Why does visibility determine the future of an organization?

Organisations in Finland and around the world do a tremendous amount of work. They support people in everyday challenges, build a sense of community, help the most vulnerable and drive change without which many things would not happen. But one thing rises above the rest when talking about an organization's potential to make an impact and grow: visibility.

Fewer grants — more need for visibility and impact

The year 2025 brought a cold shower for organisations: money earmarked for STEA grants fell by almost €80 million from the previous year. This is not a small change, but is felt concretely in the everyday life of many actors.

Particularly large cuts were made in new grants. In 2024, more than 80 million euros were allocated, but this year only about 20 million. In practice, the new continuous general grants were not distributed at all, but only for projects of limited duration. While general grants to support continuing operations continued to be granted, the total amount decreased by around EUR 20 million.

What does this mean for organizations?
Above all, it means tougher competition for funding and the need for each player to be able to say more clearly why their work is necessary. When new grants are not distributed at the same pace as before, organizations must seek strength elsewhere: for visibility, for impact and for engaging people.

For many, work in the third sector is an everyday safety net — support without which life would be more difficult. This is precisely why it is important for organisations to be able to demonstrate the importance of their work to funders, policy makers and the general public. The more clearly the effects of the action are seen, the easier it is to justify why the existence and work of the organization deserve support.

So the 2025 funding changes will challenge organisations to innovate: to tell their stories better, to make the results of their work more visible and to build stronger links with the society around them. Even as the euro fell, the need to influence grew even more. (Source: STAR )

Visibility is not a supplement, it is a lifeline

We know that visibility isn't talked about because it's a trending word from the marketing world, and that doesn't mean you have to run to every social challenge or dance on TikTok just for visibility (even if someone might want to). By no means. Visibility is literally the lifeblood of the organization's future. If the work of the organization remains invisible, it also falls short of reaching the people for whom it is intended. More importantly: without visibility, funders, donors, and partners cannot see what good the organization is doing.

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Visibility and funding — Stea's message to organisations

For many organizations, STEA is a mainstay of the economy. When STEA evaluates organizations, one key criterion is how well they reach their target audience. In other words: visibility also decides finance.

If the organization's activities are hidden and its results are not visible, it can be difficult to convince the financiers. Financiers want to see that your work is affected and that people find your services. Visibility is therefore also a strategic precondition for securing funding. And hey, who wouldn't want a good job to show up?

Benefits of Visibility in the Organizational Field

When an organization invests in visibility, the benefits are not just limited to funding. With visibility, you increase trust, influence and partnerships:

1. Confidence comes from visibility. When people see an organization operating openly and transparently, they believe in its values and expertise. -- When you know everything is working as it should, you trust it.

2. Impressiveness is growing. If the message doesn't belong, it won't be affected. The more people you hear and see, the more your actions can change people's lives. Visibility therefore increases vital impact, which is one of the most important criteria for the support world in the jungle.

3. The attractiveness of volunteers and members is growing. People want to belong to meaningful communities. Visibility achieves attractiveness among volunteers and new potential members, allowing the organization to live and grow.

4. Partnerships open up. Companies, municipalities and other organizations are looking for partners they can trust. Visibility makes you easier to find.

5. Misunderstandings are reduced. If there is no readily available information about an organization, people will fill the void with their own assumptions. Open and active communication prevents false rumors from spreading.

Concrete steps towards better visibility

Many organizations think that improving visibility requires huge resources. No, no and no. The truth is another. Even with small steps, you can achieve a lot.

• Is your website in order and at this time? They are the organization's digital home base. Clarity, mobile-friendliness, timeliness and stories make them a strong whole that arouses interest. Think of a website like a cookbook: if the instructions are unclear, no one will prepare the food properly.

• What happens to your social media accounts? You don't have to be everywhere. Choose channels based on the target audience - it is useless to throw a net if the fish do not swim there.

• Who is responsible for social media and does it take time for customer work? When some community knows how to use social media, communication becomes a shared joy and at the same time polyphonic, authentic and coherent.

• Small campaigns. Thematic weeks, story series and sharing everyday experiences can increase visibility a surprising amount.

• Network actively. Visibility is not just about digitality. Be involved in trade fairs, seminars and community events. Meeting people builds trust and spreads the word.

Obstacles to visibility and overcoming them

It is good to identify factors that often slow organizations down the path of visibility:

• Lack of resources. Small organizations do not have a communications team. The solution: take advantage of the volunteers' expertise and focus on the basics.

• Fear of publicity. A lot of people think their own story isn't interesting enough. Truth: authenticity is always more interested than perfection.

• Technical incompetence. Website updating and social media management can be partially or completely outsourced. No need to try to be a code wizard.

When these obstacles are identified, solutions can be found. Visibility, then, is not a nightmare, but an opportunity.

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Outsourced some, partially outsourced some and social education as a visibility booster

A lot of organizations are wrestling with a lack of time and resources, but visibility needs to be taken care of. Here are three cost-effective options:

1. Outsourced some — worry-free solution

Outsourced social media service the organization buys a service from an operator who takes care of content production, publications, and often also answers questions from followers. The main advantage of outsourcing is that the organization gets access to the expertise and time of a professional. You need to have a regular and high-quality presence on social media, and this can be challenging if the organization does not have a dedicated employee in communications. The outsourced service brings continuity and certainty to keeping channels vibrant and professional.

