University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Advancing the nonprofit message via technology: blending storytelling and gamified elements to promote engagement

(USC Thesis Other)

Advancing the nonprofit message via technology: blending storytelling and gamified elements to promote engagement

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 1

Advancing the Nonprofit Message via Technology:
Blending Storytelling and Gamified Elements to Promote Engagement
Laura S. Wittcoff, MSW, LICSW
Doctoral Capstone

Author Note
The author wishes to thank all the USC DSW program professors, DSW Advisor, Dr. Ernelyn
Navarro, DSW Residency II Advisor, Dr. Melissa Singh, DSW Residency II Reviewer and
Capstone Professor, Dr. Ron Manderscheid, USC colleague, Dr. Lauren Brown, USC student
interns, Kenda Woolfson, Jennifer Goldstein and Greg Schuelke, the Dean’s Leadership Scholars
and the participating nonprofit organizations for their support in developing and executing this
project.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 2
Advancing the Nonprofit Message via Technology:
Blending Storytelling and Gamified Elements to Promote Engagement
Executive Summary
Can the U.S. afford another death like Hull House? With the increase in need and the
decrease in public funding, Hull House failed to diversify its funding and relied too heavily on
governmental support (Flynn & Tian, 2015); this pattern continues for many nonprofits. Under-
resourced, defined as those with revenues under two million dollars, publicly-funded nonprofit
organizations (nonprofits), particularly within the health and human services sector, self-identify
and are viewed as charities, often foregoing the necessary marketing, branding and fund
development (marketing) training and infrastructure capacity building development to effectively
adopt and consistently use technology in these business areas due to cost and limited experience
(Berzin, Singer & Chan, 2015; Bradach, Tierney & Stone, 2008). These nonprofits are prohibited
from using indirect funds for promotional activities, yet, need to expand their donor and
volunteer networks to diversify their funding and secure their future (Sontag-Padilla, Staplefoote
& Morganti, 2012; ecfr.gov, 2018).
The nonprofit sector has a rich economic evolutionary history which explains its appeal
of providing tax incentives as well as the need for accountability while often facing public
scrutiny for how it spends money (Hall, 2010). The challenge becomes the shift in tax
regulations while ignoring the non-permissible use of public monies for activities that garner
taxpayer support. Using other means to raise public consciousness is key in securing the future of
nonprofits.
This project, the Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire (3
rd
SI), offers a method for nonprofits to raise
their visibility by combining effective storytelling with gamification using available spreadable
media technology, promoting sustainability and thus, continuing to have a social impact. This
addresses the Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good (aaswsw.org, 2018) by
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 3
integrating technology into a new method of delivering the nonprofit narrative to raise their
visibility and potentially access more donors and volunteers. This Grand Challenge addresses the
need to bring information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance social work practice
in multiple ways including building comfort with digital technologies to support service delivery
(Berzin & Coulton, 2017; Berzin et al., 2015). Although this White Paper and subsequent chapter
in The Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society focus mainly on direct client services, the
use of technology to elevate the provider visibility (the nonprofit organizations) is essential in
instilling comfort with the changing digital environment and sustaining these organizations
fiscally (Fong, Lubben & Barth, 2017). Using technology for marketing purposes enhances client
and general public awareness and education, addressing both client and organizational needs.
This project uses the evidence-based iterative process, PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT (PDSA)
to test tactics within these concepts. The goal is to achieve successful outcomes during the pilot
phase as measured by an increase in email subscribers by 10% for three Los Angeles based
nonprofits serving the homeless population (agencies labeled C., S., U.). There are two distinct
aims for this project: Aim 1 will establish innovative ways to combine storytelling and
gamification; Aim 2 will determine the capacity for nonprofits to integrate technology-based
marketing strategies into their organizational structure by adapting the concepts articulated in
Aim 1 to guide their marketing strategy.
The theoretical underpinnings provide the conceptual framework that guide this
proposal’s goal to increase nonprofits’ virtual engagement. These underpinnings stem from
several key areas: the current gap in nonprofits’ knowledge and practice in integrating marketing
concepts using available, cost-effective spreadable social media, the significance of nonprofits as
an important contributor to the U.S economy, the phenomena of storytelling and the affect it has
on giving and volunteering and the concept of building virtual engagement and potentially long-
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 4
term donor and volunteer relationships by employing gamification (gamified elements). In
essence, shifting the nonprofit mindset to one that accepts, understands and adopts marketing via
technology as a core organizational component is fundamental to the success of this project. The
underlying theories that support this conceptual framework are based in organizational change
adaption to the current environment and potentially may result in a systemic change bridging the
marketing and technology gap within the nonprofit sector. Recognizing the significance of
Participatory Culture within the ever-growing available Spreadable Media options, this project
offers the opportunity for nonprofits to engage the public by building on-going virtual
relationships with any type of social media that is shared across multiple platforms
simultaneously (Jenkins, 2006; Jenkins, Ford & Green, 2018).
Given that the intention of this project is to disseminate this method across the nonprofit
sector, it will be important to ensure that the desired outcome is due to this method rather than to
other variables. A future implication of this project is to codify this method as a nonprofit
resource and provide an online step-by-step method (housed as a resource on existing websites
supporting the nonprofit sector) as well as to build course curriculum within the current USC
social work program (a marketing for nonprofits course, similar to what The USC Price School
offers, but developed through a social work lens) or as a post Masters in Social Work (MSW)
certificate program and/or nonprofit consultant practitioner train-the-trainer certificate program.
With this added learning opportunity, social service providers will be more marketable
themselves and nonprofit organizations will be able to access larger networks, inferring that this
concept has the potential to have national and global implications. This aligns with the
aforementioned Grand Challenge by addressing the need for technology training and education
within the social service sector. Additionally, building an understanding of the value of
marketing within the nonprofit sector may support a future social media campaign aimed at
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 5
raising awareness for changing the current funding restriction on marketing. The 3
rd
SI offers this
innovative method for nonprofits to shift their mindset and stretch their capacity by enriching
their current infrastructure without burdening their bottom line (see Appendix A for definitions
and terminology).
Conceptual Framework
Historical Context
Peter Dobkin Hall (2010) writes extensively about the history of the nonprofit sector in
the United States in his book, Historical Perspectives on Nonprofit Organizations in the United
States (pp. 3-41). Hall submits that through the devastation of the depression of the late 1920’s
and during the 1930’s, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s creation of The New Deal, the introduction
of social programs and tax benefits for charitable contributions, not only aided in the recovery of
the U.S. economy, but created a robust nonprofit sector and ultimately, revolutionized the
relationship between government and the private sector (Hall, 2010). The development of social
programs and charitable foundations became tax incentives for the wealthy and reduced the
economic liability for the government (Hall, 2010). In addition, new entities such as community
foundations enabled average citizens to participate in determining funding and program
effectiveness. The public was therefore, not only engaged in receiving services and benefits, but
also in the determination of nonprofit organizational effectiveness (Hall, 2010). This partnership
became a permanent component of the U.S. economic and civic service landscape, changing the
way the government conducted business federally and locally. This surge, in the establishment of
nonprofit organizations, further encouraged legislation, both in terms of tax reform,
accountability and measuring outcomes and impact (Hall, 2010). The increase in public scrutiny
required a level of regulatory transparency to institute accountability (Hall, 2010). However, the
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 6
determination of public monies to be used for marketing was not permissible in funded activities
supporting the programmatic success of nonprofit organizations and, therefore, was not a priority
for public funding streams and yet, is essential for the survival of nonprofit organizations.
Problem Statement
Under-resourced nonprofits are more financially vulnerable as compared to their larger
counterparts. Unlike high-profile, well-endowed nonprofits, whose mission appeal and name
recognition have secured nongovernmental funding for media development, these smaller
nonprofits are subject to haphazard fundraising and marketing as add-ons to their already
overburdened capacity (Buys, 2016; Reich, 2013). These add-on funding or marketing
opportunities do not include a comprehensive marketing strategy nor the infrastructure to support
on-going efforts (Buys, 2016; Goldkind, 2015). Yet, the RAND Corporation noted that there was
a significant correlation between long term sustainability and key marketing activities including
creating a nonprofit brand and diversifying funding streams (Sontag-Padilla et. al., 2012). The
maintenance of blogging and staying relevant is challenging when money cannot be allocated for
on-going activities and a designated staff position (Buys 2016; Mancuso & Stuth, 2014). Most
nonprofits are too deeply saddled with providing directly to their target populations and trying to
sustain themselves operationally to be able to invest in marketing without public funding support
(Manucuso & Stuth, 2014). Nonprofits often wrestle with the challenge of being mission-driven
while also considering financial sustainability; often the two are not aligned (Chetkovich &
Frumkin, 2002). Most nonprofits are not comfortable considering themselves a business, have
not recognized the need for technology training in areas of marketing and social media and have
not justified the need to invest in the infrastructure supporting technology and yet, realize that
fiscal diversity is essential for their survival (Berzin & Coulton, 2017; Bradach et al., 2008;
Goldkind, 2015).
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 7
Technology has transitioned from being an important utilitarian tool to a transformational
concept that drives decisions and promotes social networks into action (Lamberton & Stephen,
2016). This transition offers nonprofits a digital soapbox from which to engage others in learning
about their narrative that articulates their mission. Nonprofits cannot afford to be on the
periphery of this cutting-edge industry. Accessing this opportunity to create an engagement
strategy using the available spreadable social media platforms gives nonprofits, without a
substantial marketing budget, the opportunity to compete in the social service market place. The
conceptual framework that guides this innovative method is based on two key areas: the appeal
of stories and the engagement of game elements.
Conceptual Framework
Nonprofits are significant to the U.S. economy. Over 1.5 million Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) nonprofits (501(c)3) are registered in the United States contributing approximately
906 billion dollars to the economy and over one-third have revenues under two million dollars
(McKeever, 2015; Urban Institute, 2016). These figures do not include those nonprofits not
required to register with the IRS as their annual revenue is less than $50,000 (Urban Institute,
2016). Post the recession in 2007, 2014 was the first year to exceed the pre-recession giving,
totaling $358.38 billion in private giving including individuals, foundations, and businesses
(Giving USA, 2017). Nonprofit organizations saw an increase in volunteerism (25.3% of U.S.
adults, 62.8 million), representing 8.7 billion hours served, valued at approximately $179.2
billion (Giving USA, 2017). In 2016, 72% of giving, from the $390.05 billion in contributions,
occurred through individual donations, suggesting a potential marketing opportunity (Giving
USA, 2017). Giving and volunteering have been steadily increasing, although, it is projected that
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 8
the newly passed tax bill will negatively impact giving as the bill takes effect and becomes
operational in 2019 (Giving, USA, 2017; Takagi, 2018).
As a contributing member of the U.S. economy, nonprofits could become a public fiscal
partner by offsetting public dollars by improving their ability to use technology to cost-
effectively spread their message, thus increasing their donor network. Given that utilizing public
resources to develop and execute marketing plans is currently not permitted within the current
501(c)3 tax code allowances, testing out other cost-effective ways to increase a climate of public
giving may provide the basis for these nonprofits to not only strengthen their potential for
sustainability, but may give them the platform to force a change in regulations. Legislators may
then recognize the relationship between marketing and nonprofit revenue and be willing to
address this through indirect funding allocation. This may seem counterintuitive, because
nonprofits are not perceived as businesses and therefore, not deemed as needing to market to
increase profits and, yet they are expected to produce high quality programmatic results with
little overhead (Kenney, 2012; National Endowment for the Arts, 2015). Marketing is viewed as
a profit producing business strategy; the nonprofit version, attracting more volunteers and
donors, is an effective strategy for diversifying funding and increasing sustainability, in effect,
the nonprofits’ version of yielding profits (Brace-Govan, Brady, Brennan & Conduit, 2011;
Bradley, 2015). Diversifying funding could increase the likelihood that public dollars would be
offset by the potential influx of new funding streams.
The digital ecosystem is growing rapidly; it is estimated that by 2020, there will be 5.6
billion unique digital subscribers, representing a 72% internet penetration rate, meaning that
most of the world will be accessing information through some form of technology (GMSA,
Media Report, 2016). Nationally, 69% of American adults use a social media platform outside of
Youtube as compared to 5% of Americans in 2005 (Smith & Anderson, 2018). In terms of recent
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 9
application data, online revenue in the nonprofit sector grew by 23% in 2017, email revenue
demonstrated 24% growth, accounting for 28% of all giving (M+R Benchmarks, 2018). It is no
longer the single email that determines the outcome, but the supplemental spreadable social
media that has determined this overall increase (M+R Benchmarks, 2018). Combining
messaging through multiple digital channels creates and solidifies the relationship between
donor/volunteer and organization. This is apparent via social media platforms that outperformed
as evidenced by their growth increases, including Facebook (13%), Twitter (15%) and Instagram
(44%) (M+R Benchmarks, 2018). Significant is the trend toward mobile use which currently
offsets and, in the future, will exceed the current desktop traffic and preference for giving (M+R
Benchmarks, 2018). This changing digital landscape posits and challenges nonprofits to find
cost-effective techniques and opportunities to engage larger audiences using both desktop and
mobile spreadable media.
Social media campaigns educate the public, encourage involvement, raise awareness,
often with the expectation of influencing those in decision-making positions, and are often
impactful in raising money (ALS, 2014; Giving USA, 2017; M+R Benchmarks, 2018). In the
United States, social media platforms have both increased in use and in type. Facebook (68% of
adults) and Youtube (73% of adults) continue to be the leaders for adults and 18-24-year-olds
favor Snapchat and Instagram; Twitter is gaining popularity (Smith & Anderson, 2018).
Another aspect of this conceptual framework is the opportunity for a small select number
of USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work (USC-SDP SSW) Dean’s Leadership
Scholar social work students interested in learning about this project to participate as learners
and then co-facilitators for future workshops. Using this intervention as an applied learning
opportunity for social work students garners the possibility that the participating and then future
social workers will be a source for spreading this concept to other social service organizations.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 10
Theoretical Framework: Theory of Change
Organizations faced with environmental issues require a change process that
encompasses both the intention to change and the mechanism to sustain that change (Kotter,
2012). Kotter (2012) suggests that change requires a sense of urgency together with the
necessary steps to translate that change into permanency (pp. 22-25). Funding loss, the threat of
eliminating federal agencies that support nonprofits, and the change in tax laws related to
donating qualify as urgent markers for nonprofits to consider adopting marketing practices that
may alleviate this environmental burden. Edward Deming’s (1982) early work in continuous
improvement offers a tool, Plan-Do-Check-Act, known currently as Plan-Do-Study-Act, within
this change theory that provides an opportunity for generating ideas and testing them quickly;
(Deming, 1982; Deming, 2012; IHI, 2018). Marketing firms are hired to deliver strategies with
tactics, often with newly crafted web designs and planned campaigns. However, sustaining those
efforts often get lost within the nonprofit sector when cost and maintenance of the marketing
initiatives are required (Bradach et al., 2008). Jimmy Young has attributed this gap to the lack of
planning, particularly marketing plans integrated as an aspect of general strategic planning
(Jimmy Young, personal communication, June 14, 2018). Applying John Kotter’s change
management theory as the foundation, reflecting the underpinnings of this innovative method, is
necessary to create integrated, sustained change within the nonprofit organizational structure.
Nonprofits are impacted by the digital and economic divide experienced through the
ability of their for-profit counterparts to reinvest their profits into their internal technology
training and external marketing efforts which naturally yields more customers and more profits
(Fryer & Granger, 2008). For nonprofits, overcoming the barrier of perceiving marketing and
technology as only a for-profit strategy or too difficult to put into practice is a significant step
toward moving nonprofits into embracing these practices consistently to increase self-efficacy.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 11
Applying positive psychology with peer encouragement as a motivator with periodic nudging
(positive reminders), nonprofits will experience shared learning with immediate feedback and
coaching fostering idea development to support shifting the previous misconceptions. The impact
of positive psychology suggests that learning within the context of a supportive peer
environment is impactful in sustained behavior change (Mohideen, 2017). Changing nonprofits’
attitude, behavior and management practices will result in output that will inspire the
development and the sustaining of a robust web presence and will positively affect their ability to
broaden their donor and volunteer networks.
Understanding participatory culture within the context of a masspersonal communication
model (MCM) (O’Sullivan & Carr, 2018) and expectation violations theory (Burgoon, 1993) sets
the stage for this project to access the knowledge derived from previous work in order to apply
these concepts while experimenting with gamifying messages as a way to build virtual
relationships with volunteers and donors promoting on-going engagement (French & Bazarova,
2017; Jenkins, 2006). Participatory culture embraces the idea of user generated content and
interaction using technology. This implies that social media can be influenced by anyone who
participates in virtual activities, thus opening opportunities for the public to both create and
engage with society directly (Jenkins, 2006). Considering the MCM, developed from the
foundational work of J.B. Thompson’s mediated communication framework (1995) and applying
Burleson’s interpersonal communication (2010), virtual communicative relationships are based
on the communicator’s reliance on assumptions about their receivers both by responses and by
their imagined responses (French & Bazarova, 2017). Nonprofits, relative to this project, benefit
from utilizing these concepts in planning their media presence using gamified elements by
anticipating the response and imagined responsive audiences within masspersonal
communication. The formation of internal agency teams and their use of the PDSA-tool in this
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 12
innovative construct encourages the application of this thinking. Utilizing a combination of
organizational change theory, positive psychology, participatory culture, specifically in the area
of self-efficacy, and management practices, offers a unique educational and applied learning
method by combining skill building, peer/community interaction and coaching/mentoring to
support nonprofits’ efforts in reaching more volunteers and donors. Both mentoring and peer
support are effective ways to solidify skills as well as create a professional community (Mead &
MacNeil, 2006; McKimm, Jollie & Hatter, 2007). Beltman and Schaeben, (2012) concluded, in
their study, that mentors benefit in multiple ways as do the educational institutions supporting
the mentoring program (pp. 33-44). Inferring the results from Beltman and Schaeben’s (2012)
study, the peer mentorship component further builds collaboration and capacity for the
nonprofits by expanding nonprofit networks and increases the public image of the USC-SDP
SSW as a leader in innovative education (pp. 33-44).
Additionally, looking at this project, within the context of the ever-changing digital
environment, forces the recognition and adoption of Contingency Theory and Resource
Dependency Theory if these nonprofits are to survive (Burns & Stalker, 1961; Pfeffer &
Salancik, 2003). Both Contingency Theory and Resource Dependency Theory suggest that,
within the current socio-political realities of funding decreases and the dismantling of key health
and human services funding agencies, nonprofits must reach outside of their typical revenue
streams and find ways to counteract the environment. The reality, that numerous internet tools
(the mechanics) exist, does not assume that these tools will be integrated and used consistently
and in planful ways within this specific nonprofit sector; the organizations, themselves, need to
integrate both the planning and execution of marketing in order to remain solvent (Eyrich,
Padman, & Sweetser, 2008; Kent & Taylor, 1998; Rybalko & Seltzer, 2010; Waters & Jamal,
2011). Nonprofits need to discover new and creative ways to attract the attention of a more
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 13
digitally educated public who want to become partners in the nonprofit mission and not be
perceived as one-time donors (Sargeant, West & Jay, 2007). Building long-term relationships is
fostered by valuing individuals’ interests and shared values; trust is key in developing a strong,
consistent bond (Palmatier, Dant, Grewal & Evans, 2006). Emerging research in the area of
personal connection via technology suggests ways to build connection without face-to-face
interaction (Baym, 2015). This is a challenge for nonprofits that recognize the importance of
marketing for fundraising, but often lack the resources to explore the necessity of building long-
term donor and volunteer relationships, particularly through digital communication.
Logic Model
The 3
rd
SI leverages USC resources, primarily in-kind faculty, a second year MSW Intern
and six Dean’s Leadership Scholars (DLS), receiving a partial scholarship for their contribution
to this project, to direct key activities to meet the goals of this pilot project. The activities include
developing, designing and delivering two workshops and eight coaching sessions (four post each
workshop) per participating nonprofit. Baseline assessments, including readiness, for the
participating nonprofits and the control group were conducted to provide pre-test information for
the purpose of evaluating outcomes and impact as well the development of the workshops and to
inform the coaching sessions. Key outcomes for the participating nonprofits include: adopting
the practice of integrating the organizational message internally and the knowledge that
marketing is a significant aspect of the organization’s integrated business practices; launching
the story as a message with gamified element ideas using spreadable social media and the longer-
term impact is to increase their contact list, leading to increasing their donor and volunteer
networks (see Appendix B for logic model).

