Nonprofits play a crucial role in building and strengthening communities. Whether it’s through providing social services, supporting local initiatives, or advocating for change, nonprofits are often at the forefront of community development. However, building a community around a nonprofit’s mission and goals can be challenging, especially in the digital age where people are increasingly isolated and disconnected. That’s where platforms like Discord come in, offering nonprofits a powerful tool to create and sustain a community of supporters.
Discord is a communication platform that was initially designed for gamers, but has since expanded to include a wide range of users, including nonprofits. Discord allows users to create and join virtual communities, known as servers, where they can communicate with each other through voice, video, and text channels. Discord’s real-time communication features make it an ideal platform for building and sustaining a community of supporters around a nonprofit’s mission.
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Building Community: How Nonprofits Can Use Discord to Engage Supporters
One of the key benefits of using Discord for nonprofits is the ability to create a sense of belonging among supporters. By providing a space where like-minded individuals can connect and communicate, nonprofits can foster a sense of community around their cause. For example, a nonprofit that focuses on environmental conservation could create a Discord server where supporters can share tips on eco-friendly living, discuss current events related to the environment, and collaborate on projects to promote sustainability. By creating a virtual space where supporters can connect with each other and the nonprofit, Discord can help nonprofits build a strong and engaged community.
Another benefit of using Discord for nonprofits is the ability to create a personalized experience for supporters. Discord allows nonprofits to create custom channels and roles that are tailored to the needs of their community. This can include channels for different topics or interests related to the nonprofit’s mission, as well as roles for volunteers, donors, and other supporters. By tailoring the Discord server to the needs and interests of the community, nonprofits can create a more engaging and personalized experience for supporters.
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Discord also provides nonprofits with a platform to engage with their community in real-time. This can be especially valuable for nonprofits looking to mobilize their supporters around a particular issue or campaign. For example, a nonprofit that is organizing a protest or rally could use Discord to coordinate with volunteers and supporters in real time, providing updates on the event and answering questions from attendees. By providing a real-time communication platform, Discord can help nonprofits build momentum and engagement around their campaigns.
Finally, using Discord can help nonprofits expand their reach and connect with supporters beyond their local community. Because Discord is a digital platform, it can be accessed from anywhere in the world, allowing nonprofits to reach a global audience. This can be especially valuable for nonprofits that are working on issues that have a global impact, such as climate change or human rights. By using Discord to connect with supporters around the world, nonprofits can build a global community of advocates for their cause.
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Connecting and Engaging: The Power of Discord for Nonprofits
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Discord is a popular communication platform that can be used by nonprofits to connect with their volunteers, donors, and community members. Here are some ways nonprofits can use Discord and the benefits it provides:
- Connecting with volunteers: Nonprofits can create a Discord server for their volunteers to communicate with each other and with staff members. This can help volunteers feel more connected to the organization and make it easier for them to collaborate on projects.
- Engaging with donors: Nonprofits can also use Discord to engage with their donors by creating a donor-only channel. This channel can be used to share updates on the organization’s work and to thank donors for their contributions.
- Hosting events: Nonprofits can use Discord to host virtual events such as webinars, workshops, and Q&A sessions. Discord provides voice and video chat features, which can make it easy to hold interactive events with attendees.
- Providing support: Nonprofits can also use Discord to provide support to their community members. For example, a mental health nonprofit could create a Discord server where individuals can connect with trained counselors and receive support.
- Building community: Nonprofits can use Discord to build a sense of community among their supporters. By creating channels for specific topics or interests related to the organization’s mission, nonprofits can bring people together around a shared cause.
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Pros and Cons of Using Discord by Nonprofits
As with any communication platform, there are pros and cons to using Discord for nonprofits. The benefits of using Discord for nonprofits include:
- Community building: Discord can help nonprofits build a strong and engaged community around their mission.
- Low cost: Discord is free to use, making it an affordable option for nonprofits.
- Easy to use: Discord is user-friendly and can be set up quickly, making it accessible to volunteers and community members who may not be tech-savvy.
- Real-time communication: Discord provides real-time communication features that can help nonprofits respond quickly to community needs and keep supporters engaged.
- Customizable: Nonprofits can customize their Discord server to reflect their brand and mission.
- Integrations: Discord can be integrated with other tools such as Trello, Google Calendar, and Zapier, which can help nonprofits streamline their workflows.
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The cons of using DIscord by nonprofits can be:
- Learning curve: Discord can be intimidating for users who are not familiar with the platform, which may deter some supporters from engaging with the nonprofit.
- Security concerns: As with any online platform, there are potential security concerns with using Discord, such as cyberbullying, spamming, and phishing scams. Nonprofits need to take steps to protect their community members from these threats.
- Lack of visibility: Because Discord is a closed platform, it may be more difficult for nonprofits to reach new supporters who are not already part of their community.
- Maintenance: Discord servers require ongoing maintenance and moderation, which can be time-consuming for nonprofits with limited resources.
- Limited features: While Discord provides many useful features for communication and community building, it may not meet all of the needs of a nonprofit’s workflow or community engagement strategy.
