Communication Strategies for the Sustainability of Non-Profit Organizations During the Economic Crisis in Egypt “A Field Study”

doi:10.21608/jsb.2024.313397.1797

Communication Strategies for the Sustainability of Non-Profit Organizations During the Economic Crisis in Egypt “A Field Study”

Document Type : Original Article

10.21608/jsb.2024.313397.1797

Abstract

The study aimed to reveal the impact of the economic crisis on the performance of non-profit organizations and explore the communication strategies employed to maintain and sustain their activities during the economic crisis in Egypt. It relied on applying content analysis to a purposive sample composed of 205 posts published on the Facebook page of the Mersal Foundation for Charitable and Developmental Work from (March 11 to June 20, 2024) as well as conducting interviews with the head of the public relations department at the Mersal Foundation who is administering the fundraising and communication team. The results concluded a decrease in individual donations to the Mersal Foundation, an increase in the number of registered members, and longer waiting lists during the crisis. The foundation adopted several communication and administrative strategies to achieve sustainability, including unique policies and values, the use of social media, facilitating and diversifying donation methods, content development on the foundation's page, partnerships, revenue diversification, organizing special events and activities, communication and promoting friendly relations with donors, showing appreciation to donors, increasing the number of volunteers, and building relationships with the internal audience.
The results also concluded that the content published on the Mersal Facebook page varied among promotional and advertising content, informational content, awareness content, interaction, and administrative and organizational content. The use of the information strategies on the page came to the fore followed by persuasion strategies. The foundation's page mainly relied on emotional appeals more than rational appeals, with a prevalent usage of the Egyptian colloquial dialect and a text-and-image format in most of the contents. The interaction was characterized by positivity and stability, with its rate increasing during some events and activities.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Public relations

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