Managing your nonprofit’s approach to crisis communications

How do you manage your nonprofit’s brand and messaging in this moment of political chaos and upheaval?

In 2021, I compiled advice to help organizations guide crisis communications through COVID. This year, I have again reached out to various networks to gather new insights given the latest concerns and challenges, and many tips are truly evergreen for those managing communications before, during, or after a crisis. 

If you want to add tips or resources to share, please let us know and we’ll update this post.

Be a steady, sustainable voice for both your mission and your team.

“During crises directly related to your mission, include key board and staff voices in communications, focus on the clients you serve, and share your action plan where and when appropriate. For crises not directly tied to your mission, acknowledge the potential emotional impact on team members and encourage appropriate self-care. This balanced approach maintains organizational effectiveness while respecting individual needs and boundaries during challenging periods.” — Diana Breen, Principal/Owner, Diana Breen Consulting, LLC  

“We must focus on ourselves, the work, and our mission. We must do what we can to try our best not to get too overwhelmed about what the world throws at us and ultimately continue to be us. We have lived through so many crises that it’s best not to panic, try not to react immediately unless needed, and mitigate what we have in our control. Helping others IS our business, and we must persevere. Let’s forge on!” — Joshua Sankowski, Director of Corporate Partnerships at PathStone Corporation  

“It will be tempting for many nonprofits to get caught up in chaos. But don’t let fear set your organizational strategy. If people see a nonprofit erase vulnerable communities from communications materials, their trust in the organization will vanish. If donors see a nonprofit falter in the face of crisis, they may decide a more courageous organization deserves support. And the hard truth is, they’d be right. In the next few years, vulnerable and marginalized people will need nonprofits more than ever.” – Lauren Girardin, Communications Consultant and Freelance Writer, Lauren Girardin Consulting 

Have a plan in place before a crisis erupts.

“Today’s communications professionals are operating in a hyper-connected world. As AI continues to shape our media landscape, crisis management has evolved into an all-encompassing process of monitoring, critical analysis, and strategic response tactics. Today’s crisis response plans should be “ready for anything.” Early engagement between communications teams and stakeholders in the planning process is a key factor towards developing a proactive crisis plan that allows for organizations to anticipate potential problems before they happen, and respond quickly and effectively when they do.” — Bridget Jackson, Principal, Nexus Public Relations 

Ask yourself: Is this a crisis or an issue we can manage?

“While crisis-planning has tried and true formulas, the “rules” during a crisis should be applied with responsiveness to the situation unfolding. The truth is actual crises are rare. In most cases, organizations are confronting an issues management situation that will become a crisis if not handled appropriately. Unforced errors—due to a lack of planning—can be the difference between a situation escalating or being as contained as possible. Once an issue has blossomed into a real crisis, a common misstep is to prioritize universal transparency. Cause-driven organizations, in particular, are often inclined to communicate quickly and widely when there is an issue or perceived crisis. Unfortunately, there are real unintended consequences of escalating, broadening awareness of the problem, or worse, elevating the agendas of bad actors. Being prepared with an issues management protocol that includes leadership, legal counsel, and key stakeholders is the best defense.” — Jacqui Lipson, Partner, FINN Partners  

Pause before responding and center your community in your messaging.

“When things feel uncertain, it’s easy to focus on institutional challenges, but your audiences care most about how changes affect them. Frame your communications through the lens of the people you serve. What does this mean for clients, donors, or staff? What actions should they take? People engage more when they feel seen, heard, and included in the conversation.” — Olivia Freire, Director of Operations, Worker-owner, Big Duck 

“Your organization doesn’t need to comment on every headline; you don’t need to be the source for breaking news. You need to make sure that when you do share updates or make comments, you provide your community with context, authority, and hope.” — Will Nolan, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases  

“One of the most critical things we can all do now is to listen for understanding and not just to respond. If this past election cycle (you remember, the one that started two years ago?!) taught us anything, we don’t know people until we talk with them. These can be co-workers, clients, friends, and family. It will be essential for us to communicate in a way that leads to understanding each other’s point of view. We might disagree, which is okay, but we must make space for listening, curiosity, and asking questions for clarity before responding. It will require us to slow down the pace of our interactions.” — Joan Grangenois-Thomas, Principal, JGT Public Relations  

Be authentic and let your values guide your responses.

“A better version of you is on the other side of uncertainty. Pushing past fear, tapping into your core (values), and prioritizing rest will lead you to the light. Light the darkness by being in a values-aligned community and taking decisive action.” — Elandria Jackson Charles, Founder and Chief Joy Officer, Ayoka Partners in Philanthropy  

“Develop message points that communicate your nonprofit’s essence, concerns, and responsive actions. Create an FAQ document that you can use to answer questions from stakeholders (internal and external) and the media, post on your website, and share on your social media channels. Be consistent with your messages and stick to the mission of the organization. Create a ‘difficult questions and answers’ document, not for public consumption but only used in the face of challenging questions. Lastly, ‘Take the high road, not the bait.’ Since many nonprofits may be concerned about alienating donors and stakeholders from both sides of the aisle, focus your messages on your mission and what unifies your stakeholders. Do not attack or disparage individuals or groups.” — Joanna Brody, President, Brody Public Relations  

