Posts in Communications Campaigns
What to do now after the election results
What to do now after the election results

At Forthright, we condemn white supremacy, xenophobia, and all forms of hate and oppression. Alongside our clients and partners, we stand firmly committed to the fights for justice, equality and a sustainable future. 

While it may be tempting to succumb to panic and emotional language given the very real challenges we’re up against, we want to invite you to take a deep breath and remember what you know – and be honest about what you don’t. 

After these election results, it’s up to us to advocate even smarter and harder for and with those we serve. We’re not giving up. And I know you’re not giving up, either. 

Here’s where to start. 

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsKatie Test Davisnonprofit communications, nonprofit advocacy during times of uncertainty, communications during elections, crisis communications for nonprofits, how to communicate after Trump's win
Reach *all* parents in your community
Reach *all* parents in your community

Just Google it. I’ll send you the link. Sign up online. 

These days, we assume everyone has internet access at home. But here’s the thing. That’s still not the case. 2024 Pew Research Center data tells us about a fifth of homes in America still don’t have broadband access. 

We’re including tips to reach these families – while celebrating your district – below. 

Read More
School District Marketing, Communications Campaigns, AccessibilityNiki JuhaszReaching families without internet access, Inclusive school communication strategies, How to connect with all families in the district, Marketing school nutrition programs, Direct mail outreach for schools, Inclusive campaigns for school districts, Building brand awareness in school districts
Behind the scenes of one of my favorite projects this year
Behind the scenes of one of my favorite projects this year

“Close your eyes, and imagine an America where we have gotten childcare right.

The Reimagine Childcare Project has spent the last two years co-creating and building a radical new Vision of childcare. 

It imagines a future where childcare looks and feels abundant. 

One where we make sure every child, parent, guardian, and provider is whole and happy. One where everyone has exactly what they need to become who they are meant to be.”

GAH, doesn’t it just give you goosebumps? 

Read More
Brand/Materials Creation, Digital and Social Media, Storytelling, Communications CampaignsKatie Test DavisInnovative Childcare Solutions, Early Childhood Advocacy, Supporting Families and Caregivers, Childcare Resources and Tools, Building Childcare Equity, Childcare Policy and Change, Holistic Child Development, Community-Based Childcare
How to give "an exclusive" to a reporter
How to give "an exclusive" to a reporter

Today, we’re tackling one of the most elusive and confusing parts of media relations: the exclusive. 

Simply put, an exclusive is when you offer a story to one single reporter, and promise that you won’t share the story with anyone else until after your chosen reporter shares the news first.

Let’s break that down. 

Read More
School District Marketing, Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, Media RelationsNiki Juhasznonprofit media coverage, news pitching tactics, offering exclusives, reporter relationships, exclusive news tips, pitching journalists, exclusives in pr, media relations, nonprofit storytelling
Your easy button for new parent communication
Your easy button for new parent communication

Schools have opened their doors for another school year. As a communications professional, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the information sent from our new elementary school. I know exactly when school starts. We’ve gotten our school supplies list and know our teacher assignments and class schedules. 

Yet, as a parent of a kindergartner and a first grader in a new school district, I still have so many questions! For example: What types of opportunities for free play are built into the day? How much screen time are kids actually getting each day? What if my kid falls asleep on the floor because she’s 5 and sometimes just needs a nap?

As a school leader, it’s important to realize that kindergarten parents and new parents are a rare breed. This audience doesn’t have the experience or insights that your returning families bring to a new school year. Everything is new for them, and your communications efforts must reflect that – not just during this back-to-school season, but throughout the year. 

By helping families understand what their child’s day looks like during school, they become more confident and comfortable with their decision to share their children with you and your staff. 

Read More
School District Marketing, Communications CampaignsLauren Empsonback-to-school, students, parents, parent communications, school communications, new families, kindergarten
Connect with your community by knowing your history
Connect with your community by knowing your history

As communicators, it’s our job to deeply understand what came before us. For example, knowing about child care’s roots in chattel slavery can help you communicate effectively about workforce challenges. Knowing the history of de- (and recent re-) segregation can help public school communicators better connect around school closures and redistricting. 

Great communicators are history experts and are constantly absorbing news and context. We're sharing tips about when and how to think about history here.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Communications Campaigns, School District MarketingKatie Test Davisnonprofit communications, education leadership and history, cultural competence in education, inclusive messaging for nonprofits, historical context in advocacy, youth engagement in public spaces, community focused public relations, nonprofit branding and history, youth centered nonprofit partnerships, policy campaign communication tactics
Ensure people understand your work
Ensure people understand your work

A logic chain is a tool your team can use to align around: 

  1. what you want your audiences to understand about your work;

  2. what you want your audiences to believe as a result of what they understand; and

  3. the specific, concrete action you want your audiences to take. 

