Using Social Marketing to Raise Funds for Prevention Programs

Effective prevention programs are worthy products, but they do not necessarily sell themselves. Social marketing strategies can be used to encourage donors to sustain preventive interventions financially. Viewing potential program funders as the target audience, this paper defines major audience segments, suggests audience research materials, and raises other marketing considerations. Examples of the application of social marketing principles to fundraising are drawn from the experiences gained during the Prevention Marketing Initiative (PMI) Local Site Demonstration Project, as project sites sought ongoing financial support at the end of their federal demonstration funding period.