Become a spokesperson. Many smaller non-profit organizations – usually community based – are at a disadvantage. They don’t have the billion dollar revenue that nationally acclaimed non-profits have, and may get lost in the mix. Help spread the word about what they do for the community – speak up. Discuss its mission in an informal setting with friends, family and co-workers, or take it a step further – call local organizations and ask if you can speak about the charity with its members or employees. Organizations like the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce are always looking for speakers for its monthly meetings. Give them a call and set up a time to spread the word about your favorite charity. Your charity will love you for it, and you can help build their funding and volunteer base just by spending an hour each month discussing its mission.
Sit on the board. Most charities have a volunteer-based board of directors that lead them. If you are business-minded and want to work behind the scenes, this may be the best bet for you. Board members attend monthly or quarterly meetings and control different aspects of the charity – financial, programs, volunteer base, etc. You can actually help make the decisions that affect the lives of so many, while having the personal satisfaction that you are making a difference.
Rally. If you don’t have the time to volunteer regularly, why not assess any needs the charity has, and make it happen? Is the building falling apart, walls need of painting, furniture in ruins? Take a stand. Recruit people and businesses to make a difference. Find those individuals who have the expertise you need – carpenters, painters, electricians, etc – and put them to work. A few weekends out of a year isn’t much – and once everyone sees the change they’ve made, they’ll be proud, and the charity will be thankful.