Starting with a logic chain when creating a strategic communications plan or before conducting a communications audit ensures your messaging and strategies are laser focused on your end goal. 

Here’s a full visual (and examples!) for how the logic chain works.

Read More
Most Popular, Writing and Messaging, Storytelling, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit Communications, About ForthrightEmily Swartzlanderlogic, logic chain, audiences, messaging, systems, complex issue, build understand, reach audiences, simple messaging
Create a tactics plan that actually delivers 📦
Create a tactics plan that actually delivers 📦

Getting to the tactics phase of your communications campaign is exciting – you’ve selected your audiences, your messaging is on point and you're ready to put all that hard work out into the world and make change happen. *It's showtime!* 

Of course, you need to make sure that those tactics go to work for you, and that means narrowing in on the biggest bang-for-your-buck activities that you can truly deliver.

And, as very busy leaders and advocates, you’re looking for reliable, simple, valuable, tried and true, foolproof options… you want the "easy button" plan. 

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsZoe Alexis WhitehornNonprofit communications, communications campaign, audience targeting, tactics planning, marketing strategy, easy tactics, social media strategy, website optimization, community outreach, offline marketing, thought leadership
Get people to do what you want them to do
Get people to do what you want them to do

 In 2017, Stanford Social Innovation Review begged nonprofit leaders to “stop raising awareness already.” 

They wanted action. They wanted change. They wanted advocates to take their work to the next level. 

I think we can all agree that right now – in this chaotic year of 2024 – moving our audiences to take action is more critical than ever. No matter what your campaign, your call to action (CTA) needs to be powerful, or it won’t work.  

That’s why we’re sharing quick tips (backed by data from Harvard and Stanford experts) on how to craft a strong CTA.

Bonus: we’re including do’s, don’ts and examples for every recommendation! 

Read More
Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit Communications, School District MarketingNiki Juhaszwrite a strong call to action, calls to action for nonprofits, calls to action for school district, how to move people to action, win my nonprofit campaign
🎧Listen up! 3 podcasts that’ll teach you a comms lesson
🎧Listen up! 3 podcasts that’ll teach you a comms lesson

Confession: I love podcasts. I’m currently following *34* different podcasts, and I’m always looking for more to add to the list. 

To me, the best podcasts take lots of research and data, add thorough reporting and beautifully crafted storytelling, and deliver episodes that make you think long after you’ve stopped listening. 

Lately, I’ve come across several episodes that showcase communications best practices “in the wild.” They have me thinking about how we can better do the work we all do to support children and families. Today, I’m highlighting those episodes and the comms best practices they feature. 

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, Writing and Messaging, StorytellingEmily Swartzlanderstorytelling, values and barriers, podcasts, communications best practices, Radiolab, Search Engine, A Slight Change of Plans, Zoozve
Recharge today to reimagine tomorrow
Recharge today to reimagine tomorrow

We care for ourselves not only to reap the individual benefits (when I get eight hours of sleep, my skin looks amazing!) but also to show up maximally for the people and causes we care about. Our team can help you communicate your message to anyone – it’s true – but if you don’t listen to you when you need a break, friend, we’re all at a disadvantage. 

To get us ready for a less-stress, greater-good summer, Jon Jon is sharing tips to clock out of the overwhelm, tune in to your body, and maybe even…feel good about it?

Read More
Most Popular, Storytelling, Communications CampaignsKatie Test Davisself-care, rest, Recharge so we can reimagine the world, Doomscrolling, Burnout prevention
Fresh polling data for you to use in your work
Fresh polling data for you to use in your work

We know election years are a great time to recalibrate your communications strategy. Why? Because election years mean lots of research and media organizations are gathering extra juicy data about how people are thinking and feeling. 

You can use all this fresh polling data to guide your work!

We’ve pulled the latest and greatest data about how Americans are feeling and what they care about, and today, we’re going to share three of our key findings and takeaways with you. 

