This article in MiBiz about the Grand Rapids based nonprofit AmplifyGR needing to address community mistrust caught my eye. It’s another example of a news story that does not use the words “public relations” or “PR” even though it is the essence of the issue at hand.
The organization was working to develop 35 acres in southeast Grand Rapids as part of an effort to increase jobs, housing, education and health care in the area. But it recently cancelled community engagement meetings and took a cue to slow down and “develop community relationships” before moving ahead.
This is a typical mistake of even the most well-intended nonprofit efforts–swooping in with solutions before fully understanding the problem, delivering programs without listening to those intended to be served.
Corporations engage in what is known as community relations (or they should) as a way to be less aloof and perceived as merely motivated by profit in the geographic areas where they have a plant, office or store. This helps build mutual relationships with publics beyond merely customers, employees and government officials.
It is always good for nonprofits to do the same, and not assume that their good programs are welcomed and understood by the communities they serve. There is a large operational risk of looking arrogant and insulting if the community members are treated as targets rather than partners.
Good community relations practice involves doing more thorough research of the community culture and not just the broad issue or problems to address. This could include:
- getting a sense of the community perception about what their most pressing needs are;
- finding out what has been tried before, by whom, with what result;
- what are the preferred methods of communication;
- what ideas do community members have to solve the problems they themselves have identified;
- to what degree do community members want to partner, lead, or simply benefit from any resulting programs;
- what community partners would be approved and appreciated partners in the community;
- what should be the longevity of the program, is it permanent or is their a defined exit timeline and method.
