Reaching and Engaging with Hispanic Communities:

A Research-Informed Communication Guide for Nonprofits, Policymakers, and Funders

Alicia Torres, PhD, Luz Gurerra, MA, Selma Caal, PhD, and Weilin Li, PhD
*info from lit reviews, focus group data, and provider interviews

But first, let me do a NEEDS ASSESSMENT

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Always, ALWAYS do this before creating communication strategy

Use questionnaire for contact preferences, language preferred, etc.
FOCUS GROUP things we want to know
o Kinds of services parents access
o Ppl parents trust to provide info
related to family well-being
o Parents use of media outlets to
get info
o Ideas on best ways to
communicate with Filipino parents
o Preference for term of self-identity
(Filipino, fil-am, Ilocano), and why
o Thoughts on taglish
messages/flyers

o
o

Tech habits tv/radio/social media

access (mobile, desktop, etc.)
Topics of interest when accessing
internet/info: traffic, weather,
politics, business, health,
medicine, crime, science and tech,
sports, lifestyle (food, exercise,
parenting), art and culture,
entertainment and celebrities

FOR INTERVIEWING PROVIDERS things we want to know

o Orgs communication capacity and use of media and other strategies to
reach/engage community
o Orgs process for developing/delivering messages when engaging members of
community
o How they measure effectiveness and success of communication efforts
o Barriers to/facilitators of communicating to Filipino populations
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Why do we need a communication strategy?

Communication strategy = essential

tool for developing strong and lasting
relationships
Gives prospective funders a way to
evaluate orgs strategy and capacity
by demonstrating the potential impact
and outcomes

Well-crafted message (brochure, PSA,

website):
Attracts new people
Clearly advertise programs purpose,
schedule, costs, eligibility
requirements
Easy for potential participants to selfselect for programs that meet their
needs = saves time for everyone

KEYS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION APPROACH:

Be comprehensive. Use multiple communication channels: TV, radio, flyers, door-todoor, email, org website, social media. Use formats they find most accessible website,
FB, church bulletin, school flyers
Be specific. Target communication based on specific characteristics of the
families/communities your org serves (recognize diversity that exists in the Filipino
community)
Track results. Track monthly to gauge how well comm outreach efforts are reaching
audience
o measure website visits (FB automatically does this)
o phone calls following media placement
o email open rates
o social media likes
o increasing followers

WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW:

Know audience understand background and preferences communities will receive and
interpret messages about services in different ways
Improve ability to engage with community about issues that are relevant to them
Self-Identity: take note of preferences on how community members self-identify
Meaning of family to establish productive relationships, build on the respect Hispanic
comms have for family
o Same in Filipino comm
Direct person-to-person contact is best. Labor-intensive, but effective
Partner with well-respected community leaders to improve outcomes
o Mark Pulido, church groups, parent groups, Filipino associations
Leverage Influencers who can open doors to the community
o Aka opinion leader = someone families turn to for advise/counsel
o Best used to persuade & motivate, not inform
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COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Texting and phone calls complement and reinforce other communication outreach
efforts.
o Textx/calls from classroom teachers/school personnel = mostly positive experiences
o Daily text subscription parenting tips
o LA texting campaign students send text to our number so they can be put on
mailing list give gift in return (sunglasses with org name on it) more impactful
than expected
Face-to-face interaction is best
Phone calls help engage more directly with provider especially the case with low to no
literacy skills
Org website should be mobile-optimized // google prioritizes search results for sites that
are optimized for mobile-access
o Use Google Analytics (paid service) to monitor visitor behavior within specified
time period tech used to access site (mobile, tablet, etc.), geo location, type of
info they searched for, new vs returning visitor, user timings etc
o Index offers steps and guide in Google Analytics utilization
Incorporate appropriate cultural elements (colors, national symbols, sounds)