When nonprofits should invest in video

Spending donor dollars should never feel like a waste.

But let’s be honest—it sometimes does. Especially when you invest in video or photos and they don’t turn out the way you hoped.

That sinking feeling isn’t just about money. It’s about the trust behind those dollars.

Here’s the good news: knowing when not to invest is just as powerful as knowing when you should.

And today, I want to walk you through a simple framework: 3 signs it’s the right time to invest in video (and 3 red flags that it’s not).

1. Foundation First: Who Are You, Really?

If you’re a nonprofit under ~$500K in annual funding, still figuring out exactly who you are and what you do… it’s not the right time for video yet.

That’s not bad news—it’s freeing. It means you can focus on clarity first. Until you know who you are and who you serve, any video will just be noise.

Think of it like building a house: foundation first, walls second. Otherwise, it all collapses.

2. Distribution is Everything

This is the one that catches most nonprofits off guard.

If your plan for video is “put it on social and hope for the best,”

I hate to break it to you—that’s not going to work.

Without a donor email list or a grant report to include video in, your ROI will be minimal.

Posting and praying is not a strategy.

But if you do have a distribution channel? Suddenly your video has an audience, and that’s when the investment starts to pay off.

3. Investment, Not Expense

Let’s not sugarcoat it: professional video can be expensive. $3,000… $10,000… even $30,000.

That sounds scary, especially for nonprofits just breaking past that $500K mark.

But here’s the shift: when done right, video isn’t an expense. It’s an investment. The right stories actually generate more donations than they cost.

If a production company can’t show you how they’ll help you track ROI, find another partner. Period.

4. Signs You’re Ready

Here’s the quick checklist I run with clients:

• You know who you are and who you serve.

• You have a donor list or report to distribute to.

• You’re ready to invest, not just “try” video.

  
  

Check even one or two of those boxes, and you may already be in the zone where video starts to multiply your impact.

5. Signs You’re Not Ready (Yet)

Just as important are the red flags:

• You’re still figuring out your mission.

• You don’t have a reliable way to reach donors.

• You see video as a cost, not a growth tool.

  
  

If any of those are true, don’t stress. Use that “not yet” as permission to focus your energy where it’ll actually pay off.

When nonprofits should invest in video:

TL;DR: Video can be a powerful growth tool for nonprofits—but only at the right time. Build your foundation, secure your distribution, and shift from expense to investment mindset. That’s when video stops draining budgets and starts driving donations.

So here’s my question for you:

When do you think nonprofits should invest in video?