6 Fundamental Communication Tools That Your Non-governmental Organization Needs

TechSoup

How can you get members of your organization to connect with each other? These days there are so many different tools and platforms that it is easy to become confused.

To pick the right tools, consider the age, geographic location, and lifestyle of your users. Evaluate your organization’s effectiveness on current platforms and also learn about specific tools and their audiences to determine if your key people are using them.

1. Buffer (BufferApp)

Buffer logo

Buffer is a social media sharing tool that allows you to share scheduled content from your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, and Pinterest accounts. Many social media administrators prefer it because it is compatible with useful mobile applications and web browsers.

Highlights

  • Schedule, queue, and share your content immediately
  • Use the browser plugin to quickly share web pages you read
  • Compress your link shares (buf.ly, bit.ly, j.mp)

2. Canva

Canva logo

Canva is a free visual design tool with a simple drag-and-drop interface. Canva's tool menu lets you quickly change an existing design or create a new design. Canva is a free application, but some designs and photographs included in it are paid.

Highlights

  • Create visuals with templates that are suitable for many social networks
  • Add your own logo or other images to your designs
  • Download your designs in JPEG, PNG, and PDF formats

Learn more about using Canva.

3. Piktochart

Piktochart logo

With Piktochart, you can make your reports noticeable in a quick and easy way. Infographics will help keep your audience engaged.

Highlights

  • Create new infographics
  • Change infographics by using ready-made drafts
  • Download PNG and JPEG formats free of charge

4. Slack

Slack screen capture

Slack aims to save institutions and project teams from getting lost in email traffic. It is an indispensable application if you want to make your intrateam communication more powerful and productive.

Highlights

  • Reduce your email traffic
  • Share files for projects and communicate quickly
  • Integrate with many services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Skype, Crashlytics, Datadog, and Google Hangouts

Slack offers a free account with no user limit. It gives you a total of 5 GB of space and five tool integrations. If the free package is not enough, you can benefit from the donated and discounted upgrades that Slack offers non-governmental organizations.

5. Typeform

Typeform welcome screen capture

Typeform is an example of the next generation in form creation tools.

Highlights

  • Create quizzes, surveys, and forms
  • Use information in questions that was obtained in previous questions
  • Analyze in detail the number of people who click the form link, the average time they spend filling it out, and the types of devices they used

6. Inbox Mail Marketing

Inbox Mail Marketing screens on two computers, a tablet, and a smartphone

Of NGOs worldwide, 75 percent regularly send informative emails to their supporters. If you also want to send e-newsletters to your supporters, you can do this easily and quickly thanks to Inbox Mail Marketing.

Highlights

  • Create mobile-friendly designs in minutes by using ready-made templates
  • Send personalized email campaigns
  • Automate when the tool sends mail

Editor's note: This is an edited version of an article written by Kenan Dursun.