Haven’t quite filled in your content calendar for next month? Use these prompts taken from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts Email Newsletter for your blog posts, social media updates or newsletter articles.

(If you are all set for content ideas in October, sign up for our Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter and you’ll receive November’s prompts early next week.)

On the Calendar

10/1: National Homemade Cookie Day. Share your favorite cookie recipe or have your staff or supporters shares theirs.

10/5: Do Something Nice Day. Encourage your supporters to do something nice for someone else in your name.

10/5: World Teacher’s Day. Point out some of the educators in your field and what they have done for your cause.

10/6: World Smile Day. Share photos of your volunteers or clients smiling and tell their stories. If you are a health related org, you can promote dental health.

10/9: Canadian Thanksgiving Day. Thank your clients, volunteers and supporters.

10/12: Moment of Frustration Scream Day. Vent away or provide some ideas on releasing frustration in a healthy way. Encourage your readers to share what frustrates them on Facebook, Twitter or in the comment section on your blog.

10/16: Dictionary Day. Help your readers define some of the jargon associated with your cause. (Then stop using it in communications to them!)

10/19: Evaluate Your Life Day. Report back to your donors on what’s happening at your nonprofit.

10/28: Make a Difference Day. This is a day to encourage volunteers and community service.

10/31: Halloween. Give us some insight into staff personalities and let us know what they will be for Halloween. Tell us what your favorite candy is. This can be a great time for lighter updates if your org deals with heavy topics.

October is also:
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Diabetes Month
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
National Diabetes Month
Sarcastic Month

Week 1 of October is “Getting Organized Week”
Week 2 is “Fire Prevention Week”
The 14th – 20th is “Earth Sciences Week”

Other Dates:
10/4: World Animal Day
10/10: World Mental Health Day
10:16: World Food Day
10/17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

More October observations

Metaphor of the Month

This month’s metaphor is Sports. Think about teams, teaming up, scoring, winning, losing, competition, practice, game face, slam dunk, heavy hitting, goal, touchdown, three strikes, penalty, take aim, best shot, marathon, sore loser.

How can you relate these things to your organization?

Pop Culture, Events, and News

Many organizations’ Fiscal Years begin on the 1st.

This October has a Friday the 13th.

The MLB Playoffs begin the first week of October with the World Series tentatively scheduled to begin October 24th.

Many communities will be hosting Oktoberfests.

Horror movies will be the big hits at theaters this month with Jigsaw, Leatherface, and Happy Death Day. Other movie releases include Bladerunner 2049, The Foreigner and The Snowman.

Several TV series return for new seasons including Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Walking Dead, The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, Supernatural, black-ish, Scandal, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Mr. Robot, Stranger Things, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and the new reboot of Dynasty.

Source of the Month

Embrace your fears this Halloween season. Be bold and tackle an issue you have been too afraid to write about because it might ruffle some feathers. Or share what scares you.

Want more?

If you want ideas every month, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts E-Newsletter. We’ll send prompts for November in a few days. Just fill out the form below:

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Published On: September 28, 2017|Categories: Writing Skills and Content|