“As organizations face uncertainty, understanding evolving attitudes and opinions among key audiences is crucial. Proactive media monitoring, social listening, and simply getting out there and talking to people can reveal what matters most to your stakeholders and your brand’s perception relative to those issues. Also, turn your lens within! Difficult times are an opportunity to reevaluate and reaffirm your values—and stand up for what matters.” — Alexandra M. Merceron, EVP of Insights, Rubenstein Communications & Lecturer, Columbia University 

“Lean into organizational values and do even more to check communications against them during a crisis. It’s easy in crisis to respond to what’s coming at you with short-term thinking. Still, you risk getting out of alignment without the larger and longer-term aspiration of your values undergirding these responses. And if your responses are not aligned with your values, then they probably are not aligned with your brand.” — Shari Silberstein, Strategic Advisor and Consultant, Shari Silberstein LLC 

Communicate what you can, even when you don’t have all the answers.

“In moments of uncertainty, people look for stability, but that doesn’t mean offering false certainty either. Instead of saying, ‘We’re confident funding will remain the same,’ try, ‘We’re assessing the potential impact of funding changes and will share updates on what this means for our programs.’ Being honest about what’s known and unknown builds credibility and keeps your community engaged.” — Olivia Freire, Director of Operations, Worker-owner, Big Duck 

“It’s easy to think of a moment that necessitates crisis communications as an isolated event – a break from your normal communications flow. However, a crisis can be a great catalyst for improving your relationship with your community of stakeholders if you play it right. In my experience, the trick is to avoid telling people what they want to hear. Trust comes from accurately forecasting how things are going to happen and then demonstrating — to distrusting or just new folks — that you’ve got a handle on this situation and beyond.” — Lindsey Cosgrove, Chief of Staff, Greenwich House  

Use these moments to build your team’s capacity.

“I value sharing and debriefing decision-making insights as a team to strengthen this skill for everyone. We set aside time each week to discuss what we have learned, and recently, we’ve explored case studies of teams in high-stress situations. Understanding the reasoning behind major decisions in crises or high-stress situations, both our own and those made by others, helps everyone comprehend how certain outcomes are achieved and what might be improved. This practice fosters a thoughtful pause before responding, builds resilience, and prepares team members to handle future crises more effectively.” — Mónica Novoa, Communications Director, National Employment Law Project (NELP)  

Don’t forget to take care of yourself.  

“We are in a moment of significant unknowns, and it will be a marathon. Pay attention to your wellbeing — take mental health breaks where you don’t have to focus on what is going on, do something creative or tactical, take a walk, connect with friends or family — whatever you can do to find joy and relief. In addition, here is some specific advice about your screentime:

• Focus, not scattered awareness: Focus attention on two or three key issues
• Use experts and aggregators: Use analysts who can synthesize and identify patterns
• Take breaks and timebox media consumption: Processing time and nervous system recalibration
• Practice slow reactions: Initial reporting misses the context
• Stop doom scrolling: Use ChatGPT to help you stay up to date without doom scrolling.”

— Beth Kanter, Speaker, Trainer, and Author, bethkanter.org 

Get ahead of any crisis with strong relationships and preparation. 

“Having navigated four crises in six years, I have a few suggestions: 1) Talk to your board about crisis communications BEFORE a crisis happens! Decide on a set of principles, and make sure they understand who will be making communication decisions. In the middle of an urgent crisis, it’s too late for any debate. 2) Say the same thing over and over. You will get sick of it, and that’s fine. Your strongest supporters will appreciate your voice and consistency. Your everyday supporters might only hear your message once or twice. And everyone else will be lucky to hear your message at all. We’re in a chaotic media clutter, so breaking through is hard. 3) Say it first! Once the message is out there, you will respond rather than set the agenda. If the first message about your organization is negative, that’s unfortunately what most people will remember.” — Adam Hertzman, Founder, Adartova Consulting  

“Many people default to video or phone calls to collaborate. I recommend meeting in person with colleagues, peers, and friends whenever possible in 2025. Meeting in person requires a bit more effort. It also allows you to connect in informal and unspoken ways, strengthening your relationships and benefiting your work and life over time. It’s worth it!” — Sarah Durham, Coach and advisor, Compton Durham LLC  

“In times of uncertainty and crisis, nonprofits can’t afford to go at it alone. It’s crucial to band together with peers, networks, and other organizations in your nonprofit’s space to exchange ideas, share strategies, and refine your messaging. Now is the time to connect—host monthly meet-ups with communicators from other organizations, tune into what the National Council of Nonprofits (a former Big Duck client!) and other sector leaders are sharing with the nonprofit community, and pressure-test your plans with others who are facing the same challenges. It’s not about reinventing the wheel but learning from those in the trenches with you and navigating similar threats and unknowns. Step outside your nonprofit’s silo because there’s real value in connecting, collaborating, and learning together.” — Ally Dommu, Director of Service Development, Worker-Owner, Big Duck