and where improvements can be made.

Start with a SWOT analysis - a deep dive into your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. For strengths, pinpoint what’s already delivering results. For instance, if your email newsletter consistently achieves high open rates or your social media posts drive engagement, those are areas of success. Take note of these wins to better understand what resonates with your audience.

When it comes to weaknesses, identify areas where your efforts fall short. Common challenges for nonprofits include inconsistent messaging across platforms, outdated websites that fail to convert visitors into donors, or sporadic and unfocused social media activity.

Opportunities might include unexplored marketing channels, seasonal campaigns you haven’t tried, or collaborations with other organizations. On the flip side, threats could involve increased competition for donor attention, changes in social media algorithms, or economic conditions impacting donation patterns.

Next, audit your current marketing channels and performance data. List all your efforts - website, email campaigns, social media, print materials, events, direct mail, and advertising. For each channel, assess how much time and money you’re investing, the results you’re achieving, and how these align with your goals. Pay special attention to website analytics, email open rates, social media metrics, and donation tracking to uncover areas for improvement.

Consistency in messaging is another critical area. Review your website, brochures, social media profiles, and email templates. Are they all telling the same story about your mission? Is your visual branding cohesive? Inconsistent messaging can confuse potential supporters and dilute your impact.

The insights gained from this audit will help you pinpoint where to direct your marketing efforts for maximum effectiveness.

Set Marketing Priorities

Once you’ve assessed your current efforts, it’s time to decide where to focus. Nonprofits often try to tackle too much at once, which can lead to scattered results.

Begin by linking your marketing goals to your organization’s broader objectives. For example, if your nonprofit aims to increase monthly recurring donations by 25% this year, your marketing strategies should align with that goal. If you’re launching a new program, your focus might shift toward raising awareness and educating your audience.

Distinguish between short-term and long-term priorities. Short-term goals (3-6 months) could include improving your donation page’s conversion rate, launching a monthly giving campaign, or boosting attendance at an upcoming event. Long-term goals (6-12 months or more) might involve enhancing brand awareness, developing a content strategy, or expanding outreach to new communities.

Tailor your strategies to different audience segments. Major donors require a different approach than small-dollar contributors. Volunteers have unique motivations compared to financial supporters, and corporate sponsors prioritize distinct outcomes. Use your audit results to shape messaging for each group.

Consider your resources. If your team is stretched thin or your budget is tight, focus on cost-effective activities like email marketing and organic social media, which often deliver high returns with minimal investment.

Timing is another key factor. Many nonprofits experience a surge in donations at year-end, so preparing for that period could be a priority. Similarly, if your programs are tied to specific seasons or awareness months, plan your marketing calendar accordingly.

By aligning your priorities with your mission, you ensure that every marketing decision reinforces your nonprofit’s core purpose.

Include Key People Early

Involving the right stakeholders from the beginning ensures alignment and minimizes conflicts down the road.

Board members bring valuable insights, particularly those with business or marketing expertise. They can offer strategic guidance and may have networks that could support your efforts. Be clear about the type of input you need - focus on strategy rather than execution.

Program staff have a deep understanding of your mission and its impact. They can provide compelling stories and data to make your marketing efforts more authentic and relatable.

Development staff are closely connected to donors and understand what drives their contributions. They can share insights on donor preferences, past campaign successes, and any limitations around fundraising communications.

Executive leadership plays a critical role, as marketing decisions often influence the entire organization. They provide context on organizational priorities, budget constraints, and overall strategy.

Finally, front-line staff - those who interact directly with beneficiaries, volunteers, or community members - can offer valuable perspectives on how your organization is perceived and what messages resonate most effectively.

When gathering input, use structured conversations rather than open-ended brainstorming. Ask specific questions like, “What marketing activities have been most successful over the past year?” or “Where do you see gaps in how we communicate our impact?”

Document everything from these discussions. Summarize key points, priorities, and concerns, as this information will be crucial when evaluating potential marketing partners.

