• Increase awareness of your cause. With the number of podcast listeners ever-increasing, you can strategically use this media form to bring awareness to your cause. As you discuss your nonprofit’s cause and programs, listeners will be more likely to emotionally connect with your organization and get involved.
• Connect with your audience in a new way. While your audience probably receives marketing materials and updates from your organization, these communications aren’t always the most effective at fostering close relationships. Podcasts feel more personal and enable you to connect with your audience in a new, fresh way.
• Become a thought leader. If you’ve been in the nonprofit space for a while and want to establish yourself as an expert, a podcast is a great way to start. For example, an individual in the nonprofit event planning industry might create a podcast on event-planning best practices, helping to build their audience and potential clientele.

Two main groups of people create nonprofit podcasts: individuals who work at a nonprofit and individuals who work with nonprofits. Regardless of which you belong with, podcasting allows you to speak about the subjects you’re passionate about and reap the above benefits.

Now that you know why you should start a nonprofit podcast, let’s go over the five steps to create your podcast.

1. Determine the focus of your podcast.

The focus of your podcast is the main, overarching topic you will be covering. This should be a subject that you’re passionate about and can discuss at length. A few topics you might consider for your nonprofit podcast include:

• Nonprofit news
• Marketing tips
• Volunteer management
• Donor stewardship
• Corporate partnerships
• Donor-advised funds
• Grant preparation
• Capital campaigns
• Nonprofit sustainability

On top of the podcast topic, you should also decide on its format. You can choose to host the podcast alone, essentially monologuing for each episode. Or, you could co-host with another nonprofit professional.

You might also consider the interview format, where you invite a new expert to appear on each episode. For example, if your podcast is about fundraising, you would research experts in the fundraising sphere, such as authors of fundraising books, fundraising consultants, and fundraising event planners.

2. Plan your content strategy.

After establishing the big picture of your nonprofit podcast, it’s time to get into the nitty gritty of podcast planning with your content strategy. Brainstorm what your first few podcasts will be about and outline the episodes briefly. That way, you’ll have a good idea of the project timeline, such as whether the podcast will be a miniseries or take place over a longer period.

For example, if you’re talking about new developments in the nonprofit space, your first few episodes might be about:

• AI tool recommendations for nonprofits
• Recent nonprofit mergers and their implications
• Economic data to pinpoint best donor targets
• The rise of influencer marketing
• Top issues facing nonprofits
• This year’s most popular auction items

If you’re planning to host an interview-style podcast, include experts you can invite for the episode in your outline. For instance, if you have an episode about nonprofit employee compensation, create a list of compensation consultants to invite for valuable insights into the topic.

3. Purchase podcast equipment.

At this point, you’ll have dedicated quite some time to brainstorming and thinking about your podcast and should feel confident that this is a project you wish to commit to. If so, it’s time to purchase the equipment you’ll need for your podcast.

Ensure you have the following essentials:

• Microphones. Ensure that your podcast's audio sounds crisp and clean by purchasing a high-quality microphone.
• Pop filters and windscreens. Some sounds tend to sound harsh and jarring in recordings. Pop filters and windscreens will reduce these sounds and protect your microphone from saliva.
• Headphones. You’ll want comfortable headphones to monitor your audio quality throughout podcast recording sessions.
• Audio interface. This item converts audio signals from your microphone into digital audio signals for your computer.
• Editing software. It’s unlikely that you’ll get the entire podcast episode down without any mistakes. Use editing software to trim out any errors and clean up the sound of the recording.
• Computer or laptop. You’ll use your computer to record, edit, and publish your podcast files.

Some podcasters offer video versions of their podcast as well as audio-only versions. If that’s the case, you’ll need video equipment and editing software. If your organization frequently hosts hybrid or virtual events, Swaim Strategies suggests repurposing the livestreaming equipment you already have for your podcast.

4. Record your podcast.

It’s time to sit down and record your podcast! Here are a few tips to follow to facilitate a smooth recording session:

• Warm up. Do a few tongue twisters or practice reading parts of your script to warm up your vocal cords. This will keep your diction clean and prevent you from stumbling over your words.
• Stay hydrated. You’ll be speaking for quite some time as you record your podcast. Drink lots of water beforehand and during the recording session to ensure you’re hydrated and your voice stays strong.
• Record in a quiet room. Set yourself up for success by recording in a quiet room to reduce distractions and outside noise you’ll otherwise need to edit out.
• Check your sound before recording. Do a mic check before recording the session to ensure good sound quality.
• Speak slowly. People tend to rush through their scripts when they’re feeling nervous. Consciously slow yourself down to ensure that listeners have a good experience.
• Leave audio cues for mistakes. Make it easy for you or your editor to remove mistakes by leaving yourself audio cues. This can be a verbal cue, such as “remove the mispronunciation” or “edit out the dog barking,” and a long pause afterward. Then, you can restart the sentence.
• Mute when you’re not speaking. If you have a co-host or a guest, mute when you’re not speaking to reduce the noise your microphone picks up.

Additionally, don’t hesitate to take breaks! Depending on the length of your podcast episode, it may not be feasible to record it all in one sitting. Take water and snack breaks to ensure that your voice sounds good and you maintain focus.

5. Promote your podcast.

Once you’re done recording and editing your podcast, it’s time to upload the episodes and promote them to your audience. Keep in mind the following as you do so:

• Branding. Your nonprofit podcast should match your organization’s branding so viewers can easily tell who it’s made by. According to Kwala, you should brand your podcast materials with your organization’s logo, colors, and typography. This includes your podcast’s icon, feature images for each episode, and the landing page.
• Hosting site. Consider which site you want to host your podcast on. Popular podcast sites include Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Buzzsprout.
• Multichannel marketing. Multichannel marketing doesn’t just allow you to reach donors—it also empowers you to reach a greater number of podcast listeners. Promote your podcast through your website, email newsletters, social media platforms, and other channels your audience frequents.

Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t immediately gain the number of listeners you desire. Much like building up your nonprofit’s supporter base, growing your listeners will take time and patience. Regularly check in on metrics like unique listeners and audience growth so you can adapt your strategies as needed.

About the Author

Samantha Swaim

Samantha Swaim has more than 20 years of event planning and fundraising expertise. She founded Swaim Strategies, a fundraising event consultancy, in 2004, working internationally with nonprofit organizations to produce impactful events that move missions forward. Samantha is the co-author of “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event” and the founder of the annual Elevate fundraising event conference. She travels internationally to teach nonprofit professionals the tools they need to elevate their impact through events.