A major growth area for public relations has been in the area of nonprofit organizations. Like counterparts in for-profit companies, practitioners in these types of organizations use the same techniques as all other public relations professionals; however, the mission of a nonprofit organization creates unique public relations challenges. Although a nonprofit organization has a different financial mission than a for-profit organization, the practice of public relations both within and outside of the nonprofit organization requires the same communication strategies and public relations techniques as their for-profit counterparts.

The number of nonprofit organizations continues to increase. These organizations deal with a variety of issues including health and human services, membership associations, educational institutions, religious organizations and several other types of not-for-profit areas. Practitioners in these organizations deal with a variety of challenges such as multiple publics, competition in a crowded environment, and crisis communication management.

Faced with these obstacles, practitioners use strategic planning and public relations tools to help nonprofit organizations build relationships with core publics. By focusing on the organization's mission and developing strong internal public relations efforts, public relations can be used effectively to meet the external goals of the organization.

Recent events such as Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 and the Enron scandal have exposed the vulnerability of nonprofit organizations to the consequences of unfavorable public opinion. These events have also justified the need for public relations expertise in strategic planning, crisis planning and comprehensive communication plans for nonprofit organizations.