Set Your Budget and Pick a Partnership Type

Once you’ve outlined your marketing needs, it’s time to establish a budget and choose the partnership model that aligns with your nonprofit’s goals. Many nonprofits underestimate the full scope of marketing expenses, including less obvious costs.

Create a Realistic Budget

Crafting a well-rounded budget means accounting for more than just the quoted fees. You’ll need to calculate the total cost of ownership, which includes direct fees as well as hidden costs like onboarding, project management, and revisions.

Don’t forget to budget for essential marketing tools. Another key consideration is the opportunity cost of your team’s time - when your staff is tied up managing external partnerships, they may have less bandwidth for other essential tasks. Remember to account for seasonal shifts; for instance, nonprofits often need extra marketing support during peak fundraising campaigns. Your budget should cover both direct costs and the value of your internal resources.

Compare Partnership Options

Once your budget is clear, it’s time to weigh the partnership models available. Nonprofits typically choose from three main approaches:

Freelance Marketplaces (e.g., Upwork, Fiverr): These platforms often have lower upfront costs but can come with inconsistent quality and require more hands-on management.
Marketing Agencies: Agencies offer end-to-end services, structured processes, and strategic insight. While they usually involve a higher investment, they can provide a more cohesive approach to achieving your marketing goals.
AI-Powered Marketing Platforms: These platforms blend artificial intelligence with human expertise, streamlining tasks by consolidating various marketing functions into one workflow. For example, Roman Olney, Head of Global Digital Experience at Lenovo, shared:

By automating workflows that would typically take weeks and cost thousands of dollars through agencies, Copy.ai saved Lenovo $16 million dollars in that year alone[1].

Likewise, Jean English, Former Chief Marketing Officer at Juniper Networks, noted:

Thanks to Copy.ai, we're generating 5x more meetings with our personalized, AI-powered GTM strategy[1].

You might also consider a hybrid approach - using an AI platform for routine tasks like content creation while partnering with a specialized agency for strategic initiatives. The right choice depends on your nonprofit’s size, budget, internal capacity, and specific marketing goals.

Create Clear Review Standards

Once you've outlined your needs and established your budget, it's time to set specific review standards for evaluating potential marketing partners. A structured approach will help you identify candidates who align with your nonprofit's goals and challenges.

Check Nonprofit Experience

Focus on candidates with a proven track record in nonprofit marketing, especially in areas like donor acquisition, fundraising campaigns, and grant support. They should demonstrate the ability to craft messages that resonate with a range of audiences, including donors, volunteers, board members, and beneficiaries.

It's also important to assess their familiarity with nonprofit-specific tools and platforms. Look for experience with systems like Salesforce Nonprofit Success Pack for donor management, Network for Good for fundraising, and VolunteerHub for volunteer coordination.

Additionally, ensure they have a solid understanding of fundraising regulations, donor privacy concerns, and tax-exempt status requirements. A qualified marketing professional should be able to explain how these factors influence campaign strategies and execution.

Check Mission and Values Match

Evaluate whether the candidate genuinely connects with your nonprofit's mission. This can often be gauged by the quality of their questions, their suggestions, and the tone of their initial conversations.

Pay attention to how they talk about your beneficiaries and the impact of your work. Experts with nonprofit experience tend to focus on mission-driven outcomes rather than just metrics or numbers.

Review their portfolio for alignment with your organization's values. While perfect alignment may not always be feasible, avoid candidates whose work or approach conflicts with your nonprofit's core principles.

Ask about their ability to handle sensitive or challenging topics. Nonprofit marketing often involves addressing issues like poverty, health crises, or social injustices. A strong candidate should demonstrate an empathetic and respectful approach to these subjects, ensuring the messaging is both impactful and appropriate.

Lastly, confirm their alignment and expertise by reviewing concrete examples of their work and speaking with past clients.

Review Portfolios and References

Request detailed case studies that showcase measurable results, such as increased donations, volunteer engagement, or heightened public awareness. This provides insight into their ability to deliver outcomes that matter to nonprofits.

