This article was previously published by Pure & Applied and is reprinted with permission.

Learning management systems (LMSs) are online platforms that allow organizations to create, deliver, and manage learning content for their audiences. While LMSs are often associated with program delivery, such as courses, webinars, or workshops, they have also been used strategically by modern nonprofits in various ways. In fact, in addition to supporting program directors and managers, an LMS can also serve your colleagues in marketing, impact, and recruitment, advocacy and fundraising. In this two-part blog post, we will explore some of the ways that LMSs can help nonprofits beyond program delivery. In part 1, we will focus on how LMSs can support and scale knowledge mobilization efforts, increase service efficiencies, and re-engage your community across the customer journey.

[Disclaimer: Pure & Applied is an LMS agnostic company. We do not receive any form of commission or compensation from any LMS vendor. We select the right LMS for the program and organization.]

1. Support and scale knowledge mobilization efforts

Knowledge mobilization is the process of making research and evidence accessible and applicable to different stakeholders, such as policymakers, practitioners, or the public. Knowledge mobilization can help nonprofits achieve their mission and vision by informing decision-making, improving practice, and enhancing social impact. However, knowledge mobilization can also be challenging, especially when dealing with complex or sensitive topics, diverse or dispersed audiences, or limited resources.

For example, when we worked with the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples to conduct research on Indigenous Innovation we produced a report with a number of policy recommendations. In addition to providing our report to ESDC, we developed a module on “Supporting Indigenous Innovators” for allies in the Social Innovation Ecosystem to further mobilize our recommendations to a specific audience. You can see it here. 

One of the most common challenges organizations experience with knowledge mobilization is a lack of funding and internal capacity to bring bold ideas to life. An LMS can be a low-cost approach to scaling an engaging and interactive educational campaign — the potential for deeper experience than an ad campaign, for example. Using educational strategy for knowledge mobilization, over a marketing strategy for example, can produce an impact with staying power. Learning experiences are designed to be remembered and applied.

An LMS can help nonprofits overcome these challenges by providing a flexible and scalable platform for knowledge mobilization. With an LMS, nonprofits can:

Create engaging and interactive learning content that can cater to different learning preferences and needs of your audiences. For example, an LMS can use multimedia elements, quizzes, polls, or gamification to make the content more appealing and effective.

• Flexible learning pathways
  Deliver the content in various formats and modes, such as self-paced courses, live webinars, podcasts, or microlearning modules. This can allow the audiences to access the content at their own pace, time, and place, as well as choose the format that suits them best.
• Effortless content management
  Manage the content easily and efficiently, such as updating, archiving, or deleting it as needed. This can ensure that the content is always relevant, accurate, and up-to-date.
• Data-driven impact management
  Track and measure the impact of the content on the audiences’ knowledge, attitudes, behaviours, or outcomes. For example, nonprofits can use analytics tools, feedback forms, or surveys to collect data on the content’s reach, engagement, satisfaction, learning outcomes, or behaviour change.
• Expanding reach
  By using an LMS for knowledge mobilization, nonprofits can increase their reach and influence on their target audiences and stakeholders. Organizations can also demonstrate their value and credibility as a source of reliable and useful information.

2. Increase service efficiencies

Another way that LMSs can help nonprofits beyond program delivery is by increasing service efficiencies. Nonprofits often have to deal with high demand for their services from their clients or beneficiaries while facing resource constraints or competing priorities. This can result in staff burnout, service delays or errors, or reduced quality of service.

An LMS can help nonprofits increase service efficiencies by automating or streamlining some of the tasks that are involved in service delivery.

For example, an LMS can be used for information delivery to provide basic or general information to clients or beneficiaries about your programs, services, and organization before they access more specialized or personalized services. This can reduce the need for staff to repeat the same information over and over again to different clients or beneficiaries.

Imagine a nonprofit organization focused on mental health support. By using an LMS, they can create an orientation module that offers newcomers a comprehensive overview of their services, how to access counselling, emergency contact information, and self-help resources. New clients can complete this module at their own pace. This way, when they engage with staff for personalized assistance, they already possess a fundamental understanding of available services, reducing the need for staff to repeatedly provide this introductory information.

