Next Stage - Social Impact Services

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Communications

Why Nonprofits Don’t Need the Biggest Audience

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I’m fascinated by the origin stories of social movements. They are as varied as the people who make up their constituencies. Civil Rights, the fight for marriage equality, the Labor movement, women’s rights, abolition, anti-war demonstrations – these are just a few of the most prolific movements that have shaped our national narrative.

It’s easy to imagine that these movements had traction and noteworthy leaders from the beginning. In reality, most simply began in living rooms or at kitchen tables, finding more followers as their message spread.

When I meet with nonprofits about marketing, I regularly hear concerns: their lists aren’t big enough, they need more constituents, they are worried they can’t compete with the bigger, more established organizations. And while a greater following is the goal of any cause, there is a lot to learn from the history of national movements that also started small.

It allows you to test what works

There’s a lot of pressure on organizations to be ‘the next big thing,’ be more creative, find that magic thing that will go viral and create a mass following. In most cases this isn’t reality – and it isn’t even helpful.

I recently worked with a nonprofit on a digital campaign that launched some big ideas for their organization. Before the campaign, we noted that the marketing list was smaller than we’d hoped but it was a highly-engaged group that had intentionally opted in. We used the opportunity to develop high-quality content and messaging for the year. The email series was opened at a rate of more than 75% over two months. Despite the smaller list size, it enabled the nonprofit to build valuable content, test what worked and develop a longer-term plan for the content without the pressure of a giant following.

Building and testing over time allows you to develop stronger, more iterative marketing that speaks directly to your audience. 

It fosters authenticity and relationships

Successful movements happen for a combination of reasons, but one common factor is the sense of belonging they build among members. It’s up to nonprofits to build this same sense of comradery and authenticity among their constituencies. We’ve talked before about the expectations of younger consumers and their desire to establish a more relational stance with their favorite brands – and many consumers will now walk away from brands that conflict with their own identity.

Authenticity stands out amid campaigns that aim to be ‘the next big thing.’ Money can certainly buy ad space – but it’s not a replacement for a real relationship with your audience. It’s the latter that cultivates understanding, passion and ultimately – movement.

It builds a strong foundation

Every social movement that rose to prominence began in a small community. One of my favorite examples of this is the MeToo movement. The phrase was coined in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke but didn’t gain national attention until 2017 when actress Alyssa Milano encouraged people to share their stories of sexual harassment on social media. Ten years before ‘MeToo’ gained prominence in the media, it lived as a phrase of empowerment among women in smaller pockets, gaining traction over time. ‘MeToo’ isn’t alone in this phenomenon. Community activists and leaders often start small, building recognition and engagement over time – until something prompts a critical tipping point.

The “slower” start enabled the MeToo movement to create a strong, meaningful foundation. By the time it went national, the phrase already had a clear identity and devoted base of followers.

It’s not bad to want a big audience of raving fans. Some of the biggest social movements in our nation’s history only happened because they captured our collective imagination and attention. And ultimately, reaching a critical mass of people is what will spread important messages far and wide.

But just as social movements don’t begin with a big viral moment, your work likely won’t either. The ability of nonprofits to build small, committed audiences with deep understanding and motivation is a superpower. If you’re doing the hard work of daily movement-building and aren’t feeling the traction just yet, don’t give up.

Movement-building is a long game – and it can change the world.

A Decade of Good: Looking Back and Looking Ahead as Next Stage Marks Year 10

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This month, Next Stage turns 10 years old! What began at my kitchen table has grown into something far more ambitious. As we launch the second decade of our company, I’m excited to share that ambition with you today.

Last month, we formally approved a three-year strategic plan – a first for our company. That may be surprising if you know how many plans we have developed for clients over the last decade. What’s the saying about the cobbler’s children walking barefoot through the world? Suffice it to say, this is the most robust expression of our aspirations ever committed to print.

We have never had a more clear North Star for where Next Stage desires to go. Over the last 18 months, our team has developed a new mission and theory of change for our work that creates cohesion across a number of concepts. What we once thought were disparate ideas are now being harnessed in service to a new organizational horizon.

Building Belonging at the Intersection of Social Good

Our new purpose statement is building belonging at the intersection of social good. The tenets of this include:

  • Building more cohesive infrastructure and collaboration between six primary sectors (nonprofits, the private sector, municipalities, philanthropic institutions, faith institutions and community-based organizations), channeling more resources to address pressing social causes;
  • Developing a more equitable ‘supply chain of social good’ that ensures decision-making and resources are invested in those who are most proximate to people being served, where trust can be fostered as an asset.