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 14
Innovation
This project’s goal is to guide nonprofits through a process utilizing a combination of
didactic and experiential teaching methods in a collaborative workshop setting that combines
effective storytelling and gamification using cost-effective spreadable social media technology to
increase their visibility, broaden their donor and volunteer reach and therefore, their opportunity
for sustainability. The process includes the concepts of First-Thought Branding: The 5-Alphas
and the Fogg Behavioral Model’s Mobile Persuasion elements to connect the nonprofit narrative
with engagement, game-like strategies (Fogg, 2016). The integration and implementation of
these concepts will be tested using the evidenced-based iterative PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT
(PDSA) framework within a discrete time period (IHI, 2018). The introduction of this merged
application lays the foundation for nonprofits to utilize technology-driven marketing techniques
to increase their visibility and capture significant donor and volunteer market share. This creates
a cost-effective option utilizing existing organizational infrastructure and limited staff time and
can be codified and then shared with other nonprofits in the future. Additionally, an iterative
process offers flexibility in how both internal capacity building and external engagement
strategies are put into practice. Although the process is standardized, each nonprofit tailors the
activities, relative to their needs/goals, for each step of the intervention. The action-oriented
PDSA iterative framework has not previously been used in this context and, yet, serves as the
ideal tool in testing the ideas developed from this process quickly and with various stakeholders,
saving money and time while garnering buy-in, making this method innovative and replication
ready. Building cost-effective ways to capitalize on strengthening nonprofits’ internal capacity to
develop and initiate marketing ideas and strategies without relying heavily on costly external
marketing firms while accessing existing technology contributes to the overall health and
sustainability of the nonprofit sector.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 15
Problem Significance
Nonprofits have sustained substantial cuts over the past 11 years, beginning in 2006 with
a $3.2 billion cut and in 2007, another cut of $11 billion while the needs of vulnerable
populations continue to rise (Reich & Chloe, 2017; Soffen & Lu, 2017). The current threat of 19
federal agencies expected to be eliminated or drastically reduced based on the current proposed
budget, and the recent Congress-approved tax bill impacting giving threaten the survival of
nonprofits unless they diversify their funding streams (Soffen & Lu, 2017; Rubin, 2018).
Nonprofits’ survival depends upon being fiscally strategic.
Government grants have contributed to the nonprofit sector’s dependency by disallowing
funded marketing activities, impacting their efforts to build donor networks (ecfr.gov, 2018). The
juxtaposition of increased need, decreased funding and lack of foresight challenges nonprofits to
consider alternatives to remain solvent (National Council of Nonprofits, 2018). It is critical for
nonprofits, from this specific sector, to build and integrate capacity to use technology to reach
broader audiences, securing their longevity, therefore continuing to meet the needs of the most
vulnerable.
This method taps into the need for the social sector to embrace technology in non-clinical
ways and although addresses the Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good, in
essence, it addresses all the Grand Challenges by improving the likelihood that nonprofits will
continue to meet the needs of their direct service clients through sustaining their infrastructure.
Landscape and Environmental Examination
Current and Potential Strengths
As stated earlier, nonprofits are significant to the U.S. economy, as both employers and
consumers (McKeever, 2015). Nonprofits struggle with the balance between being mission-
driven and financially sustainable; often the two are in conflict rather than alignment
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 16
(Chetkovich & Frumkin, 2002). Government and current legislation are key players in the social
service network by funding many of the over 1.5 million IRS registered nonprofits in the United
States.
Start-up organizations and the Millennial generation are not just profit-driven but want to
contribute to causes that resonate with them and often see profit and social consciousness
intertwined (Norris, 2017). Not all IRS registered nonprofits benefit vulnerable populations.
Many nonprofits support the arts, religious expression and even amateur sports competition (IRS
Charities and Nonprofits, 2018). Giving tends to be selective and, without governmental public
support, many nonprofits, not considered prestigious (elite universities, operas, museums,
symphonies), have a significantly more difficult time seeking and receiving donor support
(Reich, 2013). Without sustained marketing, nonprofits’ ability to become widely known is
limited (Bradach et al., 2008). The opportunity lies in reinforcing a culture of democratizing
philanthropy, by creatively reaching the public to educate and invite participation in supporting
nonprofits.
Social Media, through interactive technology, has become U.S. society’s first choice for
getting information, giving money, more recently for getting involved: 76% of Americans use
Facebook daily, 51% use Instagram, 42% use Twitter (Greenwood, Perrin & Duggan, 2016).
Social media can serve as an activism platform by sharing viral stories of the most at-risk
providing the opportunity for those organizations serving vulnerable populations to gain public
attention and perhaps name recognition (Mitchell & Larson, 2014; Van Dijck & Poell, 2013). A
Pew Research Center report determined that 20% of social media users changed their views on
social issues due to something they saw on social media (Anderson, 2016). Recent examples of
social activism have garnered financial support and public action such as: #Giving Tuesday,
#Black Lives Matter and Facebook Causes. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) utilized
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 17
Facebook as its advocacy platform to attract more members and gain traction for key social
issues that raised public awareness (Goldkind, 2015). Planning and executing social media
campaigns require on-going resource allocation and management and are often not associated
with a single nonprofit organization, but with a specific cause (Bernholz, 2015).
Gamification is attracting attention for its novel ways of engaging users, whether to
purchase or participate. It is known to support behavior change (Freudmann & Bakamitsos,
2014; Growth Engineering, 2017). Understanding the impact data for wildly popular social
media campaigns that have a game-like aspect is essential in supporting these efforts. In
conjunction with the $220 million raised for ALS-related organizations as a result of the well-
known Ice-Bucket Challenge (donate or get dunked with ice and pass it on by naming someone),
there were one billion Youtube video views as well as an increase from 163 thousand to 2.89
billion visitors to the ALS Wikipedia page in 2014 (Smith, 2018). Additionally, in an online
article on the power of gamification, Snipp reported statistics from Giga Information that claims
that online activity grows by an average of 68% and social sharing by 22% when applying
gamification (2017). TechValidate shared that 30% of companies using gamification increased
registration by 50% (TechValidate, 2018). This translates into potentially having access to
greater numbers of people by virtue of using game elements with an effective and engaging
message (Smith, 2018).
According to a Pew Research Center survey of U. S. adults, 73% of adults watch
Youtube and 69% of adults favor Facebook while post-Millennials (18-24) are interested in a
myriad of social media: Snapchat (71%), Instagram (71%) and Twitter (45%) (Smith &
Anderson, 2018). One of the most comprehensive nonprofit social media data reports, the M+R
Benchmarks, highlighted some key significant trends based on data collected from 154 nonprofit
participants, across nine different social sectors. The 2017 results included: $738 million in on-
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 18
line revenue from approximately 12 million donations and 17 million advocacy actions (M+R
Benchmarks, 2018). Although, the participating nonprofits were large, recognizable
organizations that benefitted from consulting and resources provided by M+R, the report
referenced the current and future social media landscape, informing every nonprofit seeking
sustainability.
Technology has transitioned from being an important utilitarian tool to a transformational
concept that drives decisions and promotes social networks into action (Lamberton & Stephen,
2016). Shifting the behavior of nonprofits through this mechanism of skill building, testing,
tweaking and integrating implies transformational rather than transactional change ultimately
closing the marketing technology learning gap for nonprofits.
Challenges
The decrease in federal funding, the proposed elimination of federal agencies supporting
many health and human services and the impact of the newly signed tax laws, while the social
service needs continue to rise, significantly challenge nonprofits’ sustainability (Soffen & Lu,
2017). A further White House announcement detailing the largest presidential rescission package
to reduce the federal budget by $15.4 billion directly threatens numerous federal agencies
supporting the nonprofit sector (Vought, 2018). The new tax law revising tax benefits expires in
2025; analysts predict that charitable giving will be reduced by 6-9% annually which translates
to $16-$24 billion (Takagi, 2018). This potential loss in nonprofit revenue could devastate the
nonprofit sector, particularly those defined as under-resourced.
Highly publicized nonprofit fraud has been a deterrent in trusting nonprofits to perform
activities to which they have committed through their publicly funded program proposals
(Greenlee, Fischer, Gordon, & Keating, 2006; Hall, 2010). Charity Navigator and CharityWatch
have emerged as watchdog organizations to rebuild the public’s trust by evaluating how
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 19
nonprofits spend their resources by using a rating system, a type of Yelp for donors (Charity
Navigator; CharityWatch, 2018). The highest rated nonprofits spend a minimum of 75% on
programs and services as well as spend the least amount of functional expenses on fundraising.
However, these evaluators only rate nonprofits whose revenue is consistently greater than one
million dollars, limiting the exposure of under-resourced nonprofits to access donors and
volunteers. Without recognizing the need for nonprofits to market themselves to ensure
sustainability, these watchdog organizations are potentially furthering a similar concept to the
Overhead Myth (the less a nonprofit spends on overhead, including fundraising, the higher their
rating) inferring that marketing is not fundamental to a nonprofit’s business overhead. Although
Charity Navigator, GuideStar and BBB Wise Giving Alliance authored a public letter, The
Overhead Myth (Berger, Harold & Taylor, 2013), correcting this misconception, neither the
letter nor the statistics gave merit to the importance of marketing and only referenced
fundraising, suggesting that nonprofits may fear criticism when using resources to integrate
marketing.
A RAND corporation study identified key themes that ideally inform operations and
decision-making related to nonprofit fiscal sustainability. The following common-themed
recommendations emerged for nonprofits: fundraising planning, strategic planning that includes
community engagement, developing a nonprofit brand with a clear motivating mission, social
marketing, technology use to create an online presence, the opportunity for nonprofits to merge
and to foster a culture of giving, and to consider potential partnerships and collaborations
(Sontag-Padilla et al., 2012).
Social media is expanding at a rapid rate and the variety of choice within this medium
and the potential cost to regularly maintain a media presence may feel burdensome to the
nonprofit if a clear strategy forward is not presumed within the organizational infrastructure.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 20
Twenty leaders of nonprofit agencies across the U.S. were interviewed about how their agencies
used social media, the impact of electronic communication tools and barriers and supporters to
accessing social media use (Goldkind, 2015). Approximately 20% of the agencies surveyed did
not use any social media, either due to agency protocol and policy where social media is
discouraged and potentially considered a breach of the agency’s standards of practice or, more
often, because other program service areas took precedence (Goldkind, 2015). Others (50%)
identified as sporadic or beginner users who did not have a comprehensive media plan or were
already overworked and could not fathom additional responsibilities of managing social media.
However, 30% of those participating, who qualified as Advanced Beginners, had developed
social media plans and policies (Goldkind, 2015). One important finding was the degree of
connectedness and intimacy, cited as a result of digital communication, when donors and agency
leaders, friend one another on Facebook.
In recent interviews with Jimmy Young, Professor, Social Work, California State
University, San Marco and Melanie Sage, Co-Chair, Grand Challenge Committee: Harness
Technology for Social Good, Professor, Social Work, University of Buffalo, each discussed the
importance for nonprofits to devise clear marketing plans that include the capacity to build
technology mediated relationships (the capacity to engage in on-going virtual communication) to
secure donor and volunteer longevity (Jimmy Young, Melanie Sage, personal communication,
June 11&15, 2018).
Project Structure, Methodology and Action Components
The 3
rd
SI considers the current market, stakeholders and structure as well as the cost to
test this method with the belief that this project will transition from pilot to a standardized, cost-
effective practice that nonprofits consistently use to integrate and maintain ways to market and
promote their visibility.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 21
Market analysis
The digital media market is saturated with industry experts who provide expensive
consultation and tools to both for-profits and nonprofits. For-profits have resources based on
their revenues to invest and reinvest in their technological marketing, branding and social
responsibility fund development strategies, often as much as 20% of their gross revenue (Mintz,
2015). This creates a digital divide, a concept that suggests the existence of an uneven economic
distribution determining accessibility to new and innovative technological opportunities
(Steyaert & Gould, 2009). The Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good
expressly suggests that the social sector catch up to the for-profit sector and seek opportunities to
adapt the various uses of technologies within social work practice including the organizational
infrastructure (Berzin & Coulton, 2017; Berzin et al, 2015).
A variety of marketing and social media campaign resources are designed for the
nonprofit sector. Most platforms cost and provide resources and toolkits (training, web
development, fundraising); some offer organizational development services where nonprofits can
apply for a grant to receive capacity building to support infrastructure which then becomes a
competitive rather than collaborative effort. Launching a social media campaign takes dedication
and skill not only for a discreet period-of-time, but also to maintain the campaign by continually
educating the public which requires training, management, commitment and financial resources
on the part of the nonprofit (Bradach et al., 2008). These entities offer expertise as consultants
where the projects are limited in nature, not often integrated into the culture or structure of the
organization nor offer a fully realized internal implementation strategy with a peer model and
community support.
Dan Pallotta, author, CEO of Advertising for Humanity as well as the president of the
Charity Defense Council, has garnered much attention for his TED talk and book on the inequity
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 22
between for-profits and nonprofits in infrastructure expenditures including lower salaries
(Pallotta, 2012). Pallotta created this collaborative coalition, the Charity Defense Council, to
address inequities and fight the IRS reporting requirements (Pallotta, 2017). He has yet to
address the restricted use of public indirect funds that intentionally include advertising and
public relations.
Universities are getting more involved with technology as it relates to innovation. The
University of Southern California (USC) developed an innovation lab, the Anneberg Innovation
Lab (AnnLab). The AnnLab is an interdisciplinary “Think and Do Tank helping media and
technology to work for humans” (The Annenberg Innovation Lab, 2017). The USC-SDP SSW
(2017) has expressed interest in technology as key to building social workers as innovators. The
shift in the name within the macro-practice department to Social Change and Innovation (SCI)
implies this interest and direction. Building social worker expertise in using technology to
support the nonprofit sector is a strength within this complex system and can be an avenue for
developing this project into a learning opportunity for future social work students. Piloting this
method locally and with established relationships within the USC community enables a low-cost
opportunity with easy access to local nonprofits and students interested in participating in this
initial pilot (see Appendix C for market analysis grid).
Stakeholder Analysis
Government agencies providing public funding for under-resourced nonprofits are key
decision-makers in the use of indirect budget allowances. In the current structure, the federal
regulations do not allow for indirect funding to be used to solicit donors or volunteers.
Addressing the need for this regulation to be revised through a social media campaign may
influence a shift in regulation allowing nonprofits to use a small percentage of their indirect
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 23
budget to market, brand and fundraise, offsetting future public dollars. Gaining legislative
support at the local and national level is key to a potential future aspect of this initiative.
Implementer stakeholders are those currently involved in supporting the nonprofit as a
client, staff, board member, volunteer or donor who provide input in developing a stronger web
presence. By bringing nonprofits together both as a community and to support their individual
goals, competition becomes collaboration through peer support and potential inter-agency
sharing. This methodology will guide nonprofits in understanding the benefits of marketing not
only for their individual agency, but as a collective to benefit other nonprofits and promote
others’ work through social media opportunities, adding value to this innovation which will set
the standard for collaboration among under-resourced nonprofits in the future. The goal is to
build skills, community and motivation through peer support and mentoring/coaching. Through
this supportive networked-learning environment, nonprofits will have the opportunity to build
and sustain a media presence by applying the learning in real time, capitalizing on social work
expertise as well as their peers’ knowledge and experience. The opportunity for nonprofit
organizations to participate in a pilot program, among peer organizations, that is specific to
building their media presence within an academic institution is a newer concept (R. Smith-
Maddox, personal communication, June 13, 2017).
Engaging nonprofit clients, staff, board of directors and other stakeholders in the process
of telling their collective story, for the benefit of the nonprofit to which they are associated,
builds ownership and connection (Gottschall, 2013). Translating that concept into relatable short-
hand messages spread via social media gain the listener’s attention to witnessing the human
condition and, those same listeners, can be persuaded to become supporters by volunteering or
donating and often both (DonorDrive, 2014-2016; Gottschall, 2013). The benefits of storytelling
and the effect that it can have on individual donor and volunteer decision-making is fundamental
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 24
to fostering long-term donor and volunteer retention (Rodan & Mummery, 2014). Other
implementer stakeholders are those industry experts currently supporting nonprofit media
development; many of which are online resources or provide media development as part of a
capacity building initiative. Additionally, the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University
provides key elements in supporting this method (Fogg, 2016). Within this group of industry
experts are universities supporting innovation as a collaboration between industry and academia.
Revamping the existing COBI Fellows program in the form of a Dean’s Leadership
Scholarship program, is a newly designed iteration at the USC-SDP SSW and is a key
stakeholder for this initiative by including six Dean’s Scholars in this project (R. Smith-Maddox,
personal communication, June 13, 2017; K. Warren & B. Wiewel, personal communication, July
6, 2017). This proposed methodology enhances social work education by introducing
organizational development and technology-based nonprofit marketing into the social work and
business track at USC-SDP SSW.
The Dean’s Leadership Scholarship recipients are offered a 50% financial scholarship
towards tuition per year in exchange for their participation in a community project during their
Master of Social Work (MSW) education. Capitalizing on USC’s current initiative to address
homelessness in Los Angeles by testing this method with three already identified, interested
under-resourced nonprofits, incorporates USC’s commitment and reduces the time needed to
solicit nonprofits. For replication in the future, under-resourced nonprofits will be identified
through the USC network as well as multiple local and national entities serving nonprofits. All
participants will be asked to share their experience with other nonprofits to promote social
motivation as well as further build a community subset within the larger community of
nonprofits. The premise is to learn through experimentation and testing out of ideas as well as
contributing to others’ ideas (Bliss, 2014). Developing each nonprofit’s narrative will be key in
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 25
articulating their respective missions in creative, engaging ways to build their media presence
and ultimately attract more donors and volunteers (see Appendix D for stakeholder analysis grid)
Financial Plan
The 3
rd
SI is a pilot with a one-year budget cycle projection. This project leverages six of
the USC-SDP SSW Dean’s Leadership Scholarship recipients (Scholars) as operational staff, a
second year MSW Intern and a volunteer faculty advisor as lead consultant. A total of nine staff
is needed including a faculty advisor and faculty evaluator. All employees are in-kind. The MSW
Intern and the faculty advisor are the key staff of the Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Team (The
Team). Foundationally, this project is built as an opportunity for students to experience learning
through an iterative process allowing tweaks and changes as part of The Team’s work in
delivering this method to participating nonprofits and therefore, justify the in-kind offset that
would typically be part of costs associated with staffing. Additional spending plans and costs
include food for the workshop participants and materials. The bottom line shows the projected
revenue is greater than the projected cost primarily because typically, large nonprofit
expenditures are generally consumed by staff and, for this pilot project, staff is leveraged against
faculty volunteering their time, student internship academic required hours as well as the student
scholarship towards tuition in exchange for service on a community learning project (significant
offsets). This reduces the need for large donations or grants to cover staff. The benefit of a pilot
project that utilizes an existing program where the costs are already justified and are not
considered an expense provides greater flexibility in launching this type of project since raising
large funds is not a requirement. This method is cost effective, but then has implications that it
may not have the level of commitment in the same way as when staff is being paid to perform
responsibilities (Cnaan & Cascio, 1999). However, if the pilot is successful and the method of
group education and individual coaching positively impacts nonprofit sustainability, then
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 26
utilizing social work education to impart these skills on future social workers will provide a
needed community service and could support this offset in the future. Future funding will be
acquired through the codification of this method which can then be a resource to leverage sliding
fee consulting services for the sector, train-the-trainer workshops for providers, curricula
developed for social work and business programs, grant opportunities from foundations and
public entities wanting to offset their donated or granted dollars (see Appendix E for line item
budget year 1).
Implementation Method: Framework, Barriers and Facilitators
Framework
The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) supports the
implementation goals of this methodology using its five domains: Intervention/Program, Outer
Setting, Inner Setting, Characteristics of Individuals, and Process. (Damschroder, Aron,
Rosalind, Kirsh, Alexander & Lowery, 2009). Successful use of CFIR has been demonstrated to
be significant in areas of behavior change, technology within diverse scenarios and complex
systems suggesting that CFIR can be translated to this methodology as an effective
implementation framework (Damschroder, et al., 2009). This pilot project highlights multiple
constructs in the five domains as each relates to barriers and facilitators, justifying the
application of CFIR for this methodology (see Appendix F for CFIR Domains, Barriers and
Facilitators).

