Level of difficulty: Advanced Cost to attend: free Award Winner: 2019
Project: A quarterly marketing piece (newsletter) produced by a shared interest group (the Yale Alumni Nonprofit Alliance – YANA). Each issue is an approximately 7-page pdf document, produced in electronic-only format.
First page of YANA newsletter
Lead time: at least 30 days Date of event: quarterly (4 times a year), begun in 2017
Resources:
For the Global Newsletter, 1 volunteer oversees the editorial and layout of each issue, devoting 10+ hours per issue. Articles contributed by alumni volunteer members of the shared interest group.
Permissions required: nothing significant
Funds required: Financial support comes largely from annual dues paid by YANA supporters.
Results: Circulated to 6,000+ followers
Why a success? A regular newsletter helps connect Yale’s expanding social impact community, while keeping alums informed on the most relevant opportunities affecting their careers and aspirations. Every year, YANA holds dozens of person-to-person live or web-streamed events. This marketing publication captures the essence of all live events for alums unable to attend. A newsletter offers an opportunity for young alumni to become involved. For example, Liana Epstein ’14 is editor-in-chief of the Global Newsletter. Its success can be seen in its steady open rate of 40%.
Details: These newsletters include highlights of past and upcoming events from all chapters and recaps of important webinars or spotlights or programs; also a chance to include special ask for donations, fellowship fundraising, or surveys to garner member interests in programming or similar.
YANA encourages each chapter to have a monthly email communication, even if not quite up to the level of a full newsletter. If there is at least one event planned a month, or a quarter, then a regular newsletter might make sense. It depends upon how many events of interest are coming up or whether there are members willing to contribute original content and commit to putting a newsletter together each month.
Regular communication beyond random event or program invitations or donation solicitations is a good way to keep members engaged. A regular newsletter is a good platform from which to ask members or potential members or experts to share their expertise or insights and an opportunity for young alumni to become involved. For example, Liana Epstein ’14 is editor-in-chief of the Global Newsletter
For the global newsletter, YANA has a paid communications person who helps plan what should be highlighted each quarter.
Rachel Littman, Exec Dir. of YANA, has found suggestions on newsletters at Bridgespan and the National Council of Nonprofits (run by a Yale alum) to be particularly helpful.
Possible improvements: Incorporate more voices, more perspectives, more diversity.