We feel best positioned to support initiatives focused on breaking down walls that contribute to systemic barriers. This work leads us to more community-and-neighborhood-based frameworks that shift power to where trust is most authentically residing. We believe trust capital is the most important asset to overcoming the failure of systems.

It’s a big concept, we know. So what does that mean in practice?

We are called to build a new methodology for collaboration. The pandemic made undeniable what we have all known for decades — that the silos of service delivery are inefficient and ineffective. Greater cohesion and collective effort are needed if we are ever to make inroads on the toughest social issues.

To make that happen, we believe institutions and their leaders must build belonging at that intersection. And not just performative engagement but authentic, hands-on collaboration that is recognized as just as important as the work these institutions individually lead.

In other words, we desperately need each other and must spend more time creating infrastructure and trusted relationships at those intersections.

We’ve explored this in several ways. Our Profit & Purpose series of community reports outlined what we believe is an important bridge between the private sector and nonprofits – one of mutual benefit that has the potential to transform social outcomes. Our recent Inside Out report, making the case for community voice, suggests a need for strengthening between nonprofits and the people they serve.

These are important intersections, but hardly the only ones needed to generate the outcomes we desire. Our next horizon aims to link the six sectors listed above and create new ways of working together for the greater good.

Our Three-Year Strategic Goals

Our plan has three primary goals:

1. Begin the transformation from a Charlotte-based management consulting firm into a national social innovation company.

The language here is important. We are proud in recent years to have been working with clients throughout the country. Where we once considered these as infrequent interruptions to our primarily Carolinas-focused work, we are now realizing a larger geographic frame.

We are also finally using the terminology that best suits us. We dropped Consulting from our name a few years ago and have taken to calling ourselves a “social impact company.” But going forward, we want to own what we truly believe we are — a social innovation company. We have sought to help institutions navigate change by onboarding fresh ways of working. This is the main idea of our work in an increasingly more national context.

What does that mean for our work in the Carolinas, and especially the Charlotte community we’re proud to call home? We will never abandon our commitment to local and regional partners. This work serves as both an opportunity to improve outcomes for people where we live and a chance to learn by working at the frontlines of social good.

Over the next three years, that research will inform the development of new service lines including two new offerings in 2024: Community Voice and Collaboration Management. We are also conducting new pilots on our digital community of practice platform – Cultivate Impact™ – toward formalizing it as a part of our solutioning process.

2. Evolve our operational infrastructure and workplace culture to be more optimized, team-based and sustainable.

The biggest difference between the Next Stage of today and the modest consulting firm that declared its existence in 2014 is the collection of talent we have assembled. Our company now comprises seven full-time staff members and a diverse team of contractors and subject matter experts. We are a collective of passionate do-gooders (who we call ‘Next Stagers’) working together to live our shared values.

Our growth led us to establish a base of operations in an office on Central Avenue in the Plaza-Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte. We are so proud of our space and of the mural that greets visitors. Through ArtPop’s Inspiration Projects program, we commissioned artist Darion Fleming to transform our office entryway with a mural depicting his take on our theory of change. It now also adorns the top of our weekly newsletter, appropriately renamed The Intersection.

The onboarding of an office was needed in part as a result of a team-based shift in our work. We are now facilitating more long-term, multi-year engagements with clients that bring our entire team forward to advance positive outcomes. This shift has led to a far healthier and more sustainable approach to working.

Our new strategic plan calls for continued development of our internal operations to support this new way of working. We will leverage technology and project management tools to strengthen workflows and foster cross-team collaboration as we grow our staff team. We are also deeply committed to developing a workplace culture to encourage personal and professional growth while prioritizing both individual and team health and well-being.

3. Grow awareness, engagement and buy-in, realizing the resources needed to fuel the company‘s mission of social change.

From the very beginning, we have always described Next Stage as a social enterprise. We are shaped by our values and guiding principles, working with and through our clients to make the world we want to see. Every investment in our services sustains a commitment to a social mission that manifests in a variety of ways.

We were proud to launch Charlotte’s first incubator for emerging nonprofit organizations in 2018. In recent years we have produced a number of thought leadership reports and have produced roundtable discussions highlighting what’s next for innovative partnerships. Going above and beyond to deliver value to the community has always been central to our work.