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 27
Barriers
This methodology runs the risk of losing its dynamism as digital media is fast-paced,
changes rapidly and, thus, demands consistent maintenance and attention (Hamid & Kuppusamy,
2017; Lamberton & Stephen, 2016). Each nonprofit articulates their specific mission in a
translatable message that may not resonate with large social networks and may limit their appeal.
It is also challenging to design strategies that meet the psychological drive and antecedent
needed to stimulate on-going engagement. Other barriers include: the outer setting, meaning the
political environment with funding decreases and restrictions, competition for limited resources
as well as the percentage of dollars and time distracted by promotional activities which could be
interpreted as a criticism of this method (Bose, n.d.).
Nonprofits are often understaffed and adding responsibilities to an already taxed staff can
create resentment (Buys, 2016). Turnover rates vary for each nonprofit and can impact the
sustainability of this project if the process is not codified within the nonprofit. Lack of marketing
interest, knowledge and experience may impact maintaining this method as part of the
organizational infrastructure (Buys, 2016). Lack of clarity in how this method contributes to the
organization can prevent on-going adherence. Not well-versed in marketing nor fully grasping
the importance, nonprofits question the integrity of marketing as an organizational priority
(Buys, 2016). Learning new skills and maintaining those skills are barriers to adapting this
methodology when staff is focused on providing direct services or is unclear about the purpose
(Attewell, 1992). Not designating an individual or team to lead this effort creates a vacuum
where this intervention can lose its momentum.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 28
Facilitators
The opportunity to collect organizational baseline data gave The Team the opportunity to
assess organizational readiness. Organizational readiness is a key factor in determining buy-in
for change and provided the opportunity for The Team to articulate and share the relative
advantages of this methodology to board and senior leadership. Nonprofits that plan
opportunities for staff and volunteers to have an open dialogue about organizational changes
manage the change more successfully (Kotter, 2012). Selecting and engaging the right
configuration of team members are essential for integrating and maintaining this method
(Damschroder & Lowery, 2013). A cross-section of staff, board and stakeholders need to
participate in the workshops with a smaller subgroup becoming the internal integration team to
foster on-going support and practice for this method. Another opportunity to promote adherence
is the use of the PDSA tool where each strategy is tested quickly, and adjusted, maintaining
momentum. The planning process and transparent goal setting allow for addressing dissention
and concern, thereby alleviating the majority of resistance.
Being fiscally and programmatically transparent creates credibility for the methodology
itself and fosters loyalty among the existing and future benefactors. Increasing agency visibility
offers the opportunity to reach larger networks, including inter-organizational and inter-
professional networking, and thus can combat the current political environment by diversifying
funding streams outside of government (Greenhalgh, Robert, Macfarlane, Bate & Kyriakidou,
2004).
This method challenges nonprofits to align their vision, mission and values with a
consistent message conveying their narrative to foster relatedness among constituencies and
broader social networks. Storytelling, using technology as its communication vehicle, has been
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 29
shown to be effective in conveying messages (Patel & Patel, 2017). Internal capacity for
consistent messaging, clear infrastructure and digital tracking are key to understanding social
network growth (Greenhalgh et al., 2004).
Implementation Strategies
Strategies through implementation research for promoting the dissemination of research
findings and evidenced-based practices generally apply within the health and mental health care
field (Powell, McMillen, Proctor, Carpenter, Griffey, Bunger, Glass & York, 2012). Considering
the importance for nonprofits, within the health and human services sector, to continue to
provide needed services to vulnerable populations, applying these concepts within this context is
necessary to further support the potential for these nonprofits to become sustainable. Given the
complexity and variability of each nonprofit, using combinations of discrete, multifaceted and
blended strategies within any of the key categories is ideal for this project (Grimshaw, Shirran,
Thomas, Mowatt, Fraser, Bero, Grilli, Harvey, Oxman & O’Brien, 2001 as cited in Powell et al.,
2012). Social Networks, Plan, Educate and Restructure Strategies support implementation efforts
by addressing the shared experiences with other like nonprofits and address the barriers
discussed in the Implementation Method section (see Appendix G for implementation strategies).
Evaluation Method of Pilot Project
This pilot project has two defined aims: to raise the visibility of nonprofits as
demonstrated by a 10% increase in email subscribers and to support the integration of this
marketing method, to gamify internal and external messaging, into the nonprofit core business
infrastructure. This project applies the concepts of First-Thought Branding: the 5-Alpha Method
and the Fogg Behavior Model’s Mobile Persuasion elements (FBMMP), (frequency of triggers,
motivation and ability - easy to do), and adapts it to the PDSA framework to test out the working
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 30
message internally and the gamified engagement strategies externally. Developmental Evaluation
is an adaptable method that supports innovative ideas within the context of developing and
testing those ideas (Patton, 2010). This project lends itself to this type of evolving and
continuous feedback. Each participating nonprofit may operationalize the framework according
to their needs and current capacities and therefore interpret success differently. Having this
flexibility allows for applied learning that can be adapted, informing both the innovation and
nonprofit participants, when revising future workshops.
The data collection instrument is composed of quantitative and qualitative pre and post
methodology interview questions, administered in-person and by email related to the number and
categorization of email subscribers and the capacity of the nonprofits to integrate marketing into
their organizational infrastructure. The effectiveness of this methodology will be measured by
tracking the number of email-categorized subscribers post the media launch and by qualitative
data gathered determining any changes that occurred within the nonprofit organizational
infrastructure related to sustaining marketing practices. The control group (agencies W, Sc and
C) will receive the same set of questions, so that a comparison can be made between groups to
infer any findings related to the effectiveness of this intervention. Quantitative and qualitative
data will be compared to the control group at the four-month mark to determine whether
integrated technological marketing strategies were formalized and whether email subscription
lists increased with or without any delivered methodology (see Appendix H for detailed research
design).
Communications Plan
This pilot will continue to be tested through the remainder of 2018 and into 2019 initially
accessing the USC network to invite nonprofits from the Los Angeles area. A website is in
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 31
process that will host dates and times of future workshops, resource materials, opportunities for
individual organizational and/or group organizational consultation as well as a section that
includes lessons learned and helpful insights from past participants. The nonprofits who have
already attended are asked to share the information among their networks and are invited to
provide contact information of other potentially interested nonprofits, so this method may be
continuously disseminated. Other communication strategies include reaching out to various
nonprofit networks and nonprofit associations potentially to host the workshop series, train their
staff as well as post tools and information on their websites. Additionally, continuing to present
at conferences provides exposure for this method and the potential to secure greater interest (see
Appendix I, Communications Plan).
Ethical Concerns
This pilot project builds upon existing systems (USC, the nonprofits themselves and the
internet) as well as community and peer support. A complicating factor is the dependence on
student staff who receive a tuition benefit based on their successfully completing their social
work education simultaneously. An ethical consideration is the student commitment to this
project as intervening factors may take precedence (required school work, other paid
employment). Another potential ethical issue is the project’s dependence upon a core group of
stakeholders from each of the three nonprofits to consistently attend, participate and implement
agreed to recommendations based on the workshop modules and coaching. Agency turnover or
competing priorities may impact this expectation.
All participating internal stakeholders need to be comfortable with understanding that
organizational change is a process and this project is designed to be iterative with their
continuous feedback and input. With the inevitability of public funding decreasing, funders often
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 32
expect or require collaborative efforts as part of a submitted proposal which forces nonprofits to
think more broadly about opportunities within their community networks (Shaeffer, 2014).
Collaborations of this nature may force nonprofits to be acquired by other more robust nonprofits
which may eliminate, reduce or realign their services to meet the larger entity’s mission,
potentially impacting their clients (McKeever, Ashley & Dietz, 2016). In Hillman, Wither and
Collins’ (2009) review of Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) and Joint Ventures (JV), they
discuss the environment as a strong factor in how organizations often make decisions to merge or
join forces to achieve their goals. As a result, this pilot project may raise the ethical issue
between service delivery and survival for under-resourced nonprofits (Hillman et al., 2009).
Actions, Modifications, Limitations, Implications and Conclusion
Actions
This project is currently in its pilot phase with some initial success and some challenges.
Three nonprofits fully participated in articulating their narrative in message form and testing it
internally among their stakeholders. Participants provided intra/inter-agency feedback and
support during both workshops. Organizational and marketing baseline data were collected from
both the methodology group and the control group. Coaching sessions consistently occurred for
all three of the participating nonprofits and those sessions directly linked to workshop curriculum
and supporting tools. One of the participating nonprofits adapted the Mission-Narrative-Message
feedback tool from the workshop to use as the observation data collection tool during their
PDSA (STUDY) cycle in testing their message. This version of the tool was then shared with the
other two participating nonprofits. This demonstrates the collaborative learning model and
culture the 3
rd
SI is striving to create. All participating nonprofits have named members of their
organization to lead this project internally, a type of internal coalition, and The Team coached
each of those teams.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 33
Post the second workshop, nonprofits seemed to vary in their capacity to get their
message out through social media. Two of the three nonprofits had significant staff and/or
organizational changes; in one, the lead staff on the project left for another position and her
successor met with The Team once and seemed engaged and then was less responsive, sharing
that he was overwhelmed by the demands from his on-boarding and orientation to the work and
organization; he has since left the organization. The other nonprofit requested waiting as they
moved to a new building in summer and have recently re-connected and want to continue
coaching. All nonprofits reported gaining valuable information attending the workshops and
practicing this method. The Team presented at two Network for Social Work Management
(NSWM) conferences (2017 & 2018) reflecting each of the two workshops, respectively (see
Appendix J 1 & 2 for NSWM conference descriptions).
At this capstone writing, all of the participating nonprofits increased their email
subscriptions by at least 10%, agency C went from 500 to 625, agency S went from 3,500 to
4,902 and agency U went from 3,000 to 3,500. Each agency shared that they are engaging more
with technology as evidenced by an increase frequency of Facebook posts to at least weekly and
adding pictures to virtual publications. All shared that they have begun to recognize the value of
reflecting on their messaging and marketing as part of their core business. The control group had
either no increases to their lists or difficulty tracking and were not clear about whether there were
any changes: agency W, 700 on mailing list, no increase, agency Sc, 2,500, with poor tracking
system so unsure, agency Ce, 2,200 contact list which remained the same. However, for the
participating nonprofits, other variables, that may have contributed to contact list increases
included fundraising and educational/community outreach events where these organizations had
an opportunity to directly communicate with potential donors and volunteers. As a result, this
pilot could not control for these other intervening factors. Therefore, this initial pilot, with
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 34
preliminary information, offers enough justification to continue to test this methodology with
other interested nonprofits.
Modifications
Through qualitative interviews, The Team determined that there would be a greater
likelihood for nonprofits to integrate this method if it were streamlined and gamified elements
were introduced earlier in the process. As a result, PDSA was further adapted to PGSA (PLAN-
GAMIFY-STUDY-ACT) to build self-efficacy with the concepts and tools; the workshop series
maintained the content of distilling key messages from the organizational mission and
introducing those messages through social media, but the overarching theme became, Gamifying
Engagement©. Nonprofits were recruited to participate in a second pilot together with the
control group (from the first pilot); a total of 11organizations are currently participating (see
Appendix K for Gantt chart;); (see Appendix L for baseline assessment) (see Appendix M for
workshop slides and 5 As handouts) (see Appendix N for qualitative workshop feedback).
Limitations
Although this pilot supports nonprofit sustainability in theory, practicing a form of
marketing can still be a struggle for nonprofits given their direct service demands as well as
funding and staff capacity challenges. Shifting the mindset of nonprofits from seeing marketing
as a for-profit mechanism to integrating it as part of their own business fabric continues to be a
hurdle. Attrition as well as staff turnover affecting the team leading this process within each
organization is an additional limitation to this method. Although there is some flexibility within
the design of this method, adhering to the process is key in achieving results and staff who have
to manage multiple priorities may struggle being faithful to this iterative process. A further
limitation to this initial pilot is the number of nonprofits participating. Working with three
nonprofits yielded an initial indication that further testing is warranted to determine whether this
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 35
method is both viable within the existing organizational infrastructure and actually increases
email subscriptions.
Future Implications
This project requires further delivery of the workshops and coaching to determine the
longer-term impact of building nonprofit capacity in this area. Nonprofit networks and
associations are part of the communications/dissemination plan to continue offering this method
as a resource and the potential exists for a social media campaign to drive nonprofit/public
interest in changing federal regulations on indirect funding allowance. Resources will be
accessible on nonprofit web platforms and a guide with the PGSA tool will be downloadable for
a nominal fee. A specific website, branding this initiative as a resource and marketing tool, is
currently in process and will be launched in 2019. There are current discussions with a
production company offering to create several pilot videos for nonprofits participating in this
initiative to further support nonprofit social media messaging as well as create a business
opportunity to sustain this work.
Connecting to the Association of Association Executives presents another significant
opportunity in expanding access to this model and interest in further testing. Additionally, The
Team has recently submitted a proposal to the USC-SDP SSW to continue to pilot this both to
support under-resourced nonprofits in the Los Angeles area and to support student learning in the
process (see Appendix O for USC-SDP SSW consultation proposal). This project could serve as
an attractive platform for Social Change and Innovation (SCI) type students already interested in
contributing to the fundamentals of business from a social work lens. This could also serve as an
opportunity to further explore the idea of having the school develop an internal placement as a
consulting arm (potential revenue stream) for students to explore their academic coursework in
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 36
an applied way in real time using both nonprofit marketing and organizational development as
foundational curricula.
Conclusion
The nonprofit sector, particularly in health and human services, has lagged behind the
for-profit sector in marketing and technology. Much of this lag is due to cost as well as lack of
experience and understanding (Berzin &Coulton, 2017; Goldkind, 2015). Nonprofits often
struggle with balancing direct service and organizational infrastructure operations. The impact of
funding decreases and the indirect funding regulations on public monies require nonprofits to
find creative ways to build their marketing capacity to sustain their services. By integrating cost-
effective ways to market using spreadable technology, nonprofits will be in a stronger advocacy
position, defending the need for marketing dollars when engaging funders. This effort may bring
equity to the collective marketplace, no longer reserved for profit-making organizations, but for
all organizations and companies contributing to the national economy.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 37
References
ALS Association, (2014). The Ice-Bucket Challenge. Retrieved from http://www.alsa.org/fight-als/ice-
bucket-challenge.html?referrer=https://search.yahoo.com/
Attewell, P. (1992). Technology Diffusion and Organizational Learning: The Case of Business
Computing, Organizational Science, Vol. 3, No. 1 pp. 1-19.
Baym, N. K. (2015). Personal connections in the digital age. John Wiley & Sons.
Beltman, S., & Schaeben, M. (2012). Institution-wide peer mentoring: Benefits for mentors. The
International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 3(2), 33-44.
Berger, K., Harold, J., Taylor, Art. (2013). The Overhead Myth. Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved from
https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2013/06/17/the-overhead-myth/
Bernholz, L. (2015). Philanthropy and the Social Economy: Blueprint 2013.
Berzin, S. C., & Coulton, C. J. (2017). Harness Technology for Social Good. Grand Challenges for
Social Work and Society.
Berzin, S. C., Singer, J., & Chan, C. (2015). Practice innovation through technology in the digital age: A
grand challenge for social work (Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative Working Paper
No. 12). Cleveland: American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare.
Brace-Govan, J., Brady, E., Brennan, L., & Conduit, J. (2011). Market Orientation and marketing in
nonprofit organisations – Indications for fundraising from Victoria International Journal of
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing, Vol. 16 No. 1, pp. 84-98.
Bradley, S. (2015). Saving Face or Saving Society? Importing Private Sector Models to Nonprofit
Fundraising: Conclusions, Constraints, and Cautions, Journal of Mason Graduate Research, Vol
2, No.1 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA ISSN: 2327-0764 Pages:1-12.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 38
Bradach, J.L., Tierney, T.J., & Stone, N. (2008). Delivering on the Promise of Nonprofits, Harvard
Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2008/12/delivering-on-the-promise-of-
nonprofits? autocomplete=true
Burgoon, J. K. (1993). Interpersonal expectations, expectancy violations, and emotional
communication. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 12(1-2), 30-48.
Burns, T., & Stalker, G. M. (1961). The management of. Innovation.
Buys, J. (2016). “Top Can’t-Miss Resources for Nonprofits, are you taking advantage of the online tools
available to you as a nonprofit?”. Retrieved from http://www.nonprofitworld.org
Charities and Non-Profits. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-
organizations
Chetkovich, C., & Frumkin, P. (2002). Balancing Margin and Mission: Nonprofit Competition in
Charitable Versus Fee-Based Programs, Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations Working
Paper No. 11. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.351221
Cnaan, R. A., & Cascio, T. (1999). Performance and Commitment: Issues in Management of Volunteers
in Human Service Organizations. Retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/spp_papers/1
Deming, W. E. (1982). Out of the Crisis (MIT Press). Reprint, ISBN-13.
Deming, W. E. (2012). The essential Deming: leadership principles from the father of quality. McGraw
Hill Professional.
DonorDrive (2014-2016). Peer-to-Peer Fundraising. Retrieved from
dhttp://www.nonprofitpro.com/resource/storytelling-that-gets-more-donation/file/
Eyrich, N., Padman, M. L., & Sweetser, K. D. (2008). PR practitioners’ use of social media tools
and communication technology. Public relations review, 34(4), 412-414.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 39
Flynn, D. & Tian, (E). Y., (2015). Nonprofit Deaths, Near Deaths and Reincarnations: Part 1 of 5, Hull
House, Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved from https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2015/02/10/nonprofit-
deaths-near-deaths-and-reincarnations-part-1-of-5-hull-house/
Fogg, B.J., Founder, the Persuasive Tech Lab at Stanford University. Retrieved from
http://www.behaviormodel.org/
Fong, R., Lubben, J., & Barth, R. P. (Eds.). (2017). Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society.
Oxford University Press.
French, M., & Bazarova, N. N. (2017). Is anybody out there?: Understanding masspersonal
communication through expectations for response across social media platforms. Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication, 22(6), 303-319.
Freudmann, E.A. & Bakamitsos, Y. (2014). The Role of Gamification in Non-Profit Marketing: An
Information Processing Account, Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences Vol 148 (August
2104) pp.567-572. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.081
Fryer, D., & Granger, M. J. (2008). Closing the digital divide: The role of community based non-profit
organizations.
Goldkind, L. (2015). Social media and social service: Are nonprofits plugged in to the digital
age?. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 39(4), 380-396.
Gottschall, J. (2013). The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. New York, NY: Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.
Greenhalgh, T., Robert, G., Macfarlane, F., Bate, P., & Kyriakidou, O. (2004). Diffusion of innovations
in service organizations: systematic review and recommendations. The Milbank Quarterly, 82(4),
581-629.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 40
Greenlee, J., Fischer, M., Gordon, T., & Keating, E. (2007). An investigation of fraud in nonprofit
organizations: Occurrences and deterrents. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 36(4),
676-694.
Greenwood, S., Perrin, A., & Duggan, M. (2016). Social media update 2016. Pew Research Center, 11,
83.
Grimshaw, J. M., Shirran, L., Thomas, R., Mowatt, G., Fraser, C., Bero, L.,...O’Brien, M. A. (2001).
Changing provider behavior: An overview of systematic reviews of interventions. Medical Care,
39(8 Suppl. 2), II-2-II-45.
Growth Engineering (2016). Gamification: Gartner’s Predictions for 2020. Retrieved from
http://www.growthengineering.co.uk/future-of-gamification-gartner/
GSMA (2016). The Mobile Economy. Retrieved from http://www.gsma.com
Hall, P. D. (2010). Historical perspectives on nonprofit organizations in the United States. The Jossey-
Bass handbook of nonprofit leadership and management, 3-41.
Hamid, M. & Kuppusamy, M. (2017). Gamification Implementation in Service Marketing: A Literature
Review. Electronic Journal of Business & Management, 2.1, pp. 38-50.
Institute for Health Improvement (2018). Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Worksheet. Retrieved from
http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/Tools/PlanDoStudyActWorksheet.aspx
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (2017). Tax Information for Charitable Organizations. Retrieved from
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations
Jenkins, H. (2006). Fans, bloggers, and gamers: Exploring participatory culture. nyu Press.
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2018). Spreadable media: Creating value and meaning in a
networked culture. NYU press.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 41
Kenney, K. A. (2012). Nonprofit organizations and Social Media: Streamlining Communications to
Build and Maintain relationships, California Polytechnic State University Journalism. Retrieved
from http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/joursp/
Kent, M. L., & Taylor, M. (1998). Building dialogic relationships through the World Wide Web. Public
relations review, 24(3), 321-334.
Kotter, J. (2012). Leading Change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.
Lamberton, C. and Stephen, A.T., 2016. A Thematic Exploration of Digital, Social Media and Mobile
Marketing: Research Evolution from 2000 to 2015 and an Agenda for Future Inquiry. Journal of
Marketing: AMA/MSI Special Issue Vol. 80 (November 2016) 146-172. DOI:
10.1509/jm.15.0415
Mancuso, J., & Stuth, K. (2014). “Social Media Refresh”, Marketing Insights. Retrieved from
http://www.ama.org
McKeever, B. (2015). The Nonprofit Sector in Brief 2015: Public Charities, Giving, and Volunteering.
Retrieved from www.urban.org/author/brice-mckeever/publications
McKimm, J., Jollie, C., & Hatter, M. (2007). Mentoring: Theory and practice. London NHSE.
Mead, S., & MacNeil, C. (2006). Peer support: What makes it unique. International Journal of
Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 10(2), 29-37.
Mintz, L. (2015). Founder & CEO of Elevate My Brand, “How to Determine the Perfect Marketing
Budget for Your Company” Entrepreneur Media. Retrieved from
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243790
Mitchell, T., & Larson, S. (2014). Top 10 Social Activism Hashtags of 2014. Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tasha-mitchell/top-10-social-activism-ha_b_6331648.html
Mohideen, F. (2017). The Tale of Positive Psychology and Behavioural Economics. Retrieved from
https://thedecisionlab.com/tale-positive-psychology-behavioural-economics/
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 42
M+R Benchmarks Study. (2018). Retrieved from https://mrbenchmarks.com/
National Council of Nonprofits. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/
National Endowment for the Arts, Office of Inspector General (2015). “Financial Management Guide”.
Retrieved from http://www.arts.gov, The Uniform Guidance
Norris, S. (2016). 80 Nonprofit Trends for 2016. Retrieved from
http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/80-nonprofit-trends-for-2016/all/
O’Sullivan, P. B., & Carr, C. T. (2018). Masspersonal communication: A model bridging the mass-
interpersonal divide. New Media & Society, 20(3), 1161-1180.
Palmatier, R. W., Dant, R. P., Grewal, D., & Evans, K. R. (2006). Factors influencing the effectiveness
of relationship marketing: A meta-analysis. Journal of marketing, 70(4), 136-153.
Pallotta, D. (2012). Charities Must Battle Public Misconceptions About Overhead Costs. Retrieved from
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Charities-Must-Battle-Myths/156129
Patel N. & Patel N. (2017). Modern Technology and Its Use as Storytelling Communication Strategy in
Public Health. MOJ Public Health 6(3): 00171. DOI: 10.15406/mojph.2017.06.00171
Patton, M. Q. (2010). Developmental evaluation: Applying complexity concepts to enhance innovation
and use. Guilford Press.
Pfeffer, J., & Salancik, G. R. (2003). The external control of organizations: A resource dependence
perspective. Stanford University Press.
Powell, B. J., McMillen, J. C., Proctor, E. K., Carpenter, C. R., Griffey, R. T., Bunger, A. C., ... & York,
J. L. (2012). A compilation of strategies for implementing clinical innovations in health and
mental health. Medical care research and review, 69(2), 123-157.
Reich, D. & Chloe, C. (2017). Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Unmet Needs and the Squeeze on
Appropriations Policymakers Should Continue Bipartisan Sequestration Relief retrieved from
https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/unmet-needs-and-the-squeeze-on-appropriations
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 43
Reich, R. (2013). Rich people’s idea of charity: Giving to elite schools and opera. Retrieved from
http://www.salon.com/2013/12/14/the_wealthy_give_to_charity_elite_schools_and_operas_partn
er/
Rodan, D., & Mummery, J. (2014). Platforms and Activism: Sharing ‘My Make it Possible Story’
Narratives. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/9703844/Platforms_and_Activism_Sharing_My_Make_it_Possible_St
ory_Narratives
Rubin, R., 2018. Charity Funds Take Off as Tax Law Reshapes Giving, Wall Street Journal. Retrieved
February 2, 2018 from https://www.wsj.com/articles/charity-funds-take-off-as-tax-law-reshapes-
giving-1517502089
Rybalko, S., & Seltzer, T. (2010). Dialogic communication in 140 characters or less: How Fortune 500
companies engage stakeholders using Twitter. Public relations review, 36(4), 336-341.
Sargeant, A., West, D. C., & Jay, E. (2007). The relational determinants of nonprofit web site
fundraising effectiveness: An exploratory study. Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 18(2),
141-156.
Smith, A. & Anderson, M. (2018). Pew Research Center, March 2018, “Social Media Use in 2018”
Smith, C. (2018). DMR Business Statistics/Fun Gadgets. Retrieved from
https://expandedramblings.com/index.php/als-ice-bucket-challenge-statistics/
Snipp. (2017). The Power of Gamification- Participation, Engagement, Loyalty. Retrieved from
http://www.snipp.com/blog/2017-06-21/the-power-of-gamification-participation-engagement-
loyalty/
Soffen, K., & Lu, D. (2017). What Trump cut in his budget, The Washington Post. Retrieved from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-presidential-budget-2018-
proposal/?utm_term=.3f580efb957c
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 44
Sontag-Padilla, L. M., Staplefoote, L., & Morganti, K. G. (2012). Financial Sustainability for Nonprofit
Organizations: A Review of the Literature. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2012.
Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR121.html
Steyaert, J., & Gould, N. (2009). Social work and the changing face of the digital divide. British Journal
of Social Work, 39(4), 740-753.
Takagi, G. (2018). The New Tax Law and Its Impact on Nonprofits – Part 1. Retrieved from
http://www.nonprofitlawblog.com/tax-cuts-and-jobs-act-new-tax-law-impact-on-nonprofits-
fundraising/
Urban Institute. (2016). Retrieved from http://nccs.urban.org/
Van Dijck, J., & Poell, T. (2013). Understanding social media logic.
Vought, R. (2018) The White House Announces Its Rescission Package, The Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-white-house-announces-its-rescission-package-
1525731938
Waters, R. D., & Jamal, J. Y. (2011). Tweet, tweet, tweet: A content analysis of nonprofit organizations’
Twitter updates. Public Relations Review, 37(3), 321-324.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 45
Appendix A
Definitions and Terminology Related to Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Project