Discord is a versatile platform that can be used by nonprofits in many ways. By using Discord to connect with volunteers, engage with donors, host events, provide support, and build community, nonprofits can better achieve their mission and goals. While there are some potential challenges to using Discord for nonprofits, the benefits outweigh the cons for many organizations. Discord provides a powerful tool for building and sustaining a community of supporters, and can help nonprofits reach new audiences, engage with their community in real time, and streamline their workflows. Nonprofits should carefully consider their communication and community engagement needs before deciding whether Discord is the right platform for their organization. Join the Modern Nonprofit Discord Community.
Join the Modern Nonprofit Discord Community
What Kind of Channels can a Nonprofit Create on Discord?
- General channel: A channel for general discussion and community building among supporters.
- Announcements channel: A channel for sharing updates, news, and announcements about the nonprofit’s work and campaigns.
- Events channel: A channel for promoting and organizing events, such as rallies, webinars, or fundraising drives.
- Resources channel: A channel for sharing resources, such as articles, videos, or toolkits related to the nonprofit’s mission or campaigns.
- Volunteer channel: A channel for coordinating and organizing volunteer opportunities, such as phone banking or canvassing.
- Support channel: A channel for providing support and resources to community members who may be experiencing challenges related to the nonprofit’s mission or campaigns.
- Feedback channel: A channel for soliciting feedback and ideas from supporters on the nonprofit’s work and campaigns.
These are just a few examples of the types of channels that nonprofits might create on Discord. The channels that a nonprofit creates will depend on its specific needs and goals for using the platform. It’s important for nonprofits to consider their communication and community engagement needs carefully before creating channels on Discord, to ensure that they are providing a valuable and engaging experience for their supporters.
What Kind of Channels do Modern Nonprofits Offer on Discord?
Modern Nonprofits created a list of categories and channels that offer a palette of opportunities for nonprofits and social businesses starting from resources, funding opportunities, events, sharing ideas, training, consultancy and mentorship, services, space to share your social impact, and many more.
Fundraising: In the Fundraising category you will find several channels, such as grants for nonprofits, grants for businesses, grants for startups, grants for culture, crowdfunding, funding for events, awards and prizes.
In these channels continuously will be published open calls for funding opportunities, which will be resourceful information for the nonprofits and the social business in order to maintain their sustainability.
As the community will grow, we will add additional channels based on the need of the community.
Join the Modern Nonprofit Discord Community in order to follow the funding opportunities.
Events: In the Events category you will find the channel Share Your Events, where nonprofits and social businesses can share the events they are organizing in order to boost the visibility of the event and attract more participants.
Resources: In the Resources category you will find relevant channels for books, guides and toolkits, courses, tutorials, and tools that are resourceful to nonprofits.
Blog: In the Blog category the articles from the Modern Nonprofit blog are separated into themed channels, where you will not miss any new blog post published in our blog.
There are many more channels that you will find useful for your nonprofit, and growing the social impact you are trying to make. Join the Modern Nonprofit Discord Community so you will not miss any information, and you can also interact with the community and share your impact.
I was introduced to the Discord platform in November when I enrolled in an online course because it’s what educators use to connect and communicate with their students. Their students access the lessons and modules on another platform but they use Discord for group chats, study lounge, general announcements, and other gimmicks they want their students to participate in. ☺
I say Discord is a good platform for nonprofit organizations for community building and engagement However, as you rightly mentioned, not everyone is familiar with the platform and how to navigate it. and perhaps, not many people know about it because I didn’t know such a platform existed until I was invited to join. So, we just need to spread the word about it and soon, more people will hear about it.
Dear Alice, thank you for your insight. For sure nonprofits must get introduced to using Discord as soon as possible. If they use its features adequately, they can gain a lot for their nonprofit community building. For example, a youth organization can share all events and courses with their target group in a discord channel, also can spread information with their volunteers easily, and their donors can have another channel where they can organize crowdfunding campaigns. The ideas are unlimited.
Hi, with your article you open my mind because I was thinking that this app was used only in gaming community. There is no doubt that it is a growing application and its future is yet to come. With your articles, you open up new possibilities for the digital development of non-profit organizations like no other before. Well done.
We cannot under estimate the impact of social media platforms in our day to day activities. I belong to a programming group that use discord. It is well structured for dissemination of information within the group. The platform is highly user friendly and easy to navigate. The fact that you can belong to group and interact friendly is one key point I enjoy on discord
I see my teenage son using Discord a lot. It is only his social friend circle and includes some of the common ones too. The key attraction was the out of the world names they used in the chats which was out of my comprehension.
But, I see him preferring Discord over any other means on communication – Whatsapp is only for official communication.
The main advantage I see that none of the parents knew anything about discord so theycould maintain the secrecy of their discussions- a key feature required by teenagers!
Just wanted to share my personal experience with Discord. But it seems to be a good platform if tech-savvy teenagers are preferring it.
Thanks for sharing the review,
Regards,
Rohit
Thank you for sharing your experience with Discord, Rohit. It’s not uncommon for teenagers to prefer platforms like Discord over other means of communication, especially if it allows them to chat with their friends using unique usernames and maintain a level of privacy from parents or other adults.
Discord is a popular platform among younger generations, and its features such as voice and video chats, screen sharing, and integrations with other apps, make it a versatile platform for communication and collaboration.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts on Discord.