With increased ambition comes the need for larger platforms of engagement. We desire to foster collaborative networks that bridge people across distance, creating peer learning opportunities that lead to deeper understanding across difference.

The next three years will include new thought leadership deliverables, increasing our focus and reach. We are creating new ways to bridge our brand marketing efforts to client services that make access to learning more equitable and achievable for all. We know that will lead to a growing base of client work that will fuel our continued focus on social innovation.

Our Commitment to You

If you’ve read this far, you are very likely a person we are proud to call a partner, colleague and friend. We have only arrived at this point in our evolution through the collaboration and buy-in of countless social good professionals. We thank you for your belief in us.

As we work to realize our ambitious vision, we aim to stay rooted in what got us here — hard work, determination and passionate belief in the power of humans caring for other humans. We will continue to provide high-quality services to clients in the local, regional and national context. We are the friendly neighborhood Next Stage we’ve always been, only now with a new calling and language describing our organizational purpose.

We look forward to seeing you on February 8 for our anniversary event where we will announce the selected organization for the UnFundable Project grant. If you didn’t receive an invitation and want to attend, we’re sorry, it was just an oversight on our part – drop us a line here.

2024 Social Good Forecast for Businesses

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With the year winding down, the Next Stage team is looking at the road ahead. What will change about social impact efforts in 2024? What will CSR leaders prioritize? How will nonprofits evolve to meet new challenges and change? In this ‘2024 Social Good Forecast for Business, we’re breaking from our usual ‘trend’ language – because we don’t believe that anything on this list is temporary – and instead we are forecasting.

Overall, sustainability and environmental concerns will be top of mind for companies everywhere. Just as important is the ‘Social’ part of corporate social responsibility efforts – and the we expect to see the the predictions below remain well into the future: 

Authenticity is the Word of the Year

Merriam-Webster recently declared ‘authentic’ to be the word of year. While this is a reaction to a wide set of cultural phenomena, it aligns with what younger generation consumers and employees have been asking of companies for years. Savvy company and CSR leaders will focus on aligned impact efforts rooted in community and employee voice. Companies who can create environments where social good feels authentic will reap the benefits of employee retention, recruitment and strong culture. In the same vein – expect greater sensitivity to impact-based marketing campaigns. Watch for the trap of ‘greenwashing’ or ‘rainbow capitalism’ campaigns without meaningful action behind them. 

Trust-Based Philanthropy Will Pick Up Steam

The concept of trust-based philanthropy is already picking up steam among philanthropy and nonprofits. This year, we expect it to become a hotter topic among companies – and for good reason. Trust-based philanthropy is all about creating more equity in grant-making processes. This most often shows up as multi-year, unrestricted funding, streamlined application processes and more transparent, bi-directional feedback. Our team is dipping our toes in these waters through our UnFundable Grant – stay tuned for more of what we’re learning!

Mental Health Will Matter More Than Ever

If we learned anything during the pandemic, it was that mental health is critical for a healthy organization and maximum impact. We expect organizations everywhere to prioritize mental health, both inside and outside their companies walls. This will show up as companies developing strong internal campaigns to support their people, as well as greater funding to ensure that communities stay mentally strong and healthy. 

Funders Will Prioritize Collaboration 

The biggest challenges facing our communities are layered and multi-faceted, with positive outcomes in any one focus area dependent on supports in other, seemingly unrelated areas. How can a child achieve academically when affordable housing for that child’s family is out of reach? How do we build workforce pipelines that realize economic mobility when transportation options are limited? We have arrived at a clearing in the woods, where leaders in overlapping sectors are realizing there is no successful path forward without collaboration. This drive for collaboration will be fueled in part by the private sector – and we see great potential companies who are willing to help tackle these challenges head-on.

Businesses Will Look to Fund More Community-Based Organizations

Companies are increasingly looking to fund community-based organizations (CBOs) as a way to fuel local impact. It’s a way to support hyper-local impact through organizations most proximate and trusted by communities – but the challenges for companies can be equally steep. For companies used to funding highly structured, large nonprofits with strong processes, working with CBOs can require more patience and support. Watch for more companies dipping their toes into hyper-local waters – and more conversation on how to do this effectively. 

