Unless your nonprofit organization is a one-person show (and props to you, if it is!), you’re working with teams of people.
And to get things done, you’re gonna need some stellar nonprofit communication.
But, that can often be easier said than done.
We’ve gathered up some of the best nonprofit communication tools to help you improve collaboration in your organization!
What is Nonprofit Communication?
It’s pretty much what it sounds like. It refers to any type of talking, texting, emailing, or messaging between two or more people within the nonprofit.
Now, there are two types of nonprofit communication. There are internal and external communications.
Your internal communication is any kind of talking between teams, departments, employees, board members, and volunteers.
And your external communications refers to talking between your organization and donors, prospective donors, supporters, and the general public.
Why is Nonprofit Communication Important for Your Organization?
It might be easy to gloss over nonprofit communication.
We talk to people every day, and most of the time it feels “natural,” right?
Well, David Grossman reported a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees saw an average loss of $62.4 million per company… every single year. And the culprit? Internal communication that needed improving!
So while it may feel natural already, it might be worth it to take a look at your nonprofit communication. There may be ways to improve it even more!
And these tools might be the answer:
5 Nonprofit Communication Tools to Improve Internal Collaboration
*PLEASE NOTE: Our list of the best nonprofit communications tools is based on extensive research on the tools on the market as of 2022. We have combed through each of these tools’ websites, and we’ve dug through user reports to find helpful information.
This list is also not in any particular order. It’s just a roundup of the top nonprofit communication tools available at the moment based on our own individual research.
We do not receive any compensation for these products at Nonprofit-Apps. We are solely giving you this information to help you find the best tools for your nonprofit organization.
However, some of these nonprofit communication tools are contributors to our sister sites, Nonprofit Library and Charity How To.*
1. Asana for Nonprofits
We mentioned Asana for nonprofits in our post about the top social media tools.
But it needs to be mentioned here, too! Asana for nonprofits is one of the top-performing nonprofit communication tools available to you.
It’s not just for instant messaging back and forth, though. It’s an entire nonprofit project management tool. Collaborate with your team members and inter-departmentally (aka, break down those pesky department silos!). Create automated workflows, and even check the workload other team members have before assigning tasks.
This is a great tool to add to your nonprofit communication strategy to manage tasks and hit major deadlines together!
Asana for Nonprofits Pricing:
Asana offers a specific Asana for nonprofits program. You can save 50% off of their plans! Click here to snag your discount!
2. Trello for Nonprofits
This is another fabulous tool we mentioned in our roundup of some of the best low-cost and free online tools for nonprofits. Trello is another project management tool, similar to Asana for nonprofits. The dashboard and interface are designed with boards and lists, which make so many Type-A users squeal with delight (us, too!).
You can integrate Trello with multiple other tools like Slack for nonprofits, Dropbox, and Evernote.
Trello focuses primarily on boards and cards, which is fantastic for visual people. And it’s great for planning out tasks like content creation ideas. Plus you can set up automated workflows with this tool, too!
Trello for Nonprofits Pricing:
You can get started with a free (albeit, limited) version of Trello. But if you need more capabilities, their standard plan starts at just $5 per month.
Trello is another nonprofit communication tool that offers a nonprofit discount! After applying, your organization may be eligible for up to 75% off on their plans. You can submit an application for your Trello for nonprofits discount here.
3. Slack for Nonprofits
Slack for nonprofits is one of the fastest and most organized nonprofit communication tools on the market.
There’s a reason why so many major companies use this tool. It works! Whether you need to talk with team members via video clips, voice memos, or instant messaging, Slack gives you the tools to do it.
And with organized channels, you can keep your projects and different team chats separate. It helps to keep information from getting lost so you get more of your tasks done!
Plus it integrates with some major tech tools for nonprofits like MailChimp, Zapier, Google Drive, and Dropbox.
Slack for Nonprofits Pricing:
For small organizations, you can get started with Slack for free. If you’re a larger nonprofit that needs more freedom on the site, plans start at $6.67 per month.
Here’s the good news! They have a special Slack for nonprofits discount. If you’re part of an organization with 250 or fewer members, you might be able to snag Slack for F-R-E-E. And if you have more than 250 members, you can still grab Slack for nonprofits with an 85% discount.
4. Microsoft Teams for Nonprofits
If your organization already has Microsoft and Office 365, then Microsoft Teams is definitely for you. It’s already within the Microsoft suite, so you can get it set up and going in no time.
Microsoft Teams for nonprofits keeps you, your teams, and your departments collaborating effectively so you get. Things. Done.
You can share and edit documents in real-time. And you can easily host meetings right at your desk. And don’t feel like you only get instant messenger access. You can hop on a video chat just as easily as you can pull up their IM feature.
Oh, and this nonprofit communication tool is extremely committed to cybersecurity for your organization. Feel super safe as you chat with your teammates knowing Microsoft Teams is keeping your data secure.
Microsoft Teams for Nonprofits Pricing:
If you’ve already got Office 365, then Microsoft Teams for nonprofits is already included. But if you don’t have Office 365, no worries! You can sign up for free here.
By the way, if you’re interested in Microsoft Office 365 for nonprofits as a whole, check it out here. You can apply for a grant to have the cost of it covered!
5. Zoom for Nonprofits
Whether your nonprofit organization is working from home, or if you have remote employees across the country, sometimes you need a way to get those conference calls done.
Zoom for nonprofits is your nonprofit communication tool to do so!
Get projects and tasks done quickly through video chats. Use web conferencing for updates and team meetings. It’s the next best thing to being with your employees and volunteers without being with them.
Zoom for Nonprofits Pricing:
Zoom has a free plan that allows you to host up to 100 people for up to 40 minutes. You also get a 30-hour time limit per meeting in your one-on-one meetings. If that’s not enough for you, you can upgrade to their Pro and Business plans.
And they also have a Zoom for nonprofits program. Get up to 50% off of their pro plans by clicking here!
We know it sounds almost “too easy” to improve your communication efforts. But the research is there. When your communication is off, your nonprofit might suffer!
These 5 nonprofit communication tools are an excellent way to get your teammates and departments communicating better so you can build a successful organization!
Want to learn more about how to improve your internal communication? Check out this free webinar at our sister site, Charity How To, on how to build connections with staff and volunteers!