Pencils of Promise (PoP) has built a large and engaged following across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms, which has helped amplify the organization’s mission and connect with donors, educators, and advocates worldwide. However, between 2019 and 2020, PoP experienced significant declines in followers and engagement rates, raising important strategic questions about how to maintain consistent digital momentum in the evolving social media landscape.

Although engagement trends are showing recent recovery, it is critical for PoP to understand the causes behind past declines and proactively design strategies that sustain growth across both existing and emerging platforms. This challenge is particularly pressing as nonprofit audiences increasingly expect authentic, dynamic, and platform-specific content that builds trust and deepens connection. Expanding into newer spaces such as TikTok and gaming also presents untapped opportunities for reaching younger demographics in innovative ways.

The opportunity for PoP is not only to regain its growth trajectory but also to establish a resilient, data-informed social media strategy that can adapt to shifting algorithms, changing user behavior, and platform competition. By systematically analyzing historic social media performance, benchmarking against nonprofit sector leaders, and testing creative growth tactics, students will help PoP maximize the reach and impact of its digital presence. This project aligns with PoP’s mission of leveraging every channel available to inspire global supporters and sustain momentum for its education-focused initiatives.