1. Branding, as defined by the business dictionary, refers to, “The process involved in creating
a unique name and image for a product in the consumers' mind, mainly through advertising
campaigns with a consistent theme. Branding aims to establish a significant and
differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers” (Business
Dictionary, 2017, para. 1).
2. Contingency Theory suggests that there is no single organizational structure that suits every
organization, but rather, it is based on certain factors that impact the organization. In this
context, the socio-political environment is one of these determining factors (Donaldson,
1999).
3. Digital Divide is defined by the inequity or uneven distribution that exists between those
having access to technology and those who do not (Steyaert & Gould, 2009).
4. First-Thought Branding: The 5-Alphas refers to the five key reminders when creating a
marketing strategy: Articulate, Alliance, Appeal, Appreciate, Amplify. For this project, it
guides participants as a check list when reviewing both their message and their gamified
element launch into social media.
5. Fogg Behavioral Model Mobile Persuasion is the mobile aspect of the Fogg Behavioral
Model, a behavior change model using triggers, motivation, and ease to support change
(Fogg, 2016).
6. Fund development, also known as fundraising, is used in the nonprofit sector to refer to an
organized activity or set of activities to raise funds (Webster, 2003) or resources to
financially support the nonprofit soliciting those funds.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 46
7. Gamification, the use of typical game components (competition, scoring, rules,
collaboration, input, decision-making) with digital game-based application (mechanics and
design), to engage consumers is relatively new and amplifying digital energy. Gamification,
within the marketing context, offers an innovative way to use web-based or mobile platforms
to encourage engagement with a product or service.
8. Gamifying Engagement©, the iterative name (change) of the project under the Third(3
rd
)
Sector Inspire Project
9. Indirect funds are the amount of money nonprofit organizations are permitted to use for
personnel, rent, office supplies, general overhead with the exception of marketing,
fundraising and branding which are not considered allowable expenses under the indirect line
item of a publicly funded grant (IRS, 2017).
10. Marketing is defined by the American Marketing Association (2013) as, “Marketing is the
activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and
exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large”
(AMA, 2013, para. 1).
11. Narrative or Story is the spoken, visual (orally, video recorded, (info)graphically or
pictorially depicted) or written account of connected events that represent the organization’s
vision and mission in part or wholly. Storytelling is an art and can be a compelling way in
which information is shared, education provided and is a strong factor in making donation
decisions (Gottschall, 2013; DonorDrive, 2014-2016).
12. Participatory Culture is defined by Henry Jenkins as a contemporary culture where
members of that culture participate by consuming, creating and distributing media content
(Jenkins, 2012).
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 47
13. PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT (PDSA) is a model for continuous improvement initially
developed by Edward Deming in 1982 as Plan-Do-Check-Act and later adapted by the
Associates in Process Improvement in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare
Improvement (IHI). This model was developed to accelerate improvement and is a cycle that
reflects a short timeframe of planning and then testing an idea, observing/studying the
results, tweaking the idea, then testing those changes until the desired outcome is achieved
(www.apiweb.org, 2018).
14. PLAN-GAMIFY-STUDY-ACT(PGSA)©, the iterative adaption from PLAN-DO-STUDY-
ACT substituting DO with the explicit use of gamified elements in executing the PLAN.
15. Resource Dependency Theory refers to the environmental effects on organizations and the
constraints that continuously emerge (Pfeffer & Salancik, 2003)
16. Social media refers to web-based platforms that offer consumer engagement and interaction
in an active vs. passive way, meaning that individuals have the opportunity to create content,
rather than only consume content. This allows a two-way communication with consumers
and encourages networking and interaction. Social media offers a variety of inexpensive
web-based tools that invite participation as well as original content (Kaplan & Fine, 2010).
17. The Message is the brief version of that narrative/story for the specific purpose of easily
translating enough of the narrative to spreadable social media potentially promoting the
organization’s mission.
18. Under-resourced nonprofit organizations are defined as those having public revenue of
less than two million dollars and the focus will be those nonprofits within health and human
services of the nonprofit sector. The United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code,
501(c)(3), defines a nonprofit as an organization which must be organized and operated
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 48
exclusively for exempt purposes, meaning for charitable, religious, scientific, literacy, public
safety, amateur sports competition and preventing cruelty to children or animals (2017).
19. Yelp is a community sharing service tool that uses a rating system that is a crowd-sourced
forum and serves to review the value and quality of various goods and services based on
opinion (Yelp, 2018)

Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 49

Appendix B
Third 3
rd
Sector Inspire Pilot Project Logic Model

Inputs
Outputs Outcomes Impact

Activities

Participants

Short Medium Long
Third Sector Inspire Pilot
Project Team:

• Faculty Advisor leading
project, value = $28,000
as in-kind for two
academic years
• 6 Dean’s Leadership
Scholarship recipients
(DLSs), value =
$150,000.00 as in-kind
for two academic years
• 2
nd
year MSW Intern,
value = $6,000 in-kind
• Faculty Evaluator
providing feedback on
assessments and data
analysis, value = $3,000
in-kind
__________________
6 nonprofits (executive
director, staff) – 3 as
intervention group and 3 as
control group with public
revenues < 2 million

Workshop space donated by
one of the participating
nonprofits
______________________
$2,500 corporate donation:
materials donated (handouts,
paper, pens, large sticky
pads); food for workshops;
rental space for workshops
for control group

• Review criteria with interested
nonprofits (intervention group
and control group)
• Conduct baseline marketing and
org. capacity assessment for the 3
participating nonprofits and the 3
nonprofits serving as a control
group
• Analyze data collected
• Develop and design workshop
materials and content

• Deliver (2) workshops in donated
space
• Design and deliver a minimum of
(4) coaching sessions post each
workshop
• Assign key participants to be the
internal nonprofit team to lead
effort
• Order food for workshops

Materials donated, food purchased
through these funds

Third Sector
Inspire Project
Team

The 3
participating
nonprofits and 3
nonprofits
serving as
control group

_____________
Third Sector
Inspire Project
Team

The 3
participating
nonprofits

The 3
participating
nonprofits

Third Sector
Inspire Project
Team

Participating
nonprofits

Gained valuable
information about
participating
nonprofit
organizational and
marketing
capacity

3 participating
nonprofits
develop working
team that
participates in 2
workshops and up
to 8 coaching
session

3 participating
nonprofits
develop internal
message

Nonprofits have
reproducible
handouts to be
used in future

Third Sector Inspire Team gains
feedback from initial pilot workshops to
apply to future iterations of this project

3 participating nonprofits adopt the
practice of integrating messaging into
their organizational infrastructure

3 participating nonprofits are integrating
marketing as part of their internal
operations

3 participating nonprofits launch their
story/message gamified idea using
spreadable media

Participating nonprofits
fully integrate this method
as part of their internal
marketing and development
strategy

Participating nonprofits use
this intervention method to
continue to reach new
potential contacts through
technology/media

Participating nonprofits
increase their contact list by
at least 10%

Participating nonprofits
increase their donor and
volunteer networks

Assumptions

External Factors
3 agencies have agreed to participate in pilot project; 3 agencies have agreed to be the
project’s control group; pilot project currently funded; Dean’s Leadership Scholarship
program will continue throughout the next academic year with 6 Scholars participating in
this project
Public funding has decreased; large fundraising events are too costly; marketing is time
consuming for nonprofits and not an area of expertise

2018
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 50
Appendix C
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Market Analysis Grid
Organization Services Process Cost
Hatch for Good (supported by the
Rockefeller Foundation and Hattaway
Communications) transitioned to
Storytelling for Good, The
Communications Network
• Self-service
• Digital guides
• Learn at own pace
• Free information
• May cost to advise
or host on site
Taproot Foundation
• Consulting
o Match nonprofit need
with pro bono consultant
• Application
• Some on-line
resources
• Speed consulting
• Virtual office hours
• Short-term projects
• Pro bono
arrangement – no
cost to nonprofit
• Limited in scope to
discrete project
Root Cause

• Consulting
• Events for networking
and
learning
• Focus is on social
entrepreneurship

• Contact to discuss project

• Fees for all consulting and
projects
National Council of Nonprofits

• Self-service

• Available resources on-line

• Free information
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 51
• Tools and resources
• Trends and updated
research
• Relevant articles
The Bridgespan Group
• Consulting
• Nonprofit leadership
programs
• 2-year consulting
program
(strategy) for nonprofit
leaders
• Contact them for hire
Depends upon the service
• Products for
purchase
• Consulting for
purchase
• Program enrollment
Center for Nonprofit Resources
• Consulting
• Certificate program
• Contact them • Some free resources

• Apply for certificate
program

• •
Some cost for consulting
depending upon the project
Cost for Nonprofit
Management certificate
program (requires
application)
Mobile Cause
• Digital fundraising
services
• Hire them for project

• Determined by project

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 52
• Online & event
fundraising
software
• Training webinars
• Resources
• Toolkits

DonorDrive
• Marketing services
• Fundraising software
• Live fundraising
(streamed
in real time)
• Process donations as a
service
• MINI-THON® (student
driven fundraising –
fighting childhood
cancer)
• Hire for project
• Hire for services –
processing donations
for nonprofits
• Some events are
sponsored (student
driven; participation
from Ohio, PA, NJ
and growing)
• Determined by project or
on-going service
AmeriCorps (The Corporation for
National and Community Service,
CNCS)

• Members commit their
time for a project for 3
months to 1 year of
service
• Supported by U.S.
government
• Addresses a community
need
• Apply for project
• No cost
• Government
sponsored
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 53
• 75,000 Americans
participate/year
AmeriCorps VISTA

• Similar to AmeriCorps, but focuses
on eliminating poverty
• Build capacity in nonprofit
organizations
• Serve full time for 1 year

• Apply for project

• No cost to nonprofit
Social Media Campaigns Platforms
• Change.org
• Adobe
• Hootsuite
• Sprout Social
• Facebook Page (free)
• Subscription services (membership)
• Discrete to ongoing
depending upon needs • Toolkits
• Resources
• Contact for
information
• Enroll
• Become a
member
• Most cost
• FB has a free page
option
AnnLab (USC Innovation Lab)
SCI (Social Change and Innovation
department within the Suzanne
Dworak- Peck School of Social Work)
• Offers innovative opportunities for students
together with community (nonprofit or social
impact organizations or businesses)

• Apply for
project
• Apply to
school for
education

• Projects may be
funded through
corporate
sponsorship
• Tuition cost

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 54
Appendix D
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Stakeholder Analysis Grid
WHO BLOCK NEUTRAL SUPPORT CHAMPION INFLUENCE TACTICS (to move or maintain
stakeholder) X is current/0 is desired
Under-resourced Nonprofits X 0 Pitch this method as funding continues to be
challenging; continue to invite them to participate
in project; build trust; work with them to share
their successes with other nonprofits
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck
School of Social Work
X 0 Demonstrate the usefulness of this project within
organization development skill building for
students under Social Change and Innovation
(SCI); use as marketing opportunity for SCI; bring
in funding for this as an internship/field placement
model within USC
Academic experts: Lauri
Goldkind, Melanie Sage, Jimmy
Young, Stephanie Berzin, Ruby
Guillen
X 0 Continue to share my project results and request
feedback and guidance
DLS MSW students/interns X Maintain momentum; engage them in providing
feedback and in participating in assessments,
workshop design, delivery, and coaching
Dr. Lauren Brown X Continue to request review and feedback our
evaluation process (reviewing the baseline
assessment; outputs, short-term outcomes)
Companies and Organizations:
Taproot, Hatch for Good,
California Endowment,
Nonprofit Pro
X 0 Need to reach out once project is codified to offer
this method to them either to hire me to train or
add to their website resources
Individual industry experts:
Dan Pallotta (Charity Defense
Council)
Momentum Solutions Team:
David Andres Kietzman,
managing partner,
communications/branding firm
specializing in nonprofit;
X 0 Plan to reach out to Dan Pallotta when I have more
clarity re: changing federal regulations around
indirect fund usage for marketing;
Have reached out to David Kietzman to schedule a
meeting, have registered on email list for
Persuasive Technology Lab and participated in
office hours; attended David Ngo’s introductory
virtual session on Snaptesting for teams,
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 55

BJ Fogg, Persuasive Technology
Lab, Stanford University; David
Ngo, Founder, Behavior Delta,
Snaptesting for teams
Legislative staffer
representatives (William Palmer
– Robert Aderholt’s office; Drew
Spence, staffer, Kamala Harris’
office)
X 0 Met with 2 staffers re: steps to take to change the
current federal restrictions on public funding for
advertising and public relations; received
information re: OMB, the Office of Management
and Budgets to pursue the next steps in changing
this restriction; will meet with local nonprofits to
discuss opportunities to support this effort
The Association of Association
Executives
(www.associationexecutives.org)
X 0 Will join as member to explore opportunities to
further test Gamifying Engagement © and PGSA©
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 56

Appendix E
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Line Item Budget Year 1 (Pilot Project)

Revenue
Contributions $2,500 Corporate sponsor
In-kind Space $700.00 Donated space for 2 Intervention Group workshops, ($350/workshop)
In-kind Expert $3,000 USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Evaluation Expert $500/day x6
Scholars $150,000 USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean’s Leadership Scholarship based on 6 Scholars/25k
Faculty Advisor $22,500 Weekly development of 6 Scholars (15 weeks = 7,500/semester x 3= $22,500
(workshop/meeting design & development, direct work with nonprofit)

Total Revenue 178,700

Expenses
Personnel Exp.
Faculty Advisor 22,500 (offset) Project lead/Volunteer position
Scholars 150,000 (offset) 6 Dean’s Leadership Scholars as consulting team
Evaluator Expert 3,000 (offset) Faculty evaluator willing to support project and guide us in evaluating results

Total Personnel Exp. 175,500 (off-set)

Operating Exp.
Workshops/meeting space $700.00 Space rented for 4 workshops, 2 for Intervention Group (in-kind) /2 for Control Group ($350.00/per workshop)
Materials/Supplies $100.00 (4) workshops; $25.00/workshop
Food $1,200 Workshops (4 in total, estimated 20 participants/per workshop/ $15/person,)

Total Op Exp. $2,000

Total Expenses 175,500 +2,000 = 177,500

Surplus/Deficit $1,200 (-$700 for rental for second workshop series) = $500.00 + Contingency/Reserve

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 57

Appendix F
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire CFIR Domains, Barriers and Facilitators

Consolidated Framework for
Implementation Research (CFIR) Domains
Barriers Facilitators

Intervention
§ Need to diversify funding
§ Visibility increases public’s knowledge
§ Low-cost approach
§ Individualized for each nonprofit
§ Intervention has easy steps to follow
and apply

§ Maintain energy and engagement
§ Fast-pace of digital media
§ Limited public outreach based on story
and game (engagement strategy) appeal
§ Consideration of psychological drive
and antecedent -potentially complex
design
§ Short turn-around time for adapting
intervention using PDSA
§ Ability to see results of intervention
quickly
§ Utilizes existing organizational
infrastructure
§ Access to social media
§ Receive consistent stakeholder
feedback
Outer Setting
§ Collaboration with other nonprofits
§ Federal funding is declining
§ Political environment/policies are less
favorable to nonprofits
§ Tax laws negatively impact giving
§ Transparency with the public

§ Competition for dollars
§ Needs of direct service clients at risk for
being overlooked if distracted by
promotional activities
§ Legal limits related to funding
promotional activities
§ Indirect public money cannot be used
for promotional activities

§ Cost-effective intervention – use
less agency resources
§ Potential to diversify funding
§ Generate public interest in
nonprofits
§ Inter-organizational, inter-
professional networks

Inner Setting
§ Vision/Mission translates to internal
message
§ Concepts are integrated within all roles
and responsibilities
§ Culture is open to new possibilities
§ Readiness for change/experience with
change
§ Ability to track digital results/metrics

§ Staff resistant to integrating marketing
§ Staff has limited time
§ Most staff have limited knowledge of
marketing and social media
§ Staff is unclear about intervention
expectations
§ Culture to accept change varies by staff

§ Senior leadership and board support
intervention
§ Organizations are ready for a
change to increase their support
networks
§ Staff is curious and often buy-ins
§ Adoption of digital metrics/tracking
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 58
§ Learning climate § Staff concerned about who will own this
moving forward
§ Continuous digital tracking

