In these 'Ways to use Guild' articles, we're featuring examples of what Guild users have created with our ad-free, private platform that's purpose-built for creating groups, communities and networks on mobile.

In this article, we look at how Guild can be used to help charities organise their work and connect with volunteers, boards and other stakeholders.

Why do charities use online communities?

You've got social media, your own website, your email newsletters, your LinkedIn page, your CRM - what does a community add to this?

Quite simply, a community can tie all your other work together, save time, help you to amplify messaging and campaigns and inform both content and ways of working.

Charities need private, GDPR compliant spaces to communicate, connect and collaborate with a range of partners including staff, volunteers, supporters, donors and trustees.

Charities on Guild use their communities to support board meetings, connect and engage volunteers, organise campaigns, add value and longevity to training, build relationships with ambassadors and spokespeople, and deliver projects and courses.

10 ways charities can use online communities


Charities can set up and host groups and communities in minutes on Guild. It's as easy to use as other platforms but offers more flexibility, features and privacy.

  1. Create working groups for specific marketing, grants or fundraising activities
  2. Manage a fundraising event and instantly message and update a team of staff and volunteers
  3. Co-ordinate volunteers and their work (see how child literacy charity Bookmark co-ordinates a network of 2000+ volunteers)
  4. Create a trustee group and provide them with the latest news and requests for support
  5. Create an advice and support group/community for your beneficiaries with full oversight of discussion threads
  6. Create sub-groups e.g. regional groups or sector groups
  7. Create a group that helps to source news and ideas for your social media activity
  8. Fill spaces and opportunities for spokespeople and ambassadors (see how InnovateHer is inspiring girls to take up STEM careers with its ambassador community)
  9. Organise, plan and record board meetings (see how Spotlight YOPD organises its board work with Guild)
  10. Hold private conversations with high-profile supporters and experts (take a look at how Beacon collaborative connects philanthropists with an online community)

Why charities build communities with Guild

Connecting with stakeholders and varied audiences can be complicated, time-consuming and costly for charities.

Guild simplifies communications by allowing you to create professional, GDPR-compliant groups, networks and communities that are mobile-first and easy to use - and they can be set up in minutes. You can also:

  1. Customise and brand your groups – you can add your charity logo and header photo to groups
  2. Create safe, separate GDPR-compliant groups for different stakeholders and audiences, e.g. Volunteers, Trustees, Supporters, Members or Beneficiaries etc.
  3. Manage multiple communities from a single account
  4. Pin posts with videos, photos and images in the groups – such as a short welcome message from your CEO
  5. Have private and secure member profiles
  6. Let your members network and connect safely
  7. Measure the engagement within each of the groups
  8. Integrate with your CRM or other platforms using Zapier
  9. Host livestreams and video events and meetups
  10. Create and publish Group Purpose statements, guidelines and rules to ensure the right community culture and behaviour

More examples of how charities use Guild:


Join a dedicated community for charity and non-proft professionals


Do you work in the charity, non-profit or public sectors in digital, marketing, communications or fundraising? Then this is the group for you! Charity, Non Profit and Public Sector Trailblazers is a community for strategists and practitioners at all levels to learn, collaborate, share and blaze a trail for success - apply to join (free) now.

Join Charity, Non Profit and Public Sector Trailblazers

More ways to use Guild

Alumni groups

Event communities and networking groups

Communities of practice

Virtual learning communities

Communities for lead generation

Pop-up event communities

Join Guild 🤝

See for yourself how the Guild experience is different to WhatsApp, Slack, LinkedIn or Facebook Groups. Guild is a safe space to connect, communicate and collaborate with others.

Join us on a platform that is purpose-built for professionals and businesses.

Book a demo


Contact us if you want to know more or have any questions.