Poor PR spending may cost LI nonprofits

Long Island's nonprofits understand the value of good public relations, but most spend very little on getting their message out to the public, according to a survey of such organizations by a Hofstra University professor.

Jeffrey Morosoff, who teaches public relations courses at Hofstra, conducted a survey late last year of 160 Long Island-based nonprofits and found that they are devoting less than 5 percent of their budgets to PR campaigns. And, he found, 87 percent said they will not increase funding this year, due to the pressure of diminishing resources.

"I think they lose funding because they don't communicate well," said Morosoff, who has worked with nonprofits in the past. Nonprofits, he said, can hire college interns to do PR for them or send staff to take low-cost training programs in getting the word out.

Randi Shubin Dresner, chief executive of Mineola-based Island Harvest, one of the region's largest nonprofits, said she has devoted time and effort to PR. But, she said, she has found other organizations could use some training in that area.

"We could have the greatest programs in the world, but if we don't get the message out, no one will know about it," Shubin Dresner said.