§ Some degree of excitement in a
new approach (the intervention)
Characteristics of
Individuals/Nonprofits
§ Strong interest in opportunity to
increase visibility
§ Readiness for change
§ Nonprofits see the importance and need
of intervention

§ Staff time and capacity
§ Challenge to integrating into
infrastructure
§ Lack of marketing interest/ knowledge
§ Potentially lose momentum

§ Dedication and commitment of
staff
§ Utilization PDSA framework
§ Training
§ Coaching can be virtual (easy and
convenient)
Process
§ Agency leadership & Board provide
support for this effort
§ Intra-agency team leading effort
§ Baseline data collection -part of
planning
§ Stakeholders engaged

§ Internal team gets busy with more
urgent needs
§ Board supports, but doesn’t contribute
to effort
§ Lack of clear understanding and
application of intervention
§ Lack of transparency in engaging
stakeholders
§ Baseline data supports need and on-
going change
§ Intra-agency team brings
consistency and ensures integration
§ PDSA supports intervention

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 59

Appendix G
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Implementation Strategies

Strategy Type Strategy
Social Networks § Network of clients and nonprofits collaboratively articulating and
disseminating their collective message (built from the nonprofit narrative)
§ Share and receive feedback from other nonprofits
§ Share an understanding of marketing as part of the necessary nonprofit
infrastructure within network
§ Supporting one another in their efforts to be sustainable
§ Build social media networks
Plan § Baseline data collection
§ Securing internal champions
§ Build buy-in
§ Having a blueprint/set of steps to use the intervention that can be tailored
Educate § Build learning collaborative through workshops
§ Build internal intervention team within each participating nonprofit
§ Develop and teach material in workshop setting
§ Provide tools and materials post workshop
§ Coach as part of integrated learning
§ Educate through peer interactions
§ Educate through social media
Restructure § Revise role of marketing within nonprofit
§ Include digital media as part of infrastructure
§ Create intervention cross-departmental team
§ Consider permanent leader role within marketing/development context

Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 60
Appendix H
Research Design Detail
Research Question
This pilot project asks the research question: does the combination of digital storytelling
and gamification (Independent variables) increase donor and volunteer activity (Dependent
Variables) as measured by a 10% increase in new email subscriptions for publicly-funded under-
resourced (< $2 million in revenue) nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles post four months of
their media launch?
This project applies the concepts of First-Thought Branding: the 5-Alpha Method and the
Fogg Behavior Model’s Mobile Persuasion elements (FBMMP), (frequency of triggers,
motivation and ability - easy to do), and adapt it to the PDSA framework to test out the working
message internally and the gamified engagement strategies externally.
Setting
The primary settings are the participating nonprofits where each will take part in the
baseline data collection and review of readiness; the two workshops will be conducted in donated
space. Coaching for each nonprofit will be a mixture, offered in-person at the respective
nonprofit, virtually through Skype or a virtual classroom environment depending upon what is
convenient for the nonprofit. The follow-up post intervention interviews and surveys will be both
in-person and virtual.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 61
Participants
This pilot is targeting nonprofit management and staff who will be participating in the
baseline assessment, two workshops, eight coaching sessions and a follow-up post intervention
interview and/or survey. There will be a maximum of five participants from each nonprofit for
the in-person workshops. Each non-profit’s Executive Director or designated decision-maker
will participate in all assessments, the two workshops and the coaching sessions. The other
participants are invited to the coaching sessions and encouraged to attend. Other stakeholders
will be included in the data collection assessment and will have access to the decisions made as a
result of the workshops and coaching. This intervention uses a mixed-method approach as
defined by Teddlie and Tashakkori (2003) with both quantitative and qualitative questions
through interviews and surveys (as cited in Palinkas & Soydan, 2012).
Procedures
The Third (3rd) Sector Inspire Project Team leveraged the relationship between the
University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work and the USC
school-wide initiative to end homelessness by offering to pilot this project with under-resourced
nonprofits serving the homeless population. We reached out to those organizations that had a
pre-existing relationship with USC, resulting the Director, of the USC Initiative to Eliminate
Homelessness, recruiting and then referring six nonprofits, three participating in the intervention
and three serving as the control group.

Sampling
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 62
We used non-probability sampling, specifically, purposive sampling for our participant
and control group for the pilot, also known as a homogeneous purposive sample which gave us a
targeted sample quickly and we were not concerned with proportionality for the purpose of the
pilot. All nonprofits, approached by the Director of the USC Initiative to Eliminate
Homelessness, have similar characteristics; each nonprofit has public revenues of less than two
million dollars, is located within Los Angeles area and provides services to the homeless
population.
Design
This intervention is a Quasi-Experimental Non-Equivalent Groups Design, suggesting
susceptibility to internal validity due to the threat of selection. The selection process and The
Hawthorne Effect create bias and may impact the validity, where findings may not be a result of
the intervention, but another variable. Nonprofits may be more likely to think about marketing
once they learn about this project or post the baseline assessment. This shift in thinking may be a
catalyst for marketing activity prior to the intervention as behavior change can occur simply by
introducing the idea of a new desired behavior (Olson, Verley, Santos, Salas, 2004) The
nonprofits receiving the intervention and those in the control group share key characteristics,
making them comparable. Baseline data is collected from each nonprofit; the intervention
includes two workshops, and four coaching session post each workshop (eight in total). Post the
four coaching sessions following workshop two, the nonprofits will launch their media idea.
Four months post the launch, interviews and a post-intervention survey will be completed by
both groups.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 63
Aims
Aim 1: will establish innovative ways to combine storytelling and gamification using First-
Thought Branding: The 5-Alpha Method (FTB) and the FBM Mobile Persuasion elements. Each
participating nonprofit receiving the intervention will be guided through a process of adapting
FTB and FBM to their organizational narrative in combination with digital gamification to
engage the public. Each nonprofit will have a donor and volunteer digital tracking mechanism to
evaluate whether this technological marketing approach increased their number of email
subscribers. This information will be compared to data collected from the control group at the
four-month mark.
Aim 2: will determine the capacity for nonprofits to integrate technological marketing strategies
into their organizational infrastructure. Each participating nonprofit will adapt the ideas
operationalized in Aim 1 as part of their on-going marketing strategy. Qualitative data will
determine whether these nonprofits, having received this intervention, have implemented
practices to sustain this marketing strategy. This information will be compared to the control
group at the four-month mark to determine whether integrated technological marketing strategies
increased without any intervention.
Data Collection and Measurement
The data collection instrument will be composed of quantitative and qualitative pre and
post intervention interview questions administered in-person and email survey related to the
number and categorization of email subscribers and the capacity of the nonprofits to integrate
marketing into their organizational infrastructure. The effectiveness of this intervention will be
measured by tracking the number of email-categorized subscribers post the media launch and by
qualitative data gathered determining any changes that occurred within the nonprofit
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 64
organizational infrastructure related to sustaining marketing strategies. The control group will
receive the same set of questions, so that a comparison can be made between groups to infer any
findings related to the effectiveness of this intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data will be
compared to the control group at the four-month mark to determine whether integrated
technological marketing strategies were formalized and whether email subscription lists
increased without any intervention.

Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 65

WHO
ü Under-resourced
nonprofits within the
USC network
ü Referred nonprofits
ü Orgs providing
resources
to nonprofits
ü Funders of
nonprofits
ü Foundations
ü Professional
networks
ü Professional
nonprofit
consultants
ü USC student learning
WHAT
ü EducaBon and
InvitaBons
ü Educate on cost-
effecBve method to
increase visibility
on social media
ü Explain markeBng as a
core business tool
ü Workshops and
coaching invitaBon
ü Offer train-the-Trainer
workshop and
coaching
ü Present method at
conferences
ü Further develop SCC
proposal
WHERE
ü Email invitation
to participate
ü Weekly
reminders
ü Posting on sites
of nonprofit
resource hubs
ü Youtube video
posts
ü LinkedIn
ü Professional
networks
WHEN
ü December, 2018:
ConBnue to
outreach to
nonprofits
parBcipaBng in
pilot #2 coaching
ü January-May,
2019 Outreach to
nonprofit
networks to
invite to future
workshops;
develop train-
the-trainer on
method; SCC
proposal
Appendix I
Communications Plan
Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 66
Appendix J1
NSWM 2017 Workshop Proposal
Strategic Management

Got Milk? Got Story? Get Leverage!

This workshop teaches participants the value of storytelling and how to leverage their
organizational voice to brand their services through a digital platform.
Goals/Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
1. Understand the value of good marketing and how to utilize digital media strategy;
2. Learn the mechanism of good storytelling;
3. Create an initial brand development process.
Does your organizational narrative reflect who you are? Does your organization’s brand
deliver the results you want? Does your online presence compel stakeholders to connect? This
workshop teaches participants the value of storytelling and how to leverage their organizational
voice to brand their services through a digital platform.
Social media as a tool for nonprofits to market their mission and services is often
misunderstood in its effectiveness and viewed as a one-dimensional marketing strategy. Our
goal is to help low-resourced nonprofits to be a presence in the competitive digital landscape by
telling their story effectively within their limited budgets. Participants will leave with an initial
plan to take back to their respective agencies to continue the brand development process and how
to utilize digital media to leverage their developed narrative.

According to the GSMA Mobile Economy Report (2016), by the year 2020 there will be
5.6 billion unique users of mobile technology, highlighting the growing importance of
organizational marketing through a digital platform. In contrast to for-profit corporations,
nonprofits are at a distinct disadvantage in that they have little discretion on how to use their
resources, specifically, the amount of funding that is available to use for marketing and
communicating their mission. For-profits generally utilize between 8-20% of their gross revenue
towards marketing and branding efforts, not including staffing internal marketing departments
(L. Mintz, 2015, entrepreneur.com). The majority of nonprofit revenue, including grant
foundation and government funding, is allocated to direct client services, leading to strict limits
on how nonprofits may use indirect funds (www.arts.gov, 2015). It is imperative that, in our
ever-expanding digital ecosystem, nonprofits step up to the task of engaging storytelling to
attract and retain diverse funding streams. Effective storytelling is the foundation of first-
thought branding, meaning that stakeholders will remember your brand through the story you tell
and be compelled to both share it with others and become part of your mission. Social media as
a tool for nonprofits to market their mission and services is often misunderstood in its
effectiveness and viewed as a one-dimensional marketing strategy. Our goal is to help low-
resourced nonprofits to be a presence in the competitive digital landscape by telling their story
effectively within their limited budgets. This workshop is dedicated to teaching participants the
value of storytelling and how to leverage their organizational voice as a way to brand and market
their services through a digital platform. As social workers, we are uniquely qualified through
our ability to be empathic while using a multi-lens view, allowing us to hold diverse stakeholder
perspectives while facilitating process. These skills enable a collective organizational voice to
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 67
capture target audiences, potentially securing long-term financial sustainability for the
organization. The aim of this workshop is to encourage nonprofit leaders to engage their client,
volunteer, and donor networks by teaching effective marketing and communications strategies.
Methods of didactic teaching, kinesthetic learning, and case study discussion will be offered as
primary teaching tools. Participants will learn the fundamental mechanisms behind telling a good
story and connecting that story to their organizational vision and mission. Participants will
experience first-hand telling and sharing the compelling narrative of their organization and
gaining valuable insights through the reactions and responses of their workshop colleagues.
Participants will leave with an initial plan to take back to their respective agencies to continue
the brand development process and be able to utilize digital media to leverage their developed
narrative. This workshop is geared toward nonprofit executive directors, stakeholders, and board
members, social marketing and branding professionals, and individuals interested in social
enterprise. Ideal workshop capacity is 30.
Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 68

Appendix J 2

NSWM 2018 Workshop Proposal
Gamifying Engagement©

Management/leadership – marketing/public relations
Evaluate the effectiveness of using technology and infrastructure re-working existing capacity to
create stronger visibility to access more donor and volunteers

Strategic Management

Title: Gamifying Engagement

60 Minute workshop description
Abstract

Under-resourced, publicly-funded nonprofit organizations (nonprofits), defined as those with
revenues under $2 million, identify and are viewed as charities, often foregoing the necessary
marketing, branding and fund development training and infrastructure capacity to effectively
adopt and consistently use technology in these business areas. These nonprofits are prohibited
from using indirect funds for promotional activities while needing to build a donor and volunteer
base to diversify their funding to secure their future. This workshop offers ways to use current
capacity in innovative ways by adopting the concept of gamifying engagement to keep current
and reach new donors and volunteers.

Proposed workshop description

Given the recent Congress-approved tax bill and impending funding cuts, nonprofit organizations
need to be creative in recruiting donors and volunteers to sustain their existence. The
introduction of technology and particularly social media has garnered attention in fostering the
increase in nonprofit/social cause visibility. Yet, it is often the larger, endowed nonprofits that
reap the benefits of a robust media presence as they can afford to designate funds to marketing
and fund development. How do smaller under-resourced nonprofits remain sustainable in this
current environment where public money cannot be allocated towards promotional activities and
where funding dollars are becoming leaner? It is imperative for under-resourced nonprofits to
shift their thinking and incorporate disruptive engagement strategies by using technology as the
mechanism to merge the concepts of gamification and storytelling as the way to become
sustainable during economically and socially challenging times. If nonprofits could access and
adapt their current capacity to engage these marketing strategies that then become enculturated,
these business methods would become integrated into their organizational fabric. This workshop
takes participants through the process and initial outputs of a pilot project designed and delivered
as a joint collaborative learning endeavor, led by University of Southern California Suzanne
Dworak-Peck School of Social Work professors and social work students with three under-
resourced nonprofit organizations. This project illustrates the use of the nonprofit narrative as the
premise in creating cost-effective gamifying engagement strategies. This pilot not only tests the
significance of adapting low-cost alternatives to typical marketing strategies but suggests that
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 69
social workers benefit from learning alongside their organizational clients. This project
demonstrates the benefits of collaboration through the shared re-working of capacity using a re-
introduction of marketing/branding as an integrated aspect of the nonprofit business
infrastructure and, by doing so, considers accessing a range of low-cost opportunities that
incorporate technology-based gamification to attract more donors and volunteers. A secondary
gain to this project is to build social worker skills in organization development specific to
nonprofit sustainability. Participants will gain insight into nonprofits’ ability to use current
infrastructure capacity in new ways to broaden their donor and volunteer networks as well as
consider a collaborative model as a learning tool for students.

Participants will:
• gain insight into strategies that support low-cost efforts to attract donors and volunteers
• adapt gamification concepts to the nonprofit narrative
• learn strategies for effective collaboration to enhance marketing and visibility
• understand the benefit of shared learning among nonprofits and social work students
• apply the learning to their own nonprofit work environments

Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 70
2018
t
2018
Design & Deliver
workshop #2;
Review of data
from:
ü Control Group
ü media launch
per nonprofit
Outcome of media
launch and
infrastructure for
maintenance
Workshop #1(design
and delivery)
O1/2—
01/24
24 days
Environmental
scan; Orienting
Scholars
01/25-
02/3 7days
Drafting baseline
data tool (org.
readiness)
02/5-02/18 14 days
Collect & Analyze data
02/19-
03/19
29 days
Design Workshop #1
3/19—5/30
45 days
Design Workshop #2
30 days
5/30 – 6/30
Continuous coaching
6/30--7/31 30 days
Media launch per nonprofit
8/1--9/3- 32 days
9/3-10/3 30days
10/4-12-31 90 days
Second pilot test:
Workshops #1& 2 + coaching
Appendix K
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Pilot Project: Gantt Chart
Feb
Jan March
Apr May
June
July
Aug
Sept Oct
Dec
Coaching toward
media launch per
nonprofit
Nov
Env. scan, orient Dean’s
Scholars; Baseline tool
development for
Nonprofits;
Data gathering phase
Follow-up interviews &
survey; revise
workshops; recruit
interested nonprofits
from USC network
Provide 2
nd
pilot test
workshops &
coaching) for control
group and 11
additional nonprofits
Control group follow-up
Deliver Workshop #1
Coaching post workshop #1
Deliver Workshop #2
Lessons learned thus far;
revise workshops
coaching
Running head: ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 71
Appendix L
Third (3rd) Sector Inspire Pilot Project
Baseline Agency Assessment
Organizational Basics
● Current revenue?
● Current budget?
● What are your strategic fiscal goals for the next year?
● In-kind expectations or past in-kind support
● Number of employees
● Number of clients served during 2017
● Number of clients expected to serve in 2018
● % of funding streams (amounts and from where)
● Copy of annual report
Organizational Structure
● Number of Board members
● Board Roles (committees defined)
● Organizational chart
Current Capacity in terms of marketing (key questions for measurement)
● How do you currently market your services?
● How does your agency understand the role of marketing?
○ How do you discuss marketing objectives or plans within your agency?
● How many current email subscribers do you have?
○ How do you currently enlist them?
○ How do you track them?
Current capacity in terms of branding
● What is your brand? How would you define your brand?
● How is your brand promoted?
● How do people know/learn/hear about your brand?
Current capacity on fund development including fundraising
● Do you have an annual fundraiser?
● If so, what is it?
● Do you have any endowment or reserve funds or strategy for endowment/reserve funds?
Donor
● How many current donors do you have?
● How do you track your donors?
● How do you build relationships with donors?
● Where is donate-now button on website?
● How many clicks does it take to donate?
Volunteers
● Do you have a volunteer program? If so, how many?
● How do you recruit volunteers?
● What is the process of becoming a volunteer?

