SOLOMON MCCOWN SURVEY REVEALS BOSTON’S NON-PROFITS MUST IMPROVE COMMUNICATION
Results show organizations have to do better in communicating value

October 31, 2007

BOSTON — Greater Boston's non-profit sector is not successfully communicating its value, a recent Solomon McCown & Company (SM&) survey revealed. The survey, which was distributed via SurveyMonkey, polled a sampling of people who largely identified themselves as being part of non-profit, mission-focused or social entrepreneur organizations.

The aim of the survey was to tap into people's thoughts on the landscape of Boston's non-profit sector and its effectiveness of communicating with its audiences. The survey continued a dialogue that SM& started last fall when it hosted a gathering of 250 leaders of mission-focused organizations at an “SM& Presents” panel discussion entitled “STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED FIELD: Attracting Resources to Meet the Ambitions of Today’s Social Entrepreneurs”.

“The sector is evolving, and as it does, the need for non-profit, mission-focused and social entrepreneur organizations to distinguish themselves is more important than ever before,” said SM& President and CEO Helene Solomon . “Each organization must articulate its value to attract funding, civic engagement, and support from policymakers, who are crucial to making true social impact.”

The survey revealed:

• Most (77.8 percent) respondents felt that Greater Boston's non-profit sector is NOT successful in communicating its value or impact on the community.
  
• Respondents were virtually split on whether or not Boston 's communities would be better served with fewer competing non-profits. Fifty-three percent of respondents felt they would NOT be better served.
  
• Less than a third (27.4 percent) of respondents thought the non-profit sector's messages were effective in stimulating civic engagement.
  
• A vast majority (91.8 percent) of respondents thought partnering with policymakers was important or very important to achieving real sustainable change.
  
• Respondents believed the number of lives impacted is the most important indicator of a non-profit's success, followed by ability to influence policymakers, fundraise, and create corporate partnerships.

The survey results will now be leveraged in an ongoing analysis of the sector, which will feature a podcast series scheduled for release in early 2008 and followed by a detailed report. In the meantime, a mission-focused blog with news updates and details on the project's progress can be found at missionrecognition.blogspot.com.

ABOUT SOLOMON MCCOWN & COMPANY:
SM& (www.solomonmccown.com) provides strategic communications and crisis management services to mission-focused businesses and organizations. The firm leverages all of its assets — our strategic thinking, considerable experience, successful alliance building, and commitment to results — to help clients achieve the recognition, definition, and protection they need to meet their goals.

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