This Is Your Organization on Social Media

Partnership for a Drug-Free America builds brand, volunteer base online.

That fried egg. And the tagline, "This is your brain. This is drugs. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?"

For decades, that egg and the one smashed by actress Rachael Leigh Cook in a later version of the iconic television commercial were the most recognizable drivers for The Partnership for a Drug-Free America's public outreach.

Now, thousands of people find the Partnership through its social- media outreach efforts. On Facebook alone, the organization has nearly 4,300 Causes members. Here, Joe Keenan, executive vice president and director of digital product development for the organization, shares insight on how other nonprofits can leverage social media for increased awareness.

FundRaising Success: What prompted this social-media strategy? What need was the organization trying to address?

Joe Keenan: Social networking is a tool that can help nonprofits with branding and building awareness, service delivery, events, volunteerism, advocacy, and fundraising. At the Partnership, we look at social networks and media as digital outputs where we can participate and interact with our audience, and we also look to host our own house networks, building communities of interest and engaging parents around our programs and services.

FS: How does this social-media strategy address volunteerism concerns?

JK: The majority of our volunteers are parents — many who have personal experience with teen substance abuse. So our social-media strategy began with establishing a parent advisory board of volunteers to collaborate with us on program development and communications.

For example, many of these parents contribute to our blogs. We are broadening this successful initiative to establish a larger group of parent ambassadors who will spearhead outreach, networking, fundraising and events at the state and local level. These ambassadors will have a tool kit that includes a significant emphasis on using social-media tools to help increase awareness about our cause, and drive attendance and volunteerism at events and other program activities.

FS: How does this social-media strategy address the changing face of nonprofit work? What other channels are integrated into the effort?

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