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 72
Appendix M
Workshop Slides and Handouts

11/26/18
1
Gamifying Engagement©:
From Mission to Message
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Project
Laura Wittcoff, MSW, LICSW, Doctoral Candidate
Greg Schuelke, MSW Intern, Dean’s Leadership Scholar
Welcome
2
3
Today, we are mindful
“Things in life have no real beginning, though our stories about them always do.”
― Colum McCann, author
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
--Maya Angelou, poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist
"Story is a yearning meeting an obstacle."
--Robert Olen Butler, author
“Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people,
and open us to the claims of others.”
– Peter Forbes, photographer and author
Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.”
– Robert McKee, professor
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 73

11/26/18
2
(1)Mission to Message -craft the
message(s) that help others
understand your organization
using current capacity
(1)Gamifying the message(s) –
create engagement strategies
that stimulate participation
THE PURPOSE:
To Raise Visibility for
Nonprofit Organizations
by changing behavior
HOW?
4
AGENDA
Ice-breaker
Nonprofit Landscape
Projected Milestones
Mission..Narrative..Message(s)
Plan-Gamify-Study-Act ©
Next Steps
5
ICE-BREAKER
Think about one thing you currently do (work or
personal) that engage others
➔ Introduce self
➔ Organization and role
➔ The ‘thing’ that engages others
➔ Your hope for this workshop - expectations
6
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 74

11/26/18
3
Our Definition of the Message(s)
Digital Storytelling
Sharing an aspect of an organization’s mission through a
narrative construct using technology as the
platform/mechanism (website, FB, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat)
7
Baseline
Nonprofit Marketing
Wish List
(outside of $)
Capacity &
Knowledge
● Development of flexible
long-term marketing plan
● Plant seeds to grow
resources and expand
networks
8
The Nonprofit
Landscape
❖ 20% of Los Angeles’ 35K non-profits
reported weak capacity building
❖ 3K nonprofits in the LA area are under-
resourced (revenue < $2 million)
❖ 0% of public money can be used for
promotional purposes
❖ Funding continues to decrease
❖ Service needs continue to increase
❖ Technology rapidly changing
❖ Social media is free
❖ 72% of giving is individual
(Soffen & Lu, 2017; Urban Institute, 2015; Sontag-Padilla,Staplefoote &
Morganti, 2012; National Endowment for the Arts, 2015;TCC Group, 2010)
9
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 75

11/26/18
4
Expected Milestones
2018
January 20XX
Baseline data
collection
Workshop #1:
The Message(s)
Coaching
Workshop #2:
Gamifying
W
Initial Results
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan
10
Mission to Message(s) Exercise
Draw images (no words) of:
● Why your organization exists - the Need
● What your organization does/provides
● Who your organization serves
11
Mission to Message(s) Exercise
Draft a 5-7-word story (message) that describes
your drawing
12
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 76

11/26/18
5
Mission to Message(s) Exercise
Write your mission on the newsprint next to your
drawing and story (message)
13
Mission to Message(s) Exercise
Share your story (message) to the larger group
(worksheet)
14
Mission to Message
What is the first thing that comes
to mind when you hear the
message? What is your first
impression?
What words resonate or stand out
for you?
Why would you want to get
involved?
What else do you wish the
message had said?
Message:
15
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 77

11/26/18
6
Mission to Message(s) Exercise
Does your 5-7-word story (message) reflect
some key aspects of your mission?
16
First-Thought Branding: The (5) Alpha Method©
Does your message fit?
ARTiCuLATE
Message should
reflect parts of your
story(mission/vision)
ALLianCE
APpeAL
APprECiaTE
AMpLiFY
How will internal allies
know your message?
Internal allies should
know and share your
message
What is appealing
about your message?
How does your
message make your
internal stakeholders
feel and connected
to the organization?
The degree to which your
message resonates with
your stakeholders; they
appreciate what you do
and you appreciate their
belief in supporting you
Regular use of
message
internally; post
your message,
say your
message, sing
your message
17
Our Definition of Gamifying Engagement©
Any engagement strategy that uses
game elements:
● participation (art, stories, input,
feedback. music)
● location
● tools/devices/materials
● competition/rewards
● scoring
● asking questions/social aspect
● rules
18
….with technology as the
platform:
● website
● FB
● Twitter
● Instagram
● Snapchat
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 78

11/26/18
7
Getting to the Right
Message
● How do you know that
your message will be
effective?
● Second level testing with
your INTERNAL
stakeholders
● Short turn around to test
out message using:
PLAN-GAMIFY-STUDY-ACT©
19
Can we change
Shadow’s behavior?
20
PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT*
Teaching Shadow to Retrieve
T
1. PLAN:
Train Shadow using
treats
On Tuesday, I will
give a treat to Shadow
every time
frisbee is returned
3. STUDY:
Shadow retrieved frisbee
4x, then lost interest, took
long time to eat biscuit;
training occurred after
breakfast
2. DO:
Fed Shadow breakfast,
showed Shadow treat, told
him to fetch frisbee, treat
was large biscuit
4. ACT:
1. Change training to
occur before meal
2. Change type of treat
to small, easily
consumed treat
21
*Institute for Healthcare Improvement
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 79

11/26/18
8
PLAN-DO-STUDY-ACT becomes PLAN-
GAMIFY-STUDY-ACT©
1. PLAN
2. GAMIFY
3. STUDY
4. ACT
Adapted from PDSA, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
➔ State the objective of
the WHAT (test,
change)
➔ Create a plan for the
WHAT including a plan
for collecting data.
➔ Make predictions about
what will happen and
why.
➔ Who? What? When?
Where? What data
needs to be collected?
➔ Create a gamifying
engagement activity
as method of what
you are testing
➔ Complete the
analysis of the data
➔ Compare data to
predictions
➔ Summarize what
was learned
➔ Refine the change, based
on what was learned from
the test.
➔ Determine what
modifications should be
made.
➔ Prepare a plan for the next
test.
NONPROFITS
GAMIFYING
ENGAGEMENT
22
Mission to Message - PGSA© Example
Agency: Food Pantry Mission: Every day, we distribute an
average of 300,000 pounds of food to
people in need across X- County. We
distribute food through our network of
partner agencies and programs,
including mobile distributions and
responses for children, older adults
and veterans.
23
PANTRY: First PGSA© in ACTION
PLAN
● Gather input from stakeholders
(S) on possible messages
● Measure is the amount of input received
● S enjoy giving idea and thoughts
GAMIFY
● Spread poster paper in
common area with
markers
Q: what words or phrases
come to mind when you
think of our pantry?
STUDY
● How did S respond?
● How many S participated?
● What were the words/phrases
generated?
ACT
● S engaged
● Want to rank order phrases
and words
● Want to acknowledge S
participation
Adapted from PDSA, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
NONPROFITS
GAMIFYING
ENGAGEMENT
24
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 80

11/26/18
9
PANTRY: Second PGSA© in ACTION
PLAN
● Rank order (1-3)word/phrase
preferences from S
● Measure through number of
preferences received
● S want to be acknowledged
GAMIFY
● Spread poster paper in common
area with markers and list of
words/phrases from PGSA #1
STUDY
● How did S respond?
● How many S participated?
● What was the preference
ranking?
ACT
● S engaged
● Share results of ranking
● Consider acknowledgement
of S participating
Adapted from PDSA, Institute for Healthcare Improvement
NONPROFITS
GAMIFYING
ENGAGEMENT
25
Every Meal is Made with LOVE
● Request a ranking using
stars or stickers
● Create list, ask participants
to add their name
YOUR PGSA©
26
(P)What message or parts of the message do you want to
test? What elements of gamifying could use in planning?
(G) What gamifying elements do you want to include in
testing your message?
_______________________________________________
(S) What happened when you followed your test?
(A) What tweaks or added game elements do you, now, want
to add/change to gather more input on your message?
Group COACHING
27
What: Progress, Questions, Sharing
When: Fridays, October 19th & 26th 1-3pm
Where: Virtual Classroom
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 81

11/26/18
10
PLANNING….GAMIFYING….STUDYING….ACTING…..
What’s Next?
● PLAN your message
● GAMIFY your message using Gamifying Engagement
Elements
● STUDY what happens
● ACT - change or tweak game to achieve goal (feedback
on message)
Next Workshop:
Message Gamification
28
Laura Wittcoff Greg Schuelke
lwittcof@usc.edu Schuelke@usc.edu
Gamify to Engage with your
Stakeholders and Find your
message(s)
Thank you!
29
Gamifying Engagement©:
From Message to Gamification
Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Project
Laura Wittcoff, MSW, LICSW, Doctoral Candidate
Greg Schuelke, MSW Intern, Dean’s Leadership Scholar
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 82

11/26/18
11
WELCOME BACK
31
"By playing games you can artificially speed up your learning curve to develop the
right kind of thought processes.” - Nate Silver
"Games shouldn't only be fun. They should teach or spark an interest in other things.”
- Hideo Kojima
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -
George Bernard Shaw"
"Champions keep playing until they get it right.” -Billie Jean King
Mindfully Present
ICE-BREAKER
32
Find someone in the room:
1. With whom you don’t work
2. Who is wearing one of the same colors:
a. Re-introduce yourselves
b. Re-introduce your agencies
(1)Mission to Message -craft the
message(s) that help others
understand your organization
using current capacity
(1)Gamifying the message(s) –
create engagement strategies
that stimulate participation
THE PURPOSE:
To Raise Visibility for
Nonprofit Organizations
by changing behavior
HOW?
33
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 83

11/26/18
12
AGENDA
Re-Introductions
What makes Games Fun?
Your PGSA© Experience
Let’s Gamify! (example)
Embrace Failure Exercise
Opportunities for Gamifying Engagement©
Next Steps
34
GAMES?
35
Think about a game (physical, mental)
you love or loved to play......
What are the elements of that game that
keep or kept you interested?
YOUR
PGSA©
EXPERIENCE
+
WHAT WORKED? WHAT DID YOU
CHANGE?
36
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 84

11/26/18
13
LET’S GAMIFY
37
WE SEE THE HERO INSIDE YOU
PLAN:
Peak curiosity about our
school program; we
predict that people
enjoy sharing stories,
ideas, personal heroes
GAMIFY
Share a ‘hero’ story
Share your favorite hero
and tell us why
Send us a picture of your
favorite hero
STUDY:
some response to
favorite hero, low
response to ‘tell us
why’
FB and Newsletter
ACT:
Make engagement
easier; post picture
with no expectation
of an explanation
FB,
Instagram
➔ Monthly
student heros
➔ Community
heros
➔ Large
newsprint with
pictures of
local heros
➔ Newsletter
feature
Elementary after school
program
38
1. POST AGENCY WORKING MESSAGE ON
NEWSPRINT
2. DEFINE YOUR GOAL (PLAN) : What behavior do you
want to initiate/change?
3. SWITCH agencies - another agency will read your
message and brainstorm game elements that help
initiate/change the desired behavior; use stickies for
each brainstorm idea
4. Review the SWITCH GAME ideas with your team
AGENCY SWITCH GAME
GALLERY WALK
39
Now, share your wisdom by looking at other agency messages and leaving a
sticky on their newsprint of your brainstormed game element idea
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 85

11/26/18
14
APPRECIATE FAILURE = EMBRACE FAILURE
40
Failure is a Lesson Learned; Success is a Lesson Applied
★ Think about one professional experience that failed (an expectation that didn’t
turn out as you had planned and one you are comfortable sharing with another
member of the group)
★ Draw the image that represents that failed experience - NO WORDS if possible
APPRECIATE FAILURE = EMBRACE FAILURE
41
Turn to the person next to you (pairs)
Please take turns sharing your drawing and experience with your partner
During your turn, your partner will ask you the following questions once you’ve
shared:
1. What did you do after that failed experience?
2. What did you learn or observe about that failed experience?
3. What opportunities arose as a result of that failed experience?
EMBRACE FAILURE = EDIT YOUR DRAWING
42
Based on your answers to the questions with your partner,
Incorporate your observations/learnings by adding those
aspects or features to your drawing
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 86

11/26/18
15
DISCUSSION
43
What insights did you learn from editing your drawing?
● How did it feel to share that failed experience?
● What did it feel like to edit your drawing?
● How can you embrace the idea of failure or a failed
experience for the future/in this process of PGSA?
Our Definition of Gamifying Engagement©
Any engagement strategy that uses
game elements:
● participation (art, stories, input,
feedback. music)
● location
● tools/devices/materials
● competition/rewards
● scoring
● asking questions/social aspect
● rules
44
….with technology as the
platform:
● website
● FB
● Twitter
● Instagram
● Snapchat
PGSA©
★ Which of the great ideas from the SWITCH GAME and Gallery Walk are you
most excited to test?
45
PLAN
● What behavior do you
want?
● How will you measure
success?
GAME
● what game elements will
work?
● What social media
mechanisms do you want
to use
STUDY
● what
happened?
● What did you
observe?
ACT
● Do you need to
tweak this and in
what ways?
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 87

11/26/18
16
PLANNING….GAMIFYING….STUDYING….ACTING…..
What’s Next?
● PLAN your message related to the behavior you want
● GAMIFY your message using Gamifying Engagement©
Elements externally using social media
● STUDY what happens
● ACT - change or tweak game to achieve goal (feedback
on the gamifying method you are using)
COACHING OPPORTUNITIES!!
46
Laura Wittcoff Greg Schuelke
lwittcof@usc.edu Schuelke@usc.edu
Gamify to Engage
Thank you!
47
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 88

Third (3rd) Sector Inspire Project Gamifying Engagement©
First-Thought Branding: The 5-Alpha Method©

Mission to Message Fit Checklist

ARTICULATE
❏ Does your message reflect your mission?
❏ Does your message reflect your narrative (story)?

ALLIANCE
❏ Does your message reflect input from stakeholders?
❏ Has your message become integrated (accepted, referenced) in your work setting?

APPEAL
❏ Does your message resonate with your internal networks (stakeholders)?
❏ Do you get the desired feeling from this message?

APPRECIATE
❏ Does your message reflect your key stakeholders’ interests?
❏ Do your key stakeholders see themselves reflected in your message?

AMPLIFY
❏ Do you share your message at various internal opportunities (staff meetings, posted in
common areas)?
❏ Does your message get shared by internal stakeholders outside of your working group?

For any unchecked box, draft a PGSA©* to continue to work on your message
*adapted from PDSA, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 89
PGSA©

Plan
● What changes are you testing with the
PGSA cycle(s)?
● What do you predict will happen and
why?
● Who will be involved in this PGSA?
● What resources does this test need?
● What game element will you continue to
use or begin?
● What data will you collect?
List your action steps along with person(s)
responsible and timeline.
Game
● Carry out the test/game on a small scale
● Document observations, including any
problems and unexpected findings
● Collect data you identified as needed
during the “plan” stage

Describe what actually happened when you ran
the test using this game element.
Study
● Study and analyze the data
● Determine if the change resulted in the
expected outcome
● Were there implementation lessons?
● Summarize what was learned. Look for:
unintended consequences, surprises,
successes, failures

Describe the measured results and how they
compared to the predictions.
Act
Based on what was learned from the test:
● Adapt - modify the changes and repeat
PGSA cycle if needed
● Adopt - consider expanding the changes
in your organization to additional
stakeholders
● Abandon - change your approach and try
something new within the repeated PGSA
cycle

Describe what modifications to the plan will be
made for the next cycle from what you learned.

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 90
Third (3rd) Sector Inspire Project Gamifying Engagement©
First-Thought Branding: The 5-Alpha Method©

Message on Social Media Checklist
Walk each idea/brainstorm through the checklist

ARTICULATE
❏ Does your message convert to an engagement activity that reflects game elements?
❏ Do your engagement activity ideas give/ask for information or educate the public?

ALLIANCE
❏ Does the game encourage sharing “it” with others?
❏ Does the game encourage interaction/ a response?

APPEAL
❏ Does your game/engagement idea entice the public/make them curious to click through?
❏ Does your game inspire action?
❏ Does your game have an ask? (what is your ask - how do you want them to help, be educated, to
share your information with others - what is your goal for them?)

APPRECIATE
❏ Does your game have opportunities for feedback from stakeholders?
❏ Does your game offer an option to forward or send to others?
❏ Does your game include the intended stakeholders?
❏ Does your game have the opportunity for the public to get involved?