Employees Will Go To Bat for DEI

After the death of George Floyd, DEI evolved and structural changes were prioritized at many companies – but many of those same positions have been cut over the past twelve months. And while it is certainly an uphill battle, this article recognizes the increase in employee activism for DEI initiatives. Some DEI professionals are finding that, “Internal activism is on the rise, with four in 10 of all employees and half of millennials reporting that they had spoken out about controversial issues at work.” Expect to see this trend continue with younger generation employees ‘leading from their seats.’ 

We’d love to know – what would you add to this list?

Our 2024 Social Good Forecast

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One of Next Stage’s annual traditions is this blog post. We think about what’s ahead for social innovators everywhere. This year, we’re breaking from our usual ‘trend’ language – because we don’t believe that anything on this list is temporary – and instead we are forecasting. In our 2024 Social Good Forecast, we delve into how emerging trends like AI integration in content creation, the expanding role of Medicaid in the nonprofit sector, and the rising significance of trust-based philanthropy are redefining the landscape of social innovation and community collaboration.

Here’s what we are predicting for next year – and beyond:

AI for All

2024 is the year when artificial intelligence naysayers will start seeing the benefits of this tool and integrating it into their workflow. For content creators, the emergence of ChatGPT and similar AI-powered writing “assistants” has felt a little shaky. Are we being replaced? If we tap into this, are we contributing to our craft’s doomsday? The answer is no. There’s no replacement (yet) for lived experience, relational nuance or your emotional connection to your stakeholders/audience. In 2024, expect more late-tech-adopters to lean into AI as a collaborator for brainstorming, refining thoughts and combating writer’s block.

Medicaid Expansion Will Impact Nonprofits

Medicaid officially expanded in NC on December 1. The impact on individuals and families has been well documented – but what hasn’t been mentioned is the slew of impacts this could have on nonprofits. It is likely to mean more funding and new referral pipelines as more community-based organizations have the opportunity to participate in service delivery. Stay tuned for more specifics on the ways this will inevitably affect nonprofits across our state!

Trust-Based Philanthropy Will Pick Up Steam

The concept of trust-based philanthropy is already picking up steam among philanthropy and nonprofits. This year, we expect it to become a hotter topic among companies – and for good reason. Trust-based philanthropy is all about creating more equity in grant-making processes. This most often shows up as multi-year, unrestricted funding, streamlined application processes and more transparent, bi-directional feedback. Our team is dipping our toes in these waters through our UnFundable Grant – we can’t wait to share what we’ve learned.

Collaboration Will Be Even More Critical

The biggest challenges facing our communities are layered and multi-faceted, with positive outcomes in any one focus area dependent on supports in other, seemingly unrelated areas. How can a child achieve academically when affordable housing for that child’s family is out of reach? How do we build workforce pipelines that realize economic mobility when transportation options are limited? We have arrived at a clearing in the woods, where leaders in overlapping sectors are realizing there is no successful path forward without collaboration. We wrote earlier this year about the Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience – an initiative that lays out how federal funds will be invested to advance positive outcomes in these areas of intersection. We see great potential in it to help take on these social challenges head-on – but only if we do it together.

Businesses Will Look to Fund Community-Based Organizations

Companies are increasingly looking to fund community-based organizations (CBOs) as a way to fuel local impact. It’s a way to support hyper-local impact through organizations most proximate and trusted by communities – but the challenges for companies can be equally steep. For companies used to funding highly structured, large nonprofits with strong processes, working with CBOs can require more patience and support. Watch for more conversation on how to do this effectively.

Cultivating Community-Level Engagement Through Trust

The collaboration mentioned above will only happen if we use a methodology of trust. It is essential to displaying care and responsibility for one another as well as addressing pertinent issues around affordable housing, education, healthcare, navigating systems, workforce development and more. Charlotte and cities across the country are seeking ways to do this kind of engagement more effectively while assessing areas for growth, improvement and opportunities.

Polarizing Politicization

It’s an election year, and you know what that means. And I don’t just mean obnoxious candidate commercials that make us all want to throw our TVs out a window. No, these days an election year brings with it increased vitriol and baseless hatred at a time when we need to be coming together for the greater good. Politicized messaging can create rifts and disrupt forward progress in communities at a time when they are addressing the long-term impacts of a global pandemic. Keep that in mind as you engage the people you serve, your colleagues and others. What may just seem like empty rhetoric and hot air to some can feel like the reopening of old wounds that rarely ever fully heal.

