Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose

Doing more with less appears to be in vogue.  Here are four examples of how to apply the environmental principle of sustainability to nonprofit advancement.


1. Brochure Collage – a crafty colleague of mine created a framed art piece using old flyers, brochures, and other materials to increase awareness of their department's impact. The result was so striking we ended up using photos of the finished piece in an annual report, on social media, e-newsletters, and our website.

2. Event Photos – a development committee I worked with once sent out branded cards with leftover event photos as a thank-you to our donors and included a brief update on our progress since the event.

3. Fun Giveaways – after the cancellation of a special event, one of my clients was faced with an office full of clutter (auction items and event décor).  They decided to hold an online raffle that involved a basic scavenger hunt, to improve awareness of their organization and generate new followers and newsletter subscribers.

4. Leftover Auction Items – one of my former organizations used leftover art and promotional posters from special events to decorate their previously drab office walls.  A bit of color and institutional history that proved popular with staff and visitors alike.
 

What have you used and repurposed?