Seek diversity in their past work. Candidates with experience across a variety of nonprofit types - from grassroots organizations to large-scale charities - bring a broader perspective and adaptable strategies suited to different contexts and budgets.

Directly reach out to their references and ask specific, targeted questions. For example, inquire about their communication style, reliability with deadlines, adaptability to budget changes, and overall effectiveness. Most importantly, ask whether the reference would hire them again.

Verify the results they highlight in their portfolio by discussing specific campaign outcomes with their references. This step helps you differentiate between marketing professionals who deliver tangible results and those who simply present polished work.

Finally, request examples of how they've handled crisis communications or sensitive messaging. Nonprofits often encounter public relations challenges, and your marketing partner should have a proven ability to manage these situations while safeguarding your organization's reputation.

Write a Clear Request for Proposal (RFP)

A well-crafted Request for Proposal (RFP) not only attracts qualified partners but also simplifies the process of comparing responses. The trick is to strike a balance - providing enough detail to guide potential partners while leaving room for creative solutions. These recommendations build on the groundwork laid during your earlier marketing assessment and budgeting efforts.

Key Elements of an Effective RFP

Organization Overview: Start with a concise introduction to your organization. Share your mission, key programs, target audiences, and notable achievements. This context helps potential partners understand your work and assess how well their expertise aligns with your needs.
Marketing Challenges and Goals: Clearly outline the challenges you’re facing and the objectives you aim to achieve. Be specific - include measurable targets, such as increasing monthly donations by 25% within a year or doubling your volunteer base. Providing a brief history of past strategies, both successful and unsuccessful, can add valuable context.
Budget Transparency: State your budget range upfront (e.g., "$3,000–$5,000 monthly retainer" or "$15,000–$25,000 project budget"). This ensures that proposals align with your financial expectations.
Deliverables and Timelines: Detail what you expect from the partnership, including deliverables and timelines. For instance, specify email campaign frequency, audience size, or social media needs - whether it’s full content creation or just strategic guidance.
Success Metrics: Define how you’ll measure success, such as donor retention rates or volunteer sign-ups. Also, specify how often you’d like progress reports and in what format.
Decision Process: Outline your selection process, including deadlines for proposals, interview timelines, and final decision dates. Mention who will be involved in the decision-making and what the next steps will look like.

Showcasing Strategic Thinking

Scenario-Based Questions: Include questions that assess strategic thinking, such as, “How would you communicate our impact to new corporate sponsors?” This reveals how candidates approach real-world challenges.
Creative Samples: Request small creative deliverables, like three donor email subject lines or a brief social media strategy. These tasks provide insight into their creative process without demanding excessive unpaid work.
Project Timelines: Ask for a proposed campaign timeline that outlines each phase - from strategy development to execution, including approvals and revisions. This demonstrates their planning and organizational skills.
Problem-Solving Examples: Invite candidates to share examples of how they’ve tackled challenges, such as donor fatigue, seasonal giving, or crisis communication. These insights highlight their experience and adaptability.
Standardized Proposal Requirements: Set clear guidelines for proposals, such as page limits, required sections, and formatting. This makes it easier to compare submissions side by side.
Collaboration Preferences: Ask about their preferred workflows, meeting schedules, feedback processes, availability, and onboarding needs. This helps establish realistic expectations for how you’ll work together.

Review Proposals and Pick Your Partner

After crafting a detailed RFP, the next step is to carefully evaluate the proposals you receive and choose the marketing partner that aligns best with your nonprofit’s goals. This process involves balancing objective metrics with more subjective factors like communication style and shared values.

Use a Scoring System

Implementing a scoring system can help you make an unbiased decision. Begin by assigning points to the criteria that matter most to your nonprofit. For example, experience with nonprofits should be a major factor, accounting for roughly 25-30% of the total score. Look for candidates who demonstrate a solid understanding of donor behavior, grant requirements, and the financial realities nonprofits face.

Another key factor is pricing transparency and value, which should represent about 20-25% of the score. Go beyond the numbers - evaluate what each proposal includes. A $3,000 monthly retainer that covers strategy, content creation, and reporting may provide more value than a $2,000 option that only handles basic tasks like social media posting.

