Exploring & Understanding the Use of Social Media and How It Relates to Capacity Building in Nonprofit Organizations

James Young, MSW, MPAVirginia Commonwealth University

Research aimLiteratureMethodologyFindingsConclusions/Implications

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Better understand the use of social media as it relates to capacity building in nonprofit organizations.▪ What was the organizational process of

implementing social media?▪ What are the benefits and or challenges to

using social media?▪ How and in what ways is social media used to

help with capacity building?

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Social media is not media in the traditional form, but instead, serves as a platform for interaction and networking so that individuals become content creators instead of simply content consumers (Hopkins, 2008).

Capacity building is widely viewed as a process to help nonprofit organizations improve service delivery, strengthen productivity and efficiency, and enhance stability (Yung et al., 2008). Includes but not limited to: building strategic alliances, resource

allocation, administrative practices, strategic planning, and board development (Gelles, 1998; Yankey & Willen, 2006; Wing, 2004).

Technology can help with capacity building: Communication & Collaboration (De Vita & Fleming, 2001; Finn,

Maher, & Forster, 2006) Citizen Engagement (Dunlop & Fawcett, 2008; McNutt & Boland,

1999). Fundraising (Sargeant, West, & Jay, 2007; Waters, 2007)

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Design Interpretive qualitative design to allow

individual values, beliefs, ideologies to inform the research through an emergent process (Creswell, 2007).

Sample Five semi-structured interviews with

executive directors, communications directors, and a marketing director.

Two human service agencies, two arts organizations, and one educational organization

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Data collection Five semi-structured interviews Methodological & Reflexive journals Minor content analysis of the organization’s

website Data analysis

Constant comparison method (Creswell, 2007) informed probes to interview questions in a way that provided more focus surrounding social media use in nonprofit organizations.

Thematic analysis using Nvivo 8 Member checking ensured the identified themes

represented what the interviewees had described, enhancing the rigor in this study (Padgett, 1998).

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Four main themes: Actual use of social media; Organizational process and

implementation of social media Reasons for using social media Benefits and challenges of using social

media.

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Main social media tools included: Blogs Facebook

Use social media to recruit volunteers, grow their donor base, engage the community and staff or board members, and find/share information.

“Posting pictures and status updates of projects on Facebook allows those staff members to be part of the project and helps the board to be more informed on what the organization is currently engaged in” (P2, I1).

Content Analysis revealed:

Three organizations incorporated their blog within the organizational website

Two did not identify a blog on their website at all Two websites contained no links to their social media platforms

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Twitter (3) YouTube (2)

Sub-themes: Implementation▪ Started using social media within the last two years▪ Initial push to use social media came mostly from staff members -

“I presented the idea to the executive director and several board members and they quickly understood that this could be beneficial” (P1, I5)

Present strategy▪ Use of Org. Mission Statement as guide for posting content▪ Internal process for editing/collaborating on content before posting it -

“You want to be transparent and let people know who you are and that you can always improve, but you don’t want to make yourself look bad” (P1, I1).

Future strategy▪ Increase use of social media to promote the organization and market

services▪ Implementing new blogs and incorporating video blogs▪ Thinking critically around who should manage the social media

platform(s)▪ Issues related to commenting

▪ Allow/Disallow ▪ Monitoring

▪ Fundraising 9ARNOVA 2010

Sub-themes: Capacity building▪ internal and external communications▪ volunteer recruitment▪ donor cultivation▪ fundraising

Community engagement ▪ communicate with a younger population▪ raise awareness and educate individuals about the

organization’s programs and services▪ articulate the social issues that the organization seeks to

address. Marketing ▪ Advertising▪ Promoting the organization

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The single greatest benefit identified by participants was the potential for social media to: Impact various aspects of organizational life and the

community. Enhance communication, collaboration, & community

engagement. Assist with fundraising

Challenges: Time▪ No dedicated position for managing social media

Evaluating effectiveness or impact of social media for a given purpose

Lack of resources▪ Technology, Knowledge, Money

Rate of change with technology11ARNOVA 2010

Several questions emerged from the interviews concerning the benefits and challenges of using social media. The most common questions participants began to ask were: Who should be doing this? What should be put online? What is the best way to promote the

organization? How does one use time wisely related to social

media? 12ARNOVA 2010

Social Media is still emerging and the lack of specific policies can impact organizational identity as well as capacity building efforts- Community Engagement▪ Education or Creating Awareness▪ Promoting the Organization▪ Fundraising

Social Media is about interaction All this takes time and effort

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