Curiosity Corner

When a crisis hits your charity, clear and timely communication can mean the difference between maintaining public trust and watching years of reputation-building crumble. Whether it’s a data breach, a safeguarding concern, financial irregularities, or negative media coverage, having a crisis communications plan isn’t just sensible — it’s essential.

The good news? You don’t need a massive PR team or unlimited resources to handle a crisis effectively. With preparation, clarity, and the right approach, charities of any size can navigate turbulent times while protecting their mission and the communities they serve. 

Here are 10 essential tips for managing crisis communications:

1. Create Your Crisis Plan Before You Need It:Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Develop a crisis communications plan during calm times when you can think clearly. Identify potential scenarios that could impact your charity — from data breaches to controversial campaigns. Create template statements for common situations, establish your crisis team (who does what), and ensure everyone has up-to-date contact information. Review and update this plan annually, treating it as a living document rather than something gathering dust in a drawer.
2. Act Fast, But Not Recklessly:Speed matters in crisis communications, but accuracy matters more. Within the first hour of a crisis emerging, acknowledge you’re aware of the situation — even if you don’t have all the facts yet. A simple holding statement like ‘We are aware of concerns raised about X and are investigating as a matter of urgency’ buys you time while showing you’re taking things seriously. Never speculate or share unverified information in the rush to respond.
3. Designate a Single Spokesperson: Mixed messages multiply misunderstandings. Choose one primary spokesperson — typically your CEO or Chair — who will be the voice of your charity during the crisis. Brief them thoroughly and ensure all media enquiries are directed to them. This prevents contradictory statements and ensures consistency. Have a deputy ready as backup, but make it crystal clear to staff, trustees, and volunteers that only designated people speak to media or post on social channels.
4. Be Transparent (Within Legal Limits):Transparency builds trust, even in difficult moments. Share what you know, acknowledge what you don’t know yet, and explain what you’re doing to find out more. If legal or safeguarding considerations prevent full disclosure, say so — people understand there are sometimes constraints. Avoid phrases like ‘no comment’ which suggest you’re hiding something. Instead, try ‘We’re unable to discuss specifics while investigations are ongoing, but we take this matter extremely seriously.’
5. Think About All Your Audiences:Your beneficiaries need different information than your funders, and your volunteers need different reassurance than the media. Map out all your stakeholder groups: service users, staff, trustees, donors, corporate partners, regulators, local community, and media. Tailor your messages appropriately — beneficiaries might need to know services are continuing, while funders want assurance about governance. Don’t forget internal audiences; staff often learn about crises from social media rather than their employer.
6. Monitor and Respond on Social Media:Social media can amplify a crisis at lightning speed, but it’s also where you can share your side quickly and directly. Monitor mentions, hashtags, and comments closely. Respond to legitimate concerns promptly and professionally, but don’t feed the trolls — know when to engage and when to stay silent. Consider pausing scheduled content that might seem tone-deaf during the crisis. If needed, adjust your social media settings to require approval for posts or temporarily limit comments.
7. Show Empathy and Take Responsibility: If your charity has made a mistake, own it. Apologise sincerely, explain what went wrong without making excuses, and clearly outline the steps you’re taking to prevent recurrence. People are generally forgiving of honest mistakes when organisations show genuine accountability. Even if you’re not at fault, show empathy for those affected. Phrases like ‘We understand how concerning this must be’ acknowledge feelings without admitting liability.
8. Keep Your Team Informed and Supported:Your staff and volunteers are your ambassadors. Keep them updated with regular internal briefings — they shouldn’t find out developments from news reports. Provide clear guidance on handling enquiries (usually directing to the designated spokesperson) and talking points for informal conversations. Remember that crises are stressful; check in with team wellbeing and consider bringing in additional support if the situation is particularly challenging or prolonged.
9. Document Everything:Keep meticulous records during a crisis: decisions made, statements issued, media enquiries, stakeholder contacts, and social media activity. Screenshot negative comments before they’re potentially deleted. This documentation helps with post-crisis review, potential legal proceedings, and regulatory requirements. It also helps you track what you’ve told different audiences to ensure consistency. Assign someone specifically to maintain this crisis log — it’s easy to forget in the heat of the moment.
10. Plan Your Recovery:The crisis will pass, but its effects may linger. Once the immediate danger has receded, shift focus to rebuilding. Conduct a thorough ‘lessons learned’ review involving key stakeholders. What worked? What didn’t? Update your crisis plan accordingly. Consider how to rebuild confidence through positive stories, transparency about improvements made, and perhaps increased engagement with affected communities. Recovery isn’t just about moving on — it’s about emerging stronger and more trusted than before.

Remember, every charity faces challenges. It’s not the crisis itself that defines you, but how you handle it. With preparation, transparency, and authentic communication, you can navigate even the roughest waters while maintaining the trust essential to your charitable mission.

The key is to start preparing now, when you can think strategically rather than reactively. Because when a crisis does hit — and at some point, it probably will — you’ll be grateful for every minute you invested in being ready.

However, if you are looking for additional support, explore our PR and marketing services.

Crisis Hits? Your 5-Point Emergency Action Checklist

When crisis strikes, it’s easy to forget crucial steps in the panic. Print this checklist and keep it handy — these are the immediate actions that often get overlooked but can make all the difference:

1. Pause all scheduled social media posts immediately:That cheerful fundraising tweet scheduled for tomorrow? It could land badly mid-crisis. Log into all platforms (Buffer, Hootsuite, native schedulers) and pause everything until you’ve assessed the situation.
2. Alert all staff within the first hour — even if it’s just to say you’re aware:Send a quick all-staff message: ‘We’re aware of [situation] and senior team is responding. Please direct any enquiries to [designated person]. Update to follow by [time].’ Your team shouldn’t hear it first on Twitter.
3. Check your website homepage and remove anything problematic: Review your homepage hero image, pop-ups, and key messages. A celebratory banner or controversial campaign highlight might need temporary removal. Don’t forget to check automated email signatures too.
4. Set up a simple monitoring system:Open tabs for: Twitter search of your charity name, Google News alerts, key Facebook groups, and local media websites. Assign someone to check these every 30 minutes initially. Screenshot anything negative before it potentially disappears.
5. Activate your emergency contact cascade:Within two hours, personally call: your Chair, safeguarding lead (if relevant), key funders if they might hear elsewhere, and your insurance company if applicable. A quick ‘heads up’ call now prevents difficult conversations about why you didn’t tell them later.