Surviving as a less than sexy cause

December 13, 2004
By Louise Chatterton Luchuk

There is a magnetic pull between some charitable causes and the heartstrings of the general public. What happens, though, when your charity plays a vital role in society but capturing the public’s attention – whether for general awareness or for funds – is difficult? How do you survive when the public doesn’t want to talk about, much less support, your cause or your clients? This week we look at this dilemma from three different perspectives.

When your clients are not valued by the general public

At first glance, a legal organization sounds like it could be perceived as a popular cause. There are certainly enough glitzy legal programs on TV these days. Brian Duggan, fund development officer at the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS), explains the reality of his organization. “Smaller, less sexy, charities can have a tremendously difficult time filling a need that everyone determines is a need but is not necessarily visibly attractive. My group makes legal help available to people who cannot afford a lawyer and who have been told by Legal Aid that they are out of their mandate. Being the last resort for 65,000 people in Nova Scotia…it’s not nearly as sexy.”

Visibility is a huge issue. While “those who know and like us, like us a lot,” says Duggan, since LISNS’s beginnings in 1982, they’ve not had a high profile. For one thing, most people don’t think of legal issues until they have their own to deal with. There is also a confidentiality issue, so it is very difficult to put a face to the work. Plus, being a small organization, there isn’t a budget for full-page ads, large-scale events, or other publicity vehicles.

What will work over time is partnering with smaller community-minded businesses. LISNS is fortunate to be connected to a local small businessman. "[He] didn’t have a positive experience with the legal system," explains Duggan, "and when he found out about us his reaction was that more people needed to know about us. He wanted to give us cash – not just gifts-in-kind – and when we had cash flow issues, he offered to give more.”

When you don’t provide a direct service

Then there are organizations that get passed over because their work goes on behind the scenes. When you don’t provide a direct service, your cause isn’t necessarily that captivating. The Social Planning Council of Kingston, Ontario almost closed its doors recently because it was faceless in its own community. There were several reasons for this, according to board member Hersh Sehdev. “The public never saw who was working behind the scenes. Our role was to bring people together and write reports. There would be media coverage but no legs to it.” The reports were often academic so the general public couldn’t relate to the Social Planning Council’s work. There was also criticism that the Council’s activities were too expensive, but as Sehdev points out, research of a certain calibre does require money. Furthermore, other local nonprofit organizations felt that the Social Planning Council had excluded itself. The United Way started asking questions and withdrew its support. Then the city stopped funding the Council.

The board responded by taking a critical look at its image. Next, with funding from a Health Canada initiative with regards to inclusion, they hired a new executive director and gave him a mandate to work with agencies. In essence, they took the Social Planning Council to the streets. The new Social Planning Council would not just write reports but build community capacity. Sehdev and other board members are negotiating with the city to “provide strategic planning services owned by the people versus by city council.” They are also discussing a strategic alliance with two other local nonprofits.

Sehdev notes that the Health Canada funding is for a limited time so “it’s like we’re buying time. But our perception amongst community agencies is changing. We worked with the people and opened up a dialogue. We created a role for ourselves. Social planning in itself is not sexy so it is very difficult to get support, but we are trying to turn that around.”

When your cause is one that people would rather not talk about

It’s the job of some organizations to get people to discuss topics – and body parts – that the general public considers anything but appealing. For example, most people would rather not talk about cancer, bowel habits, or screening measures (You want to put that thing where???). Nevertheless, 367 Canadians are diagnosed each week with colorectal cancer and it is the second leading cause of death by cancer for men and women combined. Barry Stein, president of the Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada wants the public to start talking.

The association has a three-fold mandate: awareness and education; support for patients and their families; and advocacy for a screening policy. Stein’s approach is to use humour so that people can start talking. For one, there is the annual Colonosco-party. Stein’s daughter also organizes a fundraiser geared at a younger, hipper crowd called Cure-osity. This coming March, which is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, there will be a screening contest. The public can submit proof of a colonoscopy and be entered to win a prize. A recently launched publicity campaign features the backside of a woman wearing green spandex. The ad received four or five complaints, says Stein, but the Advertising Council had no problem with the ad and the complainants all agreed that the ad got their attention about screening. Jokingly, Stein confides, “I wish someone would get really upset and write a letter to the editor. That would make for some good PR!”

The playing field may not be level for organizations without a visible face or an attractive cause. These ‘less than sexy’ organizations have their work cut out, but Duggan, Sehdev, Stein and others like them are finding ways to make the public take notice.

Louise Chatterton Luchuk is a freelance writer and consultant who combines her love of writing with experience at the local, provincial and national levels of volunteer-involving organizations. For more information, visit www.luchuk.com.

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