DEI Will Remain Under Attack

Speaking of polarization – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) will remain under attack and will continue to have opposition in 2024. And that is unfortunate. After the death of George Floyd, DEI evolved and structural changes were prioritized. And yet, we believe there are individuals, companies, and institutions that will continue to hold the line and create space for DEI, belonging, and respect, evaluating processes and examining the root of systemic disempowerment – and calling that out. In 2023, we wrote a blog entitled “Walk A Mile In My Shoes” – in 2024, who’s willing to go the distance?

Intentionality Will Replace ‘Disruption’ in Change Management

An intentional focus on change management and ‘just-in-case’ planning will be top of mind. Many companies have recovered from the emergency state of the pandemic and have pocketed a lot of wisdom from their experiences. Putting key operational plans in place for future disruptions will give leaders and their teams peace of mind. There are more things to plan for than you’d think! Succession planning, financial planning and planning for major technological shifts in how we work will be a valuable resource in your back pocket when the time comes. 2024 feels like a good year to get that done!

Organizations Will Build Their ‘People Resiliency’

Gone are the days when employees’ tenure could be reliably mapped out. The job market continues to shift and employees (and employers) are not afraid of seizing new opportunities and facilitating personal and professional development. Companies will be building strong HR teams to help organizations and companies avoid major disruption to company success and workflow amidst employee turnover.

And finally, your annual reminder that Community Voice is not a trend. We expect community voices to rise in prominence throughout 2024 – and we can’t wait to see what arises!

We’d love to know – what would you add this list?

Impact Report Essentials

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With the end of the year quickly approaching, nonprofit and CSR teams are turning their attention to impact reporting. And while it’s not quite ‘report season’ yet, savvy teams will begin considering what to report – and more importantly, what story to tell. 

To Impact Report, or Not to Impact Report

For nonprofits and companies alike, annual impact reports offer a chance to clearly articulate the impact you made throughout the year, weaving a compelling story that resonates with stakeholders. Organizations publish impact reports for a variety of reasons, but some of the major ones include:

  • Transparency and Accountability – Reports offer stakeholders a transparent look at how funds and resources have been used. For nonprofits in particular, these reports can be a valuable overview for funders and donors. 
  • Legal Compliance – Larger companies, especially those that are publicly traded, need to complete impact reports that demonstrate sustainability and governance efforts. However, this doesn’t mean that they have to be dry, data-focused reports. Many include engaging representations of what the company has socially accomplished that year. 
  • Marketing & Storytelling – Strong impact reports include story-driven pieces that offer plenty of opportunity for stakeholder engagement. For nonprofits and companies alike, reports can elevate brand image and position organizations as human-centered, innovative thought leaders who are engaged in meaningful community work. 

The Essentials

At Next Stage, we look at a lot of impact reports. While they are all different, the best ones have a few things in common. Here are some things that we think make impact reports great – along with a handful of our favorite reports from the last year as prime examples:

Story Matters – and So Does Style

Whether your impact report targets annual donors or financial disclosures, the way your report shows up matters! When The University of Maryland did studies on how people read on social media, in school and in business, they found we spend an average of 26 seconds on things we choose to read – which means we have limited time to get our point across. Make that time more effective by focusing on the compelling, human-centered stories that bring your data to life. 

Tangible stories paired with compelling images bring specificity to a report and help your audience quickly ‘get’ the impact you’re making. The data is critical – but it’s the stories and themes that bring these reports to life. 

Check Out: Girls Who Code built their impact report from several years ago directly onto their website, offering an easily accessible, visually appealing look at their year. They intentionally built on the previous year’s theme of ‘sisterhood,’ clearly defining a narrative that resonates broadly. It takes a subject that could be perceived as less exciting (coding!) by pairing it with a highly relatable and human theme that centers the girls they serve. 

Impact > Metrics

Data that demonstrates impact continues to be a big question for nonprofits and CSR professionals alike. When measuring impact, it is often easiest to default to ‘output’ metrics instead of impact – and for good reason. Long-term, effective impact is notoriously difficult to track. When considering the long-term impact of funding or programs, ask yourself ‘Why does it matter?’ – then ask it again and again. This often helps move from an ‘output’ position to an ‘outcome.’ Diving even deeper can result in getting to longer-term outcomes. 