This option is especially suitable for small and medium-sized organizations that do not have their own communication team. The cost of outsourcing may seem large, but often it is ultimately more affordable than hiring your own communications expert. In addition, an outsourced part can improve visibility quickly, as an external operator controls the algorithms, knows trends and is able to apply them to the organization's needs.

2. Partially outsourced part — balance between cost and authenticity

‍If a fully outsourced social media entity seems alien, another option is a partially outsourced one. This means that the organization and an outside partner share responsibility. For example, an organization can produce authentic content from its everyday life — photos of events, volunteer stories, employee experiences — and an outside actor will take care of editing, scheduling, and publishing the content.

With this model, the organization maintains authenticity and its own tone of voice, but at the same time receives the support of a professional who ensures that the content is presented in an attractive and timely manner. Partially outsourced some is well suited for organisations that want to keep a tight grip on their own storytelling, but need help lightening the work and improving quality. This model is also cost-effective, as the service is paid for only part of the work steps.

3. Someone training — strengthen the organisation's own competence

‍The third option is to invest in the skills of your own people through training. Social media training can be a one-time workshop, a few months of coaching or continuous sparring, where employees and volunteers of the organization learn to make better use of the channels.

The training provides tools on how to tell stories attractively, how algorithms work, what is worth measuring, and how to manage interactions with followers effectively. The advantage of training is that the knowledge remains within the organization. With more and more people sharing a message, communication is not up to one person and the community as a whole becomes a visibility builder.

Social training This is especially true when the organization wants to strengthen its own capabilities in the long term. While it does not bring immediate relief to the rush in the same way as outsourcing, it creates sustainable skills and reduces reliance on outside actors.

All three options help the organization increase its visibility cost-effectively and allow it to focus on its core mission -- helping people.

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This training made our social communication more systematic and efficient. Now we know what to do and why.”

— Suiha-Pirtti ry

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Which solution is right for your organization?

‍The choice between these three options depends on the resources, culture and goals of the organization. Fully outsourced some frees up the most time, but requires trust in a partner. Partially outsourced some offers a good compromise where costs remain reasonable and authenticity is maintained. Social media training, on the other hand, builds long-term competence and community strength.

However, all solutions are united by the same result: they help the organization increase its visibility in a cost-effective way, while allowing it to focus on what is the most important function of the organization — the purpose of its activities and helping people. And hey, you always can contact us so let's discuss your needs. There is always a solution.

Visibility for the future consists of courage and authenticity

The organizational field is full of great stories that deserve to be heard. Future visibility is not based on glossy images or perfectly honed campaigns. It is based on authenticity, humanity and courage.

When an organization dares to show everyday work for what it is — successes and challenges — it generates interest in people. People don't crave perfection, they crave honesty.

The future also brings new opportunities:

• Video communications and live broadcasts allow immediate contact with the audience.

• Collaboration with influencers and micro-communities Bringing visibility to new groups.

• Data and analytics help keep track of what works in communication and what doesn't.

When visibility is done right, the organization's story does not remain dusted in the folders, but begins to take on a life of its own. People share their experiences, get excited, get involved, and -- best of all -- funders see in concrete terms that their contribution is getting there. But that doesn't mean visibility should turn into arrogant self-centered advertising; on the contrary, authenticity and a little humor can make a message more catchy and approachable.

Imagine an organization's social media update about a successful project: instead of just dry facts and numbers, you can include a small story about a volunteer who succeeded in a surprising situation, or a funny screenshot from a work vacation. People love stories where they can see themselves or laugh along -- and it's moments like this that make the organization visible and memorable.

At the same time, visibility acts like a personal business card of the organization. It tells outwardly that meaningful work is being done here, and at the same time it builds a sense of community: volunteers feel proud to participate, members find each other, and potential partners see that this organization is one worth collaborating with.

But let's also remember that visibility is not just a one-way horn from which to shout your own achievements to the world. It's dialogue, encounters and interaction. Comments, feedback, questions and small everyday conversations on social media are exactly what makes visibility live and bear fruit. Without this interaction, the message can remain a lonely poster on the wall that no one will notice.

This is where humour comes in: you don't have to be perfect, it's enough to be genuinely present. And if sometimes a social media update goes a bit out of the woods, don't worry — it can be viral too, as long as the excerpt is human and the story is authentic.

Lastly

Visibility is the most important investment of organizations that determines the future of the organization, whether the target group finds the support that the organization provides and whether donors and donors dare to invest in its activities. All this ultimately determines whether the organization's activities grow or remain invisible.

When an organization invests in visibility -- websites, social media, storytelling and transparency -- it invests directly in its own vitality. But visibility must not take resources away from core work, and that's why we're here - to help your organization grow its visibility as well.

So let's make sure together that the work your organisation does can be done more, more effectively and in a more sustainable way.

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