Non-Profits learn to thrive in poor economic times by Sara Kennedy

An article in the Daily Bulletin describes how Jessica Lawrence, CEO of Girl Scouts, has been able to raise grant funding from $25,000 to $165,000 even during these bad economic times.

She explains she hasn't been using the "old school" tools (print, fliers, direct mail, TV, and a website), but rather she's been using social media. She's been using three blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, podcasts, and YouTube instead. The best part she said "they're all free!"

Greg Zerovik, PR coordinator for San Bernardino Public Library, explains during a break-out session called "How to Create a Memorable Brand For Your Nonprofit" that "you build a brand with public relations" and use reminder advertising to keep the brand in the audiences mind.

Melinda Corral, executive director of the Redlands nonprofit Building a Generation, said that despite "the economy we're securing more grants. There's more of a public awareness."

As we've talked in class, social media is on the rise; but we haven't really been able to see how it can be used for nonprofits, it makes sense that nonprofits turn to, and are becoming more dependent on, social media now mostly because it's free and because we have now seen people of all ages are becoming more aware of the benefits of social media, therefore, making sure they have access to it 24/7.