Communication quality is another critical area. Assess how clearly and thoroughly each candidate responds to your RFP and whether they’ve taken the time to understand your organization. Proposals that reference your recent campaigns or specific challenges show attention to detail and a genuine interest in your mission.

Finally, timeline realism is a good indicator of a partner’s expertise. Be wary of proposals that promise immediate results with overly ambitious timelines. An experienced partner will likely suggest a realistic timeframe of 3-6 months to see meaningful progress in donor engagement.

Consider using a simple 1-10 scale for each criterion, then multiply the scores by their assigned weights. This approach creates an objective way to compare proposals and identify your top candidates for the next step: interviews.

Do Interviews and Check Fit

Once you’ve narrowed down your list, conduct interviews to evaluate how well each candidate aligns with your organization. Schedule 45-60 minute sessions with your top 2-3 choices and include team members who will work closely with the selected partner.

Ask scenario-based questions to gauge their understanding of nonprofit challenges. For instance: "Our donor campaign response rate dropped from 15% to 8% last quarter. How would you address this?" Look for answers that consider factors like donor fatigue, economic trends, and messaging relevance instead of generic marketing advice.

Alignment with your mission is equally important. Ask candidates about causes they’re personally passionate about to see if their values resonate with your organization’s. A marketing professional who speaks passionately about wildlife conservation, for example, might be a great fit for an animal rescue nonprofit, even if their technical expertise isn’t the highest on paper.

Also, inquire about their feedback process and how they handle creative disagreements. Nonprofits often have multiple stakeholders with strong opinions, so you’ll need a partner who can navigate these dynamics tactfully while staying focused on strategy.

Pay attention to the questions they ask you, too. Strong candidates will want to know about your donor demographics, the role of your board in marketing decisions, compliance needs, and past campaign performance. These inquiries reveal strategic thinking and a genuine interest in your success.

Check Claims with References

Reference checks are a step you should never skip, especially when a proposal includes bold claims or glowing testimonials. Reach out to at least two previous clients, ideally nonprofits of similar size and scope to yours.

Ask detailed questions about deliverables, communication, and the actual results achieved. For example, instead of asking, “Were you satisfied with their work?” dig deeper: “Did they meet the agreed-upon timelines? Would you hire them again for a similar project?”

Verify any performance claims made in proposals or interviews. If a candidate says they increased online donations by 150%, ask for specifics: What was the starting baseline? Over what timeframe did this occur? What strategies were used? Reputable professionals will provide context, including factors like budget constraints or market conditions that influenced the outcome.

When reviewing case studies, focus on those that include clear details about strategy, challenges, and measurable results. Be cautious of case studies that emphasize creative elements without showing tangible outcomes. Also, prioritize references from clients who worked with the candidate recently - within the last 12-18 months. Marketing trends evolve quickly, and a partner who excelled three years ago may not be up-to-date with current practices or platforms.

Make the Partnership Official and Set Clear Rules

When entering into a partnership, it's essential to formalize the arrangement with a comprehensive agreement that outlines mutual expectations and responsibilities.

Define Scope and Deliverables

Clearly lay out the specific services, tasks, and timelines in your contract. This eliminates any room for misunderstandings and ensures both parties are aligned from the start.

Simplify Onboarding

Make the onboarding process as smooth as possible by consolidating essential materials in one place. This could include brand guidelines, past campaigns, and any relevant planning documents. Having a centralized resource ensures your partner has immediate access to the context they need to hit the ground running [1].

Take it a step further by documenting your brand voice in detail. Specify the tone, preferred language, and key messaging, and include examples to guide consistency across all communications [1]. If possible, use a unified platform to organize your marketing processes and best practices. This not only helps new partners get up to speed but also ensures they integrate seamlessly into your existing strategies.

Establish Success Metrics and Regular Check-ins

Once onboarding is complete, shift focus to tracking progress. Define clear, measurable goals that align with your mission, covering both short-term wins and long-term objectives.

