If you are looking to fill in your editorial calendar for September with social media updates, blog posts, newsletter articles, or more, we have you covered.
These ideas come from our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts email newsletter*. If you would like these ideas sent to your inbox a month in advance, sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts. I send this email newsletter the first week of every month with prompts for the following month. For example, I will email the prompts for October late next week. Sign up now to get prompts emailed to you in advance monthly.
*Please double-check any events to see if they have changed due to the pandemic or other current events.
On the Calendar
9/6: Read a Book Day. Review a book that highlights your cause. Suggest books to your volunteers that will help them get fired up. (International Literacy Day is on the 8th)
9/7: Labor Day. Is your organization helping find jobs for those out of work? Interview a volunteer on how they juggle a career and volunteering.
9/10: Swap Ideas Day. Find another nonprofit to collaborate with to share ideas on a common problem. Find a staff member who works in another area and ask them their thoughts on a problem your area has (like what should we include in our content).
9/13: Positive Thinking Day. Share how you WILL eradicate the issues your cause faces.
9/13: Grandparents Day. If you work with seniors, do a photo spread of them with their grandchildren.
9/19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Have fun on social media translating your industry jargon into pirate terms and see if anyone knows what you mean.
9/25: National Comic Book Day. What comic book hero would stand for your cause? What villain would be against you? Can you compare these characters to real-life people in you organization? You can also create your own comic book hero!
9/28: Ask a Stupid Question Day. Is your organization one that’s hard to explain? Know some people who are embarrassed to admit they don’t know the answers? Do a top-ten list of stupid questions you have received. Or turn this idea upside down and take an “apathetic” question like “How can we possibly make a difference, so why bother?” and tell how you will.
September is also:
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- Baby Safety Month
- Self Improvement Month
- Classical Music Month
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
- Hunger Action Month
Other Dates in September:
- International Day of Charity is the 5th
- World Suicide Prevention Day is the 10th
- 911 Remembrance Day is the 11th
- International Day of Democracy is the 15th
- Mexican Independence Day is the 16th
- Rosh Hashanah is the 18th – 20th
- World Alzheimer’s Day is the 21st
- International Day of Peace is the 21st
- Native American Day is the 25th
- World Rivers Day is the 27th
- Yom Kippur is the 27th – 28th
Metaphor of the Month
This month’s metaphor is School. Think about classrooms (both traditional and virtual), textbooks, a syllabus, principals, teachers, students, tests, desks, chalkboard, recess, subjects, computers, tablets, detention, field trips, homework, and report cards.
How can you relate these things to your organization?
Pop Culture, Events, and News
This NFL season is supposed to kick off in September.
The US Open for tennis will wrap up the 13th.
The Academy of Country Music Awards is the 16th.
A Presidential Debate is currently scheduled for the 29th.
The Emmy Awards will be presented virtually on the 20th.
The first day of Autumn is the 22nd.
The iHeartRadio Music Festival is the 27th and 28th.
The 29th is National Coffee Day, but coffee isn’t really my cup of tea.
I am through trying to figure out when movies will start being released in theaters, but in TV news, we have The Boys, Away, Woke, Julie and the Phantoms, The Third Day, We Are Who We Are, Archer, The Devil All the Time, Last Tango in Halifax, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, and The Simpsons.
Source of the Month
Blog Round Up. Pick a topic related to your cause and create a blog post with links to recent articles, studies or blog posts. See our Mixed Links and #NPCOMMLIFE series for examples.
Remember to sign up for our Monthly Nonprofit Writing Prompts if you would like ideas like these sent to your inbox a month in advance.