AMPLIFY
❏ Does your game have the ability to be seen on multiple spreadable media sites?
❏ Does your game make this message seen by more than your immediate circle?
❏ Does your game get others involved in making this message more visible?
❏ Does your game motivate people to share this message for you?

FOGG BEHAVIORAL MODEL* - Mobile Persuasion
Consider the following criteria to be included in the gamified design
❏ Triggers - what are the reminders to do/act on this behavior (what you want participants/the
public to do)? Send reminders, invitations to participate, tweets or other triggers frequently
❏ Ability - how easy is it to access or to do what is being asked?
❏ Motivation - why is this a good thing? Is your game/activity/engagement motivating the public
to participate?
*BJ Fogg, Behavior Design Lab, Stanford University
For any unchecked box, draft a PGSA© (adapted from PDSA*) to continue to test out
*PDSA - Institute for Health Improvement
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 91

PGSA©
Plan
● What changes are you testing with the
PGSA cycle(s)?
● What do you predict will happen and
why?
● Who will be involved in this PGSA?
● Plan a small test of change
● How long will the change take to
implement?
● What resources will they need?
● What data needs to be collected?
List your action steps along with person(s)
responsible and timeline.
Game
● Carry out the test in a fun,
engaging/gamifying way on a smaller
scale (can ask others to spread it)
● Document observations, including any
problems and unexpected findings
● Collect data you identified as needed
during the “plan” stage

Describe what actually happened when you ran
the test.
Study
● Study and analyze the data
● Determine if the change resulted in the
expected outcome
● Were there implementation lessons?
● Summarize what was learned. Look for:
unintended consequences, surprises,
successes, failures

Describe the measured results and how they
compared to the predictions.
Act
Based on what was learned from the test:
● Adapt - modify the changes and repeat
PGSA cycle
● Adopt - consider expanding the changes
in your organization to additional
residents, staff, and units
● Abandon - change your approach and
repeat PGSA cycle

Describe what modifications to the plan will be
made for the next cycle from what you learned.
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 92

Appendix N

Third (3
rd
) Sector Inspire Workshop Series (Gamifying Engagement©) Qualitative Feedback

1. What was useful about Workshop #1

• Workshop 1 was very useful. Working with my Development team colleagues on writing
down key words and images that represent our organization was very creatively
stimulating and helped get the brain out of linear thinking patterns that can get in the
way of discovering new ideas.
• Having the opportunity to revisit our mission statement that was created 5 years ago!
• It gave us a chance to take a step back and think about our overall message and impact.
• We shared thoughts, beliefs and feelings about our school.
• Having homework helps!
• Hearing feedback from others on our mission and message
• The group activity that allowed us a safe space to give each other very valuable feedback
• Understanding the model and learning how to apply that at our organization
• Feedback given was very useful and informative
• Getting group feedback
• Getting feedback from like-minded organizations
• Taking a pause from routine to actually flesh out ideas
• Milestones activity
• Mission statement – making our message connect/clear
• Being able to communicate and listen to so many different messages
• The process of fine-tuning our message and engaging stakeholders in unique ways
• The ideation session at the end; The initial 5-7 words description among the group;
Testing our 5-7 words in front of the other workshop participants
• Process and feedback
• Test...test...test; feedback...feedback...feedback
• Peer-to-peer feedback; new tools for messaging
• Telling our story through visuals and with our mission and seeing discrepancies

2. What would have made Workshop #1 better?

• Perhaps working with staff from other organizations.
• More of our team members joining the workshop.
• At first, it was a little unclear what the ultimate goal or purpose of the workshop was. It
made more sense towards the end - but it may be helpful to have more real life examples
relating to non-profits and messaging, and how we can apply this in our own work.
• An agenda so that we knew exactly what we were doing.
• More examples
• I know this is for the future, but how to appropriately use social media platforms to get
people informed
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 93
• Expansion on gamifying! More time to explore the concept within our perspective
organizations!
• More games!
• Maybe start earlier with coffee and water J just may give us additional time if we fall
behind to cover everything
• More handouts or copy of PP
• Coffee?
• Everything was great!!
• This was all very helpful
• More in-depth on handouts
• More examples of gamification; clarify around stakeholders and gamification (what
gamification works for different stakeholders)

3. What actions steps have you or will you take as a result of Workshop #1

• We are currently workshopping statements that came directly out of Workshop 1.
• We have consulted with all of our team members at our monthly staff meeting and with
our youth members.
• We've been using some of the language from workshop #1 for our thank you notes and
social media posts.
• We are "shopping around" our mission statement.
• Engaging our staff and stakeholders to hone message
• Social media engagement
• How to incorporate gamifying through social media
• How to have this concept work long-term
• Engage with staff to see what stands out for them about our mission/what we do
• Get staff more engaged
• More planning and brainstorming on content but looking at who the audience for that
content we are trying to target
• Testing our new message(s)(2)
• Attend Workshop #2 and spark further engagement from our board
• Test out message – gamify it to obtain feedback
• Bring it up with staff
• Engaging the board
• Practice the message and the gamifying experience
• Engaging internally and externally in new ways; analyzing and summarizing
engagement; reworking and repeating the process
• Branding, tone
• Keep working with the process
• Use learning to simplify our messages
• Regular reflection about our message
• Testing messages in engaging ways with stakeholders (parents, students, volunteers) at
upcoming classes

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 94

4. What was useful about Workshop #2?

• Practical steps to gamifying
• Drawing our failure and then rethinking the activity, what did we learn
• Going from organization to organization (gallery walk activity) putting up ideas
(stickies) to help them get their message across
• Having a room filled with other NPOs; others sharing their experiences
• The coaching and feedback was very useful
• Being able to re-group and discuss challenges/ideas of how to better gamify engagement
• Partner activity with someone from another group
• Current message and gallery walk; we got a lot of feedback from others
• Learning from mistakes; don’t give up; learn to tweak your ideas
• To edit failure, rethink failure & don’t throw away
• Reflection on messaging
• Failure reflection
• Being able to brainstorm ideas and get feedback
• Getting ideas and feedback from others; the failure exercise was also helpful. I think it
got the point across well
• Recognizing that failure is an experience – it’s ok
• Others’ failures and how they bounce back
• Being able to talk about past experience and overcome it by analysis
• I found it useful to go around (gallery walk) and help come up with ideas for gamification

5. What would have made Workshop #2 better?

• More time to express personal failures and reworking it
• Providing more information on the organizations to better help them
• More real-world examples of messaging from other nonprofits
• Working with each group individually on idea that has been being worked on
• Reviewing gamified social media post that worked and those that didn’t
• Focus on how to actually put our messages & ideas into practice & some ideas
• More time spent on refining the message
• Other teammates be part of this; maybe come to our agency
• Maybe a clear explanation of what was expected for the ‘Message and Plan’ activity. A
slide with instruction would have helped
• If we finished the sentence: “our plan to gamify our message is_____”
• More application of learning

6. What action steps have you or will you take as a result of Workshop #2

• Create engagement around ‘putting your faith into action’ & sharing acts of kindness
• Actively use social media to get our message across
• Engage at the office by gamifying
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 95
• Discussing ideas/thoughts with other staff and developing what will be done
• Create engagement strategies that are creative
• Editing our message and doing it over again
• Develop content for our social media
• Apply it onto social media & now engage outside/external people
• Strategy – both internal and external for the year
• Apply suggestions to our message or desired behavior change
• Do a few ‘game’ exercises
• Basing holiday campaign around this message & game
• Staying focused on areas covered
• Test and engage with social media
• Bringing this back to my agency and being coached by you

7. Any other feedback you’d like to share

• Looking forward to unpicking our message!
• It doesn't need to be too long - having some helpful strategies and ideas from your side to
help us with next steps would be ideal.
• We’re also interested in including our new message in our annual report for
2017. It’s definitely been a great breakthrough here to simply our messaging, so
thank you for helping with that process.
• We all really enjoyed being part of the process.
• Great workshop – learned a lot
• Thank you for keeping time of the schedule and agenda
• This was a great workshop and really opened my eyes on audience participation
• Great workshop, useful/helpful information
• Thank you for hosting this event
• This was awesome!
• Excited to learn
• Thank you to USC for connecting us to research and students to solve community
problems
• Some sort of case study where we are all looking at one singular example and
learning/ideating from that example
• This was a really good workshop
• Please continue to use this teaching style – it’s so personable and easy to relate to
• Great workshop series, very helpful
• I walked away with valuable information that I can use back at my organization
• I really liked the first workshop, the second one could have been more focused on
application and giving more ideas & feedback
• Thank you for this opportunity! We have had so many ideas sparked by this workshop.
We are so excited to incorporate what we have learned into our marketing strategy
• Great! Thank you
• 10-3 is a good time; thank you
• Thank you for the information!!

ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 96

Appendix O
USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work
Student Consultant Collaborative (SCC)
Proposal

Proposal:
Given that the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean’s Leadership
Scholars Program has recently been converted to a scholarship only, without any requirements, there
is a new opportunity to develop an internal field placement, the Student Consultant Collaborative
(SCC) which would provide a much-needed resource for social work students as well as meet the
need for nonprofits unable to afford capacity building in the areas of organizational development and
marketing. Social work students, under the direction of the SCC Faculty Lead(s), will be formed into
clusters (4-5 students in each) and assigned to pre-screened organizations in the field. Each cluster
serves as the primary consultants for their assigned nonprofit and will benefit from the larger cohort
shared learning environment and the SCC Faculty Lead (supervisory consultation meetings, peer-
driven learning opportunities). The maximum number of students for this internal field opportunity is
25. However, the pilot proposed for fall 2019, would begin with 10-15 students. This concept will be
similar to a consulting practice and students will be exposed to the application of their Social Change
& Innovation (SCI) coursework (658, 648, 629) in real time.
Second-year students will be solicited from the SCI concentration. At the end of each year,
students will identify the final product(s) shared with their client and will have completed the
necessary hours matching the total field hours required of students.
Los Angeles’ overabundance of nonprofit organizations lack the organizational capacity
needed to bridge funding, political, communication gaps, amongst others. This program would fulfill
the USC Suzanne Dwoark-Peck School of Social Work’s educational and internship placement goals
for students while providing low-cost (free) consulting services as a needed resource in the nonprofit
sector. Additionally, developing a deeper participatory avenue for students to integrate the best
available research and data into on-going social services in the community will improve their
effectiveness, as well as USC’s. While the current field education program offers this to students and
organizations via separate and external placements, an internal, university supported structure would
combine students’ collective efforts for maximum benefit to some unique organization’s needs.
Furthermore, students will enjoy a collaborative and generative process to gain hands-on experience
as an asset to build upon after graduation.
This proposal is cognizant of the limits of struggling nonprofits within the broader USC
community whether local or national. Initially, this proposal focuses on nonprofit and social impact
organizations within the surrounding ‘ground’ community in the general Los Angeles area. As this
concept develops and grows, VAC students could participate virtually.

Consultation & Marketing Focus:
The USC Suzanne Dwoark-Peck School of Social Work can grow to compete with other
program’s that offer curriculum in consultation, marketing and social impact engagement. USC’s
Price and Marshall Schools offer numerous marketing classes including, but not limited to: PPD 599
Non-profit Marketing, PPD 603 Marketing of Health Services, and GSBA 528 Marketing
Management. Additionally, Washington University offers one of the world’s largest business plan
competitions through the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Lab, similar to USC’s incubation
lab, but integrated with the Brown School of Social Work. Rutgers School of Social Work also
offers a fundraising and marketing course, as does the University of Pittsburgh through its social
enterprise/social marketing/social media course. Establishing similar opportunities for the new and
growing SCI concentration will support and provide leadership within the American Academy of
ADVANCING THE NONPROFIT MESSAGE VIA TECHNOLOGY 97
Social Work and Social Welfare’s Grand Challenges Initiative. Moreover, it will provide an
additional avenue for USC to affirmatively engage and contribute within the community, advancing
its role and reputation for improving the well-being of vulnerable individuals and communities
through active results.

Revenue Opportunities

A goal of this program is sustainability while servicing the under-resourced nonprofit
community. Offering a faculty/student model of consultation within a sliding fee structure may
resolve this issue, options:
• Sliding fee offset by partnering with USC to support under-resourced nonprofits
participating in this consultation
• Corporate sponsorship for under-resourced nonprofits
• Fundraising
• Provide a pro-bono organizational assessment and needs assessment and attach a fee for the
implementation plan and execution
• Develop this model as a 2- semester long special topic/practice class as an elective or as
innovation lab

Program Development

Pilot program (Spring 2019 semester) includes:
• Program design
o Laura S. Wittcoff shall serve as faculty program designer/manager
o Faculty engagement (as resource and intermittent participation, Rick Newmyer,
Stephanie Wander, Lauren Brown)
o Consultation curriculum – drawn from existing SCI curriculum with added
marketing/branding/fund development/communication component
o Enlisting and securing interested nonprofits
o Develop application for interested SCI students
o Potential grant applications to funding sources supporting nonprofit capacity
development
o Partnering with organizations to support this project: the United Way, California
Endowment and other like foundations
• USC donated space
• Potential stipend for students if not offered as an elective or part of special topic/practice
class

Current Revenue Commitment

A private family foundation commitment: $30,000
USC Suzanne-Dworak-Peck Matching Commitment $30,000

Impact

This program, known as SCC, will equip the SCI students with a valuable experience that both
benefits the community and enhances the presence of the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social
Work.

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The nonprofit sector has a rich economic evolutionary history which explains its appeal of providing tax incentives as well as the need for accountability while often facing public scrutiny for how it spends money (Hall, 2010). The challenge becomes the shift in tax regulations while ignoring the non-permissible use of public monies for activities that garner taxpayer support. Using other means to raise public consciousness is key in securing the future of nonprofits. This project, the Third (3rd) Sector Inspire (3rd SI), offers a method for nonprofits to raise their visibility by combining effective storytelling with gamification using available spreadable media technology, promoting sustainability and thus, continuing to have a social impact. This addresses the Grand Challenge: Harness Technology for Social Good (aaswsw.org, 2018) by integrating technology into a new method of delivering the nonprofit narrative to raise their visibility and potentially access more donors and volunteers. This Grand Challenge addresses the need to bring information and communication technology (ICT) to enhance social work practice in multiple ways including building comfort with digital technologies to support service delivery (Berzin & Coulton, 2017

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

Closing the health gap: the development of a mobile psychiatric treatment team

PDF

Closing the health gap: the case for integrated care services in outpatient dialysis centers

PDF

Acculturation team-based clinical program: pilot program to address acculturative stress and mental health in the Latino community

PDF

Changemakers of Color: a model for racial equity in the nonprofit sector

PDF

Closing the health gap

PDF

Improving homeless access to emergency shelters through technology

PDF

Taking flight: improving outcomes of transition age youth on the autism spectrum

PDF

The Hand to Home Project

PDF

Social emotional learning the future of education

PDF

Grand challenge: promote smart decarceration multidisciplinary collaborative database

PDF

The Intergenerational Leadership Academy

PDF

Unto the least of these homeless ministry: ending homelessness within the co-occurring population

PDF

Institute on social practice integration research and education (INSPIRE): a workforce development solution to close the health gap

PDF

Technology enhanced substance use disorder treatment

PDF

Mental health advocacy and navigation partnerships: the case for a community collaborative approach

PDF

Intimate partner violence in the Black community: empowering Black families through education and engagement to increase survivor safety via a strengthened social support network

PDF

An intersectional approach to addressing the grand challenge to achieve equal opportunity and justice for neurodivergent individuals in mental health care

PDF

Kids Cope Primary Prevention Services: evidence-based practices for supporting children impacted by parental incarceration

PDF

Stopping the school to prison pipeline: a restorative intervention for educators

PDF

The functions of the middleman: how intermediary nonprofit organizations support the sector and society

Asset Metadata

Creator Wittcoff, Laura Scherck (author)

Core Title Advancing the nonprofit message via technology: blending storytelling and gamified elements to promote engagement

School Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Degree Doctor of Social Work

Degree Program Social Work

Publication Date 03/11/2019

Defense Date 12/12/2018

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag branding,digital storytelling,fund development,Fundraising,gamification,messaging,nonprofit marketing,nonprofit visibility,OAI-PMH Harvest,participatory culture,social media,spreadable media,virtual engagement

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Navarro, Ernelyn (committee chair), Manderscheid, Ron (committee member), Singh, Melissa (committee member)

Creator Email lwittcof@usc.edu,lwittcoff@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c89-133306

Unique identifier UC11676660

Identifier etd-WittcoffLa-7142.pdf (filename),usctheses-c89-133306 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-WittcoffLa-7142.pdf

Dmrecord 133306

Document Type Capstone project

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Wittcoff, Laura Scherck

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA