Stop Being Helpful!

There are many words that could be used to describe United Way. One survey we did asking people what words they would use to describe their local United Way, resulted in people naming more than 170 different words. The most common word used to describe United Ways, gleaned from interviewing thousands of people over the past 30 years, is “helpful.”

As good as being helpful sounds, there are three reasons why your United Way should NOT be known as helpful:

Everyone is Helpful

First, what nonprofit organization is not helpful? Every nonprofit organization is helpful. Helpful is part of the genetic code of nonprofit organizations. Calling a nonprofit organization helpful is like saying a restaurant has good food. I am always amused when I see a “Good Food” sign on a restaurant, as if to suggest that I might enter the restaurant expecting bad food. You should not have to say that United Ways are helpful, and more importantly, helpful should not be the most common word people use to describe United Ways. Most United Ways are not out there promoting themselves as “helpful,” yet people choose to describe United Ways as helpful for one reason – they don’t know a better word to use.

Others are More Than Helpful

Second, every major national nonprofit organization is also known for more than just being helpful. The American Red Cross is known for disaster relief and blood drives. Goodwill is known for job training and resale stores. YMCA is known for healthy lifestyles and recreation centers. Even most local nonprofit organizations are known for something more than being helpful. Compared to other nonprofit organizations, United Ways need to be known as more than helpful if they expect to compete.

Helpful Isn’t Why Donors Give

Third, donors don’t support nonprofit organizations just because they are helpful. There have been many studies of why donors support charitable organizations, and a helpful charitable organization isn’t one of the reasons. One of the most common reasons people support charitable organizations is because they want to make a difference, or have an impact, on an issue in their community. Helpful does not suggest to a donor how they could make an impact on an issue, or how they could impact their community. Donors need to know what is being accomplished, more than that their United Way is helpful.

Replace Helpful With …

Helpful is a great word. A positive word. A word that describes United Ways. But, it is not the word United Ways should be known for by your donors and community. There are, however, three words that every person should associate with your United Way.

Local

First, people should think of your United Way as local. While United Way is a national charity, each local United Way addresses local issues and does so in a manner appropriate for their local community. Our research with United Way donors has found that one of the primary, and most important, reasons donors support United Way is because United Way addresses local issues and concerns. Conversely, one of the most common misperceptions about United Way is that United Ways are not local, that money given to a local United Way goes somewhere else. It is essential for your community and donors to recognize your United Way as local.

Your Issue

Second, people should associate your United Way with the issue you address. If your United Way addresses hunger, then people should name “hunger” as a word to describe your United Way. Donors should be able to clearly associate your United Way with the issue you address, so that a donor who wants to address hunger in your community will know that a contribution to your United Way will be used to reduce hunger in your community. If your United Way has adopted an issue focus, and you have selected a critical issue to address, then your United Way should be known for that issue.

One of the most common concerns I hear from United Ways is that United Ways can’t be known for one or two issues because they address many or even all of the issues in the community. I have heard statements like “But if people associate us with hunger (or homelessness, poverty, etc.), then they will think that United Way only addresses hunger and not support us because they think United Way will no longer be funding programs and partner agencies that address other issues.“ This concern challenges your core reason for existence as a United Way: Is your purpose to raise funds to support programs funded by partner agencies? Or, is your purpose to impact specific issues in the community? If your purpose is to raise funds to support programs funded by partner agencies, then United Ways should be known as fundraisers. However, if your purpose is to reduce the number of high school dropouts, or to reduce the number of homeless, etc. then your United Way should be known for those issues.

Convene

Third, although each United Way serves a different locality, and addresses specific local issues, there is one word that applies to every United Way – convene. United Ways convene volunteers, donors, partner agencies, governments, etc. to address the needs of the community. Bringing everyone together, convening people, is how United Way makes an impact. The word “convene” complements the “United” part of United Way, because convening people is necessary to become united.

Three More Helpful Words

Every United Way should aspire to be known and recognized by the community as local, for a specific issue, and as an organization that convenes or brings people together to address the issue. It takes a long time to change how a community thinks and perceives your United Way. We have worked with United Ways that have spent four to six years to change community perception in a meaningful way. Once you have decided on your words, it is important to use them in everything you do from campaign, to marketing, to board meetings.

These three words, used consistently and effectively, will improve community understanding of your United Way, as well as focus your efforts internally. In fact, you’ll find that these three words will be infinitely more helpful to your United Way than the word helpful.