Social innovation is a key initiative of entrepreneurial nonprofits. This national survey highlights current practices and presents proven methods to enhance your organization\’s innovation process.
4. Nonprofit Innovation Survey
81%launched a new service in the last
two years
Adopt marketing tools to:
Build new products
Refine existing product lines
Increase social impact
Strategy
development and value
proposition will protect funding,
volunteers and talent
6. +
Methodology
Nationalsurveys of nonprofit senior
executives and board members study:
Nonprofit innovation practices and
Experience using custom marketing
research services
7. Sustainable Impact is a unique study that examines service
development in the nonprofit sector.
This initial survey polled 110 nonprofit executives and board members from a wide range of organizations.
Nonprofit Types Nonprofit by number of employees
National Responses Nonprofit by annual revenue
67% Midwest 11% East Coast
9% West Coast
13% Southwest
9. +
Findings
Did your organization evaluate the viability of its new
service prior to launch?
Yes
33%
No
67% Launching untested
products risks
diluting your social
impact.
10. +
Findings
Has your organization launched a new service in the
last two years?
No 19%
Yes 81%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
11. +
Findings
Top 3 sources for new service ideas
80%
70% 67%
60%
50% 45%
40% 35%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Survey constituents/ Employees submit From market trends
clients. ideas. reported in the
media.
13. Ways to enhance your social
innovation
Conduct market testing prior to launch
Integrate your constituents experiences and
motivations into your new product
development and marketing strategies.
Use segmenting techniques to build viable
products
Select an innovation strategy
14. Conduct Market Testing Prior to
Launch
Market testing benefits
Two-thirds in the following ways:
(67%) Product Positioning
of nonprofits surveyed
Capitalize on
do not test the viability
constituents’ hot
of new products prior to
buttons
market launch.
Identify unmet needs
15. Integrate constituents’
experiences and motivations
Successful
companies build products
centered on users’ experience
Involving users mitigates market risks
Market testing can be any of the
following:
Constituent’ perceptions, preferences,
prioritized needs
Markettesting empowers nonprofits to
build winning products
16. +
Use segmenting techniques
Segmenting allows nonprofits to build viable products for specific groups. Every group will
have different needs and segmenting allows nonprofits to enhance their respective social
missions and avoid mission creep. Below are a handful of segmenting techniques.
Demographic Behavioral Values, Attitudes, Lifestyles
Nonprofits can
Can be separated This category is
enhance their social
by : Outcome-driven,
impact by building
therefore nonprofits
Age products around any
need to categorize
of the following
Gender according to:
categories:
Family lifecycle Brand loyalty
Activities
Experience with the
Occupation Interests
nonprofit
Generation Occasions that Opinions
stimulate participation
Values
17. Select an innovation strategy
Each type of innovation strategy requires a different tool
These products create a whole new market. Some examples are social venture funds
New-to-the-world and social enterprises. This category accounts for about 10% of new products.
The products take the firm into a new category. The products are not new to the world, just new
New to the to the firm. Examples are conferences and social media. They account for about 20% of new
organization products.
Product Current products are improved or modernized. Some examples are new and improved
Improvement programs. This category accounts for 26% of new products.
These are line extensions designed to flesh out the product line offered to the firm’s current mar
Product Line ket. Examples include a career conference to compliment a job-training
Extension program. They account for about 26% of new products.
Product Products that are targeted for new use or applications. This can be used when participation is
Repositioning waning. They account for 7% of new products.
These products replace existing lines but provide the same performance at a lower cost. These
Cost-savings comprise about 11% of new products.
18. +
About Virtuin
A marketing research and strategy firm
servicing nonprofits and social enterprises
19. About Virtuin
Vision: Build sustainable enterprises
Mission: Advance its clients’ social impact
via strategic product management and
business development.
In operation since: 2008
Client focus: Nonprofits, educational
institutions, social enterprises, and
foundations
20. +
Contact Information
www.virtuinstrategy.com
Luis Pablo Martinez Email: luis@virtuinstrategy.com
Principal & Founder Cell: (312) 730-3613
Austin Chicago
22. +
Survey Questions
1. Are you an executive (manager, director, CEO, COO, etc.) or board member at a nonprofit or social enterprise?
2. Is your organization based in the United States?
3. Has your organization launched new services in the last two years?
4. Approximately how many new services has your organization launched in the last two years?
5. Did your organization conduct custom marketing research to evaluate the viability of your new services?
6. Please tell us who leads new service development at your organization.
7. Please tell us how your organization identifies a new service opportunity. Feel free to select more than one answer.
8. In which state is your organization located?
9. Which category best describes your organization? Please feel free to choose as many as apply.
10. How many employees work at your company ?
11. What is your function?
12. Does your organization have earned income initiatives?
13. Does your organization have experience hiring a marketing firm to conduct custom research?
14. What were the primary reasons your organization hired that particular marketing firm?
15. What is your organization's annual revenue?
16. Seven features of a marketing research and strategy firm were tested for preference among diverse nonprofits.