Schedule regular check-ins to review performance data and evaluate strategies. These updates are a great opportunity to ensure the partnership stays on track and to make adjustments as needed to meet your goals effectively.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Nonprofit

Securing the ideal marketing partner for your nonprofit is about more than just ticking boxes - it's about building a relationship that amplifies your mission and drives meaningful results.

Start by conducting a thorough needs assessment. This step ensures you have a solid understanding of your organization's priorities, allowing you to set realistic budgets and determine the best type of partnership for your goals and scale.

Shared values and mission alignment are critical. While an impressive portfolio might catch your eye, focus on finding a partner who truly understands the unique challenges nonprofits face. Seek out those with a proven track record in your sector, and take the time to verify their references. Ask detailed questions about their past successes with organizations similar to yours.

To keep the selection process fair and objective, consider using scoring systems to evaluate candidates. Once you've identified the right partner through a detailed RFP process, make their integration into your team as smooth as possible.

Effective onboarding is key. Provide clear documentation, establish transparent expectations, and set up regular check-ins to ensure accountability on both sides. Strong partnerships thrive on open communication and a shared commitment to achieving results.

Modern tools like Averi AI can be a game-changer for nonprofits, streamlining marketing workflows and fostering better collaboration with experts. By automating repetitive tasks while keeping strategic control firmly in your hands, these tools empower your team to focus on what matters most - your mission.

The right marketing partner will feel like an extension of your team. They’ll understand your limitations, celebrate your successes, and work tirelessly to expand your reach. Choose a partner who can elevate your efforts, enhance donor engagement, and strengthen the impact of your work.

FAQs

How can nonprofits find an affordable marketing partner that fits their budget?

Nonprofits looking to find affordable marketing partners can benefit from a few targeted strategies. Start by outlining your goals and setting a clear budget. This ensures that any potential partner understands both your mission and financial boundaries from the outset.

Seek out professionals with a track record in nonprofit marketing. Their experience often translates to a better understanding of your values and the unique challenges of working with limited resources. To simplify this process, tools like Averi AI can assist in evaluating candidates based on factors such as affordability, alignment with your mission, and measurable outcomes.

When reviewing options, pay close attention to pricing structures. Look for transparency in contracts and be mindful of any hidden fees that could strain your budget. It’s also wise to choose a partner who offers adaptability, giving you the flexibility to scale services up or down as your organization’s needs and resources change over time.

What should nonprofits include in an RFP to find the best marketing experts?

To bring in the right marketing professionals for your nonprofit, your Request for Proposal (RFP) needs to be both clear and comprehensive, while staying true to your organization's mission. Begin by clearly defining your objectives, identifying your target audience, and detailing the specific needs of the project. Make sure to include your budget range in USD and outline any resource limitations, so potential candidates can determine if they’re a suitable match.

Specify the key criteria you’ll use to evaluate proposals. This might include experience in nonprofit marketing, cost-efficiency, and alignment with your mission and values. Include a project timeline that lists important dates, such as the deadline for proposal submissions and the anticipated project completion. To strengthen the process, invite applicants to include case studies, references, or examples of their previous work that highlight their expertise in nonprofit marketing.

How can nonprofits find a marketing partner that truly aligns with their mission and values?

To find a marketing partner that truly complements your nonprofit's mission and values, start by outlining your goals and priorities in clear terms. This foundation helps ensure any potential partner understands what your organization stands for and what it hopes to achieve. Seek out partners with a track record of working with nonprofits or organizations similar to yours - they are more likely to grasp the unique hurdles and goals you face.

When evaluating candidates, focus on critical factors like alignment with your mission, cost considerations, and relevant experience. Dive into their previous work with nonprofits, ask how they approach understanding your values, and inquire about how they define and measure success. Tools such as AI-powered platforms, like Averi AI, can simplify this process by providing insights to help you assess candidates more effectively.

Throughout the selection process, prioritize open and honest communication. Share your vision, budget, and expectations upfront to ensure the partnership feels right for both parties.