Everyday we see inspiring, educational, and creative nonprofit videos on YouTube. Nonprofits of all sizes are using video to reach new constituents and turn video views into action. We launched the YouTube Nonprofit Program in 2007 to help organizations take their work to the next level, and since then, more than 20,000 nonprofits have joined the program.

 But we want to see even more great nonprofit organizations take advantage of the powerful storytelling options that video allows them. That’s why we joined with See3 Communications and Edelman to find out just how nonprofits are using online video and how we can better help them. Together we launched our first survey of nonprofit online video use. We tallied results from over 450 respondents, including senior management, marketing, and video production professionals from organizations of varying sizes and missions. Their video skills were equally as mixed - some are already using video within campaigns, while others are just buying their first camera.

 You can download the full survey results here. The guide includes survey data and insights from nonprofits who have had a lot of success and online video experts. 

 In a nutshell, here’s what we learned: 

 According to the survey, nearly all nonprofits recognize the significance of the “video revolution”, but few feel prepared to use this powerful communications tool to its full potential. There is a clear understanding that video is a necessary tool to reach constituents and key audiences, but how to measure success and return on investment is less clear.
  • 80% of respondents said that video is important to their organization today
  • 91% of respondents want to be making more video
  • 62% of respondents designate very little or no staff time for video production and distribution
  • 76% of respondents either don’t know how to measure video success or only track it anecdotally 
If you’re a nonprofit and you’re struggling to use online video online video or if you just want to learn more about how to launch video campaigns and track your progress, here are some resources to check out:

  • YouTube.com/nonprofits - Interested in joining us on YouTube? Visit this site to learn about the program, find resources and apply to the program.
  • Playbook for Good - This guide walks through best practices specifically for nonprofits using Youtube. From developing content to adding the Google Wallet “Donate” button, you’ll get an in depth view of how you can activate your cause on YouTube.
  • Nonprofits on YouTube video series. Starting today, you can access our video series sharing short lessons and tutorials for creating your online videos. We’ll be posting new trainings weekly through July. Check out the first three below.




Whether you’re creating your first video or adding content to an existing campaign, we can’t wait to see you inspire the YouTube community.

Posted by Jessica Mason, YouTube for Nonprofits team