Diversity. Patriotism. Service. Democracy. With the presidential election just over a week away, the words nonprofits choose to describe their work and values have perhaps never been so critical — nor so divisive.
My colleague Drew Lindsay recently covered a project by Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement that examines how Americans perceive the language nonprofits use to describe their work. Among the findings? Americans are sharply divided over the virtues of such seemingly benign words as democracy or advocacy.
“Our data confirms that there is a pretty big disconnect,” Amy McIsaac, head of the project, told Drew. “And one of the major areas is that philanthropy perceives words to be bringing people together that the American public does not.”
As part of its five-year project, PACE analyzed the reactions of registered voters to 21 words common in nonprofit parlance. They found that while some words sparked division — between Democrats and Republics; or older and younger respondents — others managed to inspire a degree of unity.
It’s those unifying words that nonprofits might want to consider as they tinker with their public statements in the aftermath of what’s sure to be a contentious few weeks surrounding the election.
“High-stakes and high-sensitivity moments — especially ones that involve politics — might be a time to prioritize what people need to hear over what you feel like you need to say,” the report says.
To help find the right words for your organization — and steer clear of the wrong ones — read Drew’s piece: What to Say on November 6 and How to Say It. You might also want to check out some of our other coverage in the lead-up to the election, including how to prepare for any election outcome and what survey data says about the election’s impact on giving habits.
Have a lovely week,
Sara Herschander
Reporter
