Translation and localization in the nonprofit industry

Nonprofits bring initiatives and challenges to the world, target solutions to various global questions, and support those who need help. They unite people around missions and values to make this world a better place. Thus, nonprofits talk to everyone ready to hear, and localization is an effective way for them to find like-minded people.

However, internet users today get a significant amount of information (scientists claim that the average user processes 74GB of information daily), so getting into their line of sight is complicated. One of the best options for being visible is talking to people in their native language; that's why localization is necessary for nonprofit organizations' development and growth.

Read more about how the fundraising platform WhyDonate accelerates its localization with Lingohub.

When talking about the nonprofit's presence on the web, 91% of them have a website, and 20% have websites available in more than one language. The donors now are also entirely digitized , with 63% preferring to give using a credit or debit card, 16% by email, 10% through Paypal, 5% via wire transfer, only 4% in cash, 1% through a digital wallet, and 1% using text-to-give. This data shows how the web is essential for nonprofits to get donations and proceed with their activity.

Attracting local donors and volunteers is a key target when the organization goes global, and localization provides this by the following factors:

• Enhanced communication as the organization offers clear and transparent messages for the audience;
• Raised engagement because of reflecting local customs, values, and norms;
• Trust and rapport, due to the same language, work both for donors and those seeking help.

To reach all these points, nonprofit organizations should have a clear localization strategy and understand the habits and cultural nuances of the new regions.

Essential components of the nonprofit localization

1. Not only website localization.

Translation and localization of websites and applications is undoubtedly a high-priority task. However, other channels, such as social media, must also be considered. The thing is that charity is an empathic and human-oriented activity that refers to human emotions, so social media is a much better option for talking "directly," showing stories, and communicating questions and suggestions.

According to the latest estimates , the average user from the USA spends 33.1 minutes on Instagram, 53.8 minutes on TikTok, and 34.1 minutes on Twitter. Using messages that resonate with audiences, nonprofits can represent their mission and involve additional users via this channel.

2. Transparency in everything

Ensure that your reports are localized per region. Allow donors and all interested in your activities to get transparent info in their native language to see how many initiatives were supported.

This transparency fosters trust and demonstrates responsibility, making it easier to understand the effectiveness of your programs and feel confident in their support. By presenting data in the local language, you can highlight region-specific achievements and challenges, providing a more precise picture of your organization's regional impact. Such an approach can enhance donor engagement and help attract local volunteers and partners.

3. Legal and payment methods considerations

Besides keeping the translation and cultural adaptation high, nonprofits should address legal issues and provide payment methods that are familiar to users to ensure smooth operations. Here included:

• Compliance with the legal laws and requirements of each country in which the organization operates;
• Compliance with the regional data protection and privacy rules;
• Compliance with employment laws when hiring local staff and volunteers;
• Compliance with accounting and financial standards. These documents differ based on country; for example, SORP in Great Britain, AcSB in Canada, or FASB in the USA;
• Providing the local payment methods that are popular and trusted in certain regions (e-wallets, apps, bank transfers, mobile payments, etc;)
• Implementing secure payment gateways that comply with local regulations and international security standards, such as PCI DSS.

4. Localize your messages, not a text

Localization is not just a translation, so besides accurately translating the existing content, rethink the motivation and vision of your regional donors to stay on the same wave with them. Build your messages according to the audience's values and show respect.

One of the latest donor trust reports highlighted the correlation between charities' support and how they represent diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI.) For people, it is essential to help companies whose values ​​coincide with theirs. Thus, 34% of respondents from Canada and the USA said they would not donate to a charity that uses culturally insensitive images and language, and 17% would not donate if the charity's board lacks diversity.

5 reasons why Lingohub is the best option to support nonprofit organizations

Working with different industries, we understand how important it is for organizations to have tools specific to their unique needs. Besides high content quality requirements, nonprofits often face challenges such as limited budgets, diverse audiences, and constantly changing people in the projects (volunteers). Below are five reasons why Lingohub is a perfect fit for a nonprofit organization.

• Cost-effectiveness and flexible pricing plans. No matter how small or big your project is, you can find a suitable solution to meet your requirements. Lingohub provides CAT features to ALL pricing plans so you can have a high-level experience with any subscription.
• Effortless collaboration for the localization teams. Lingohub is where your entire team can easily communicate and synchronize their efforts. Our discussion tools allow consultation about any question that arises while the system provides full transparency of the project's progress.
• Custom user roles. With Lingohub, you can create your own custom roles and assign them to users. Hired new volunteers only for separate projects? This can be easily handled with our custom roles - you will provide access only to the needed part of the workspace.
• Tools that support consistency. With Lingohub, you can create a style guide and term base that applies to all the projects within your workspace. These instruments ensure that your team members follow the same rules and suggestions.
• Localization transparency. No matter how many projects you have and the size of your team, Lingohub's platform empowers you to monitor progress and effortlessly receive detailed activity reports. Our platform provides cost and work reports and multiple logs, ensuring transparency in the localization process.

If you want more information about how Lingohub can support your nonprofit organization, schedule a quick demo call with our team, and let's grow together!