[Virtual Session] Going Tribal: Creating Communities of Supporters that Sustain

Are your supporters just members of a community, or are they a tribe?

Often, nonprofits define “our community” as “the people on our email list,” but that’s not what community is all about. Yes, the people on the house email list do have one thing in common-an interest in the mission. However, what is often overlooked is the second part of a community.

When nonprofits talk to the house list, it’s usually only one-way communication, the organization to supporters. A real community involves a group of individuals with a shared belief /interest and a way to communicate.

When people in the community communicate with each other, the community is transformed into a tribe. Tribes are powerful; tribes make things happen. They have a passion for change.

There’s a formula for building someone’s sense of being a member of a tribe. Strength of membership = number of engagements with the tribe. The more engagements, the stronger the person’s connection.

This presentation will use THON as an example of tribe-building. THON is the world’s largest student-run philanthropy. Located at Penn State University, THON is committed to enhancing the lives of children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

THON has raised more than $175M for its mission in the last ten years by building a tribe of supporters. To supporters, THON isn’t an event; it’s a lifestyle that they express in many ways in their lives.

Key Takeaways:

• Acknowledge why and how to build a tribe of supporters rather than focusing on a series of events.
• Describe the formula for building someone’s sense of being members of your tribe.
• Learn the formula for building donors as members of your tribe.