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, Writing and MessagingEmily Swartzlanderelections, audience analysis, storytelling, voter data, values and barriers, research, communications plans, simplify your writing, paid leave, child care
Create new community relationships
Create new community relationships

To succeed in communications, your audience must be at the center of everything you do! But getting in front of your target audience isn’t always that easy. That’s why as part of your campaign or announcement, you need to reach not just your audience, but the people who influence your target audience. That’s where making community connections comes into play.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, School District Marketing, Communications CampaignsKatie Test DavisTarget audiences, influencers, faith leaders, healthcare providers, business leaders, realtors, conferences, materials creation, community connections, communications campaigns, how to reach your audience, how to engage with your community, tips for nonprofit community building
Part 2: How to reach your board
Part 2: How to reach your board

This is the second part of a two-part series on communicating with your board members. In part one, we looked at the characteristics of a typical board member, and provided tips on how you can give thorough updates to your board. 

This week, we’re diving into when and how to send updates. We make recommendations for cadence, as well as how to root your updates in your nonprofit’s mission.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsZoe Alexis WhitehornNonprofit communications, nonprofit board, board members, tips, communications planning, communication goals
Part 1: Tips for keeping your board in the loop
Part 1: Tips for keeping your board in the loop

As a nonprofit leader, you know just how important communicating with your board members is. Board member awareness, buy-in, input and collaboration…well…it all matters.

Boards may play many different roles depending on your organization, but they share one important characteristic: they’re essential partners in your organization’s success. 

That’s why we created a series of tips for communicating with your board. For this first installment of our two-part series, let’s start by understanding board member capacity for information, and how to create a great board update.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsZoe Alexis WhitehornNonprofit communications, nonprofit board, board members, tips, communications planning, communication goals
Comms tips for coalitions
Comms tips for coalitions

Love them or hate them, we can all agree on one thing – coalitions Get. Things. Done. And all high-impact coalitions have at least one factor in common: they effectively communicate with their audiences at all stages of the coalition lifecycle. 

At Forthright, we’ve worked with a number of coalition partners (some that are just starting up, and others that are well established.) We know that bringing the right communications strategy at the right time can help you have even greater impact. That’s why I’m sharing communications tips for every stage of your coalition!

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, Most Popular, Storytelling, Writing and Messaging, About ForthrightEmily Swartzlandercoalition building, communications tips for coalitions, tips for strong coalitions
How to reach families without internet
How to reach families without internet

Reaching families without internet access isn’t a new challenge for communicators. As of last year, one in five households in America were unable to get online at home. 

But in April, millions more families across the country are poised to lose their online access as the Affordable Connectivity Program funding runs out. 

This could make reaching kids and families in your district or community more challenging. So today, I want to take a moment and share what we’ve learned about reaching and supporting offline families.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Brand/Materials Creation, Accessibility, Communications Campaigns, Digital and Social Media, Most Popular, School District Marketing, Storytelling, Writing and MessagingEmily Swartzlanderbroadband, internet, no internet, free resource, reaching families, tactics, Reaching families without internet access, Low bandwidth communications tactics
Get more students into your schools: A free + easy guide for public school districts
Get more students into your schools: A free + easy guide for public school districts

When we see threats to our public schools – such as continuing declines in student enrollment, and politicians pushing for privatization and school voucher programs – we want to help.

That’s why we created our free downloadable guide: How to (Re)+Build Your District’s Numbers: Your Planning Guide to Personalize Communications.

Read More
Communications Campaigns, School District MarketingNiki Juhaszhow to get more students in my schools, public school district marketing best practices, student enrollment campaigns, student enrollment marketing, how to talk about public schools, public school marketing, school district marketing
Convince your leadership to love comms
Convince your leadership to love comms

Too often, an organization’s communications team is buried several levels removed from the leadership team. We’ve seen it all: the comms teams nestled in Development, over in Policy, part of IT, or even reporting to Finance and HR. As someone who has been both a C-suite exec AND a comms director, I get it. Today, I’m using both these experiences to share how to build two-way trust when it comes to communication-centric tasks.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Hiring and People, Communications CampaignsKatie Test Davis2023 reflections, building trust, communications team tips, working with executive team, questions communicators should ask, setting communications goals, communications metrics
How to write welcoming messaging
How to write welcoming messaging

As leaders in the child and family advocacy space, the words we use matter. How we talk about families and children matter. When we use language based on assumptions – so, for example, in the case of mom and dad – we are unintentionally prescribing relationships that may not exist for all families in our community. Here’s your guide to inclusive family language.

Read More
Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, Brand/Materials Creation, Storytelling, School District Marketing, Writing and MessagingKatie Test Davis2023 reflections, Inclusive family language, margaret middleton, nonprofit messaging, school district writing, family language, caregivers