• An LMS can be used for delivering foundational knowledge to help clients or beneficiaries understand key concepts or principles that are relevant to their situation or needs. This can prepare them for more advanced or complex services that require higher levels of knowledge or skills.
• An LMS can be used for triaging to help clients or beneficiaries identify their needs and direct them to the most appropriate services or resources. This can save time and effort for both staff and clients or beneficiaries by avoiding unnecessary referrals or consultations.
• An LMS can simplify research — virtually any nonprofit organization engaged in research, data collection and presentation efforts can benefit from using an LMS. More on this in Part 2 of this blog post.

By using an LMS for these purposes, nonprofits can free up capacity for staff to focus on higher-level, advanced and complex tasks that require more human interaction, creativity or judgement. They can also improve the quality and consistency of their services by ensuring that all clients or beneficiaries receive the same information and guidance housed in the LMS.

3. Re-engage community across the customer journey

A third way that LMSs can help nonprofits beyond program delivery is by re-engaging the community across the customer journey. The customer journey is the process of building and maintaining relationships with potential or existing “customers” over time. It involves different stages such as awareness, consideration, conversion, retention and advocacy. For nonprofits, the customer journey can support recruitment, fundraising, and generating revenue, but also about creating social change and impact.

An LMS can help nonprofits re-engage communities across the customer journey by providing opportunities for continuous communication, education, and feedback.

Unlike traditional websites, which may lack the specialized features required for effective community re-engagement, an LMS offers a purpose-built platform for nonprofits. It plays a vital role in revitalizing and sustaining connections with communities throughout the customer journey. By providing continuous communication, education, and feedback opportunities, an LMS becomes the linchpin of re-engagement. 

Websites are often used for providing general information, marketing, and presenting a broad range of content. The differentiation between websites and LMSs hinges on the fact that LMS platforms are intentionally designed to cater specifically to learning needs. With structured, user-friendly interfaces, they enhance user engagement by providing a more interactive and streamlined environment for consuming educational content. This customized strategy sets them apart as an ideal solution for nonprofits looking to re-engage and empower their communities at every stage of the customer journey.

Incorporating an LMS into their operations, nonprofits can strategically:

• Attract new customers by offering valuable and relevant learning content that showcases their mission, vision and impact. For instance, they can use stories, testimonials or case studies to highlight their work and achievements.
• Nurture existing customers by providing ongoing learning content that deepens their knowledge, skills and engagement with your cause. For example, they can use courses, webinars or podcasts to educate them on current issues, trends or best practices.
• Retain loyal customers by providing personalized and customized learning content that meets their specific needs and interests. For example, nonprofits can use quizzes, polls or surveys to segment them into different groups and offer tailored content accordingly.
• Encourage advocacy by providing interactive and social learning content that fosters a sense of community and belonging. For example, nonprofits can use forums, chats or groups to facilitate dialogue, collaboration and peer support among customers.

Many LMS offer features that can provide a digital “nudge” such as in-app notifications, email notifications, direct messaging, announcements, deadline notifications, and calendar notifications. These well-timed, programmed nudges serve as gentle reminders to both customers and staff, prompting them to re-engage with a clear purpose. They play a crucial role in helping customers stay on track, enhancing their time management skills, and facilitating purposeful learning.

Not ready to implement your own LMS but need training for your staff and volunteers? CharityVillage eLearning has dozens of courses available on topics related to fundraising, leadership, governance, and more!

Conclusion

In this blog post, we have seen some of the ways that LMSs can help nonprofits beyond program delivery. We have discussed how LMSs can support and scale knowledge mobilization efforts, increase service efficiencies, and re-engage community across the customer journey. These are just some of the examples of how LMSs can be used creatively and strategically by modern nonprofits to achieve their goals and create social impact. In part 2 of this blog post, we will explore some more ways that LMSs can help nonprofits, such as increasing membership value and/or earning revenue, making stakeholder research easier to plan and execute, facilitating engagement and dialogue, having a centralized source for data gathering and analytics, and onboarding, compliance and training for staff.

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