For example, a nonprofit that provides scholarships may say, ‘We raised $100,000 to send first-generation students to college.’ The money raised is an output of their activity. Their second draft may say, “Ten students were able to attend their first year of college’ – this is an outcome metric and much stronger than the first. A final draft based on long-term impact might read, “Five scholarship students graduated this year and obtained their first professional job.” All of these metrics are important but focusing on impact makes for a much more effective story. 

Check out: We love the 2023 impact report from Consumer Reports. In addition to the beautiful design (that header!) it offers clear data on their mission to test and investigate products to make them safer for consumers. The data comes alive when they link the number of surveys and engagement with stories about the annual wins that will have a long-term impact on consumers – such as new requirements that make dressers safer and less likely to tip over or exposing the dangers of heavy metals in chocolate. 

Know Your Audiences

When it comes to marketing, impact reports can be a valuable asset for companies and nonprofits. Similar to any other marketing asset, it is critical to define target audiences and to develop content that will resonate. One frequently overlooked audience is your own internal team. 

According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 71 percent of employees say societal impact is a strong expectation or deal breaker when considering a job. In a competitive recruiting and retention market, current and prospective employees may be the audience most carefully reading your report! And while ‘impact’ is the most important thing to report, consider how your impact relates to your audiences and the elements they will most want to know. For example, a buyer may want to know the ethics of your supply chain, while a prospective employee might want to better understand what DEI looks like at your organization, or how the company engages with nonprofits. 

Check Out: Glen Raven built their 2023 impact report around a clear set of sustainability, safety and social metrics but the report comes alive when they tell the stories of how Glen Raven employees enabled this work. (Full disclosure: Next Stage helped produce this report last year). We love the story on page nine that describes how one employee is elevating women in leadership and advocating for mentorship across the company. Whether discussing manufacturing plant safety or their nonprofit partnerships, they center storytelling, offering a compelling accessible look at the company’s impact. 

The Takeaway

Anyone can publish an infographic with metrics from their year, but savvy teams focus on the why behind their data – and translate that into approachable, human-centered content. 

How ‘Belief-Driven Buyers’ are Changing Brand Engagement

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In 2018, the Edelman Brand Report documented a trend that is rapidly becoming one of the most important brand engagement factors across the globe – the rise of the ‘belief-driven’ buyer. More than 64% of consumers now make buying decisions based on a company’s values and social stands. This is true for every age, gender and racial category, and the number has increased every year.

As we outlined in our recently published Social Good Report: Profit & Purpose, this is a big challenge for Charlotte-based businesses. It sounds simple on the surface, but like a lot of brand trends, it can be hard to ‘get right.’ Consumers are savvier than ever and are quick to sniff out inauthentic statements and commitments. So how can companies make sincere statements while working in real time to live those values out within their businesses?

We’re seeing some of this tension play out this month as many brands celebrate and work to engage consumers through Pride Month. A quick scroll through my LinkedIn account last week showed a literal rainbow of corporate logos. National and local brands alike are working to engage customers through Pride-themed displays, products and partnerships.

The engagement of Pride is certainly something to celebrate as progress – but as some LGBTQ leaders have noted, product without meaningful action makes some of these gestures feel hollow at best. Rainbow-themed sales campaigns can backfire if the company isn’t actively prioritizing equity among its employees or has problematic business practices.

Leveraging ‘cause’ in your brand engagement can do more harm than good when it doesn’t feel genuine. Remember Pepsi’s widely-panned Kendall Jenner ad?  It’s not enough for brands to simply make a statement. Belief-driven buyers want to engage with brands that are genuinely connected to the causes they support.

How can businesses authentically engage these belief-driven buyers? We think that part of the answer lies in strong partnerships with nonprofits.  When businesses form genuine partnerships with nonprofit experts, they gain representation along with deep expertise across a range of issues. Organizations that have long championed social good issues lend authenticity to a campaign and demonstrates a company’s commitment to genuinely engaging an issue.

These partnerships aren’t the fastest way forward. They require genuine engagement on both sides and intentional relationship building. But the reward for nonprofits and businesses who work together on brand engagement is long-lasting brand loyalty.

Next Stage knows you have questions and we’re here to help. Through our Social Impact for Business service line, we are working with companies to design compelling social good strategies that lead to impact in employee recruitment, retention and satisfaction. Got a specific challenge you’re wrestling with? Or a compelling workplace asset you want more people to know about? “Yes, we have a nonprofit for that.”

Reach out to us to learn more: info@nextstage-consulting.com