How to Create an Annual Content Plan for Your Nonprofit

Hey there, changemaker! Let’s talk about something every nonprofit needs but might not prioritize: a strategic content plan. If your content feels like it’s being thrown together at the last minute, or if you’re constantly scrambling for what to post, this guide is for you. Creating a content plan isn’t just about being organized—it’s about setting your nonprofit up to educate, engage, and inspire your audience consistently. And yes, it’s totally doable with a step-by-step approach (which I’m about to share!).

Here’s how to build an annual content plan that aligns with your goals, maps out a content runway for your campaigns, and follows my favorite 80/20 marketing rule to get you maximum impact with less stress. Let’s dive in!

  1. Build Your Content Plan Around 3 Marketing Pillars

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to ground your content plan in the three most important marketing pillars every nonprofit needs to focus on:

A. Awareness: Introducing Your Mission and Work

This is all about showing up for new audiences. Your content here should educate and inform people about the problem you’re solving and the work you’re doing.

• Example Content Ideas:

• A blog post like, “How [Your Nonprofit] is Transforming [Cause Area]”
• Infographics or videos breaking down the issue you address. 

B. Support: Inspiring Donations and Participation

When you’ve captured your audience’s attention, it’s time to encourage them to take action. This is where you ask for donations, volunteers, or event participation.

• Example Content Ideas:
• Donor spotlights that showcase the real impact of giving.
• A campaign countdown to inspire urgency.

C. Retention and Advocacy: Building Long-Term Champions

Keep your supporters coming back for more by focusing on retention and advocacy. These are the people who will shout your mission from the rooftops!

• Example Content Ideas:
• A heartfelt thank-you email with success metrics from your latest campaign.
• Behind-the-scenes peeks into your workday or team.

2. Map Out Your Weekly and Daily Content Presence

Consistency is key! Once you know your pillars, decide how often you’ll show up and where. This could mean daily Instagram posts, weekly newsletters, or monthly blogs—whatever works best for your audience.

• Start each week with awareness content to warm up your audience.
• Follow with support-driven content midweek to encourage action.
• Wrap up with advocacy-focused content to inspire loyalty.

This rhythm ensures that your messaging feels balanced and keeps your audience engaged. 

3. Create a Content Plan That Builds Momentum

Why Momentum Matters

Your content shouldn’t feel like random posts slapped together. Instead, think of it as a story you’re telling over time, with each piece building on the last. This is especially important for campaigns or events!

The 80/20 Rule for Nonprofit Marketing

Here’s a rule of thumb we swear by:

• 80% of your content should give value. Think education, inspiration, or storytelling.
• 20% should be asks. These are your donation appeals, event invites, or volunteer requests.

Why? Because no one wants to feel like they’re constantly being pushed to donate. Balance is everything.

4. Design a Content Runway for Your Campaigns

What’s a Content Runway?

Think of a content runway as the lead-up to a big event or campaign. It’s a carefully planned sequence of content that builds excitement and primes your audience for action.

Steps to Create a Runway:

1. Start Early with Awareness Content: Introduce the problem or opportunity your campaign addresses.
2. Shift to Support-Oriented Content: Highlight how your audience can help.

End with High-Energy Calls to Action: Create urgency and excitement as the campaign approaches.

5. Example Content Runway: March Leading to Arizona Gives Day (April 1st)

Let’s say you’re gearing up for Arizona Gives Day—here’s how you can map out a month-long runway:

Week 1 (March 1-7): Awareness

• Blog Post: “Why Arizona Gives Day Matters: Making a Local Impact.”
• Social Media: A behind-the-scenes story of someone helped by your nonprofit.
• Email: Share eye-opening stats about Arizona nonprofits and their impact.

Week 2 (March 8-14): Support

• Social Media Series: Highlight donor stories and show the difference their support makes.
• Video: Your Executive Director invites people to join Arizona Gives Day.
• Email: Share your nonprofit’s goals for this year’s campaign and how they can help.

Week 3 (March 15-21): Advocacy

• Social Media Post: Countdown graphic: “10 Days to Arizona Gives Day!”
• Blog Post: “How Your Support Changes Lives: Real Stories of Impact.”
• Email: Tips for participating and spreading the word.

Week 4 (March 22-31): Call to Action

• Daily Social Media Posts: Testimonials, live updates, and countdowns.
• Email Blast: “We’re Almost There! Help Us Reach Our Goal Before Arizona Gives Day Ends!”
• Livestream Event: Q&A with nonprofit leaders or beneficiaries.

6. Measure Your Content’s Success

Tracking your performance helps you refine your strategy. Define key metrics for each type of content:

• Social Media: Engagement rates, shares, and comments.
• Blog Posts: Page views and time spent on the page.
• Emails: Open and click-through rates.

Use this data to double down on what works and tweak what doesn’t for next time.

7. Try This Content Planning Exercise

Step-by-Step Activity:

1. Identify Your Three Pillars: Awareness, support, and advocacy.
2. Brainstorm Monthly Themes: Generate 12 big-picture themes for the year.
3. Map Your Runway: Plan weekly content topics for an upcoming campaign.
4. Use the 80/20 Rule: Ensure most of your content provides value before making direct asks.

Try This!

Plug this ChatGPT prompt into your planning process:

“I’m planning a content runway for [campaign name] happening on [date]. Can you help me map out weekly topics and content ideas for awareness, support, and advocacy, following the 80/20 rule?”

Strategic content planning is a game-changer for nonprofits. By grounding your plan in the three pillars, mapping out a content runway, and following the 80/20 rule, you’ll set yourself up for consistent, impactful storytelling. Start planning now—and watch how intentional content can drive real results for your mission.

You’ve got this!