The massive influx of federal funds meant to help schools recover from COVID-19’s effects—known as ESSER funding—is a lifeline for districts. But, as any seasoned public employee knows…there’s no such thing as free money. The ESSER III funds come with a few strings attached.
Read MoreI get it. Whenever I think about Giving Tuesday and the end of year giving season for our clients, I am hit with a mix of anticipation and excitement, topped with a thin layer of dread. As anyone who has ever worked at a nonprofit knows, while everyone else in the world is settling down with mistletoe and turkey, you’re sprinting full speed into one of the busiest times of year. Never fear— we’ve got your back.
Here are a few tips to make your end of year campaign the best one yet.
Read MoreNow more than ever, it’s time to invest in our principals, our assistant principals, our front desk staff and everyone in a school who communicates with parents. Our school-based communicators deserve thoughtful leadership from our district offices, clear expectations about communications and the tools they need to do a good job.
Read MoreAs we push until the very last moment, now is the time to reuse, repurpose and refresh the things you already know are working—to get even more out of the existing strongest messages, messengers and tactics that can take us across the finish line. Here are four things that you can do in less than 15 minutes to sustain—or build—momentum at the end of an advocacy campaign.
Read MoreIn many communications initiatives, you just KNOW your target audience is going to find fault with your campaign. They are going to have questions, concerns or downright oppose your work.
Once you explain your vision, they’ll say “what I’m worried about is...” and launch into why they don’t support you. What comes after the “what I’m worried about...” is the concern—in other words, the challenge you need to overcome to gain your opposition’s support.
Read MoreThis week, in the second part of our two-part series, we’re diving into hiring. Good hiring takes time, patience and clarity—so the sooner you start the process after receiving a resignation, the better.
Read MoreAmericans are quitting their jobs at a record rate. Korn Ferry calls it an “unprecedented string of walkouts”. News headlines nicknamed it “the great resignation.” However you describe it, the employee turnover in every industry, including ours, is so real right now.
Read MoreAs the seasons change, we’re all craving a bit of new. Here are a few things to think about as you hit refresh on your social media marketing plan for the rest of the year.
Read MoreSo, to get us back in the groove, here’s a fun reading list of the most popular posts for organization leaders like YOU - let them spark your creativity and reconnect you to the work!
Read MoreSince it’s always our goal at Forthright to help make our nonprofit clients’ and partners’ lives easier, we decided to create an actionable guide to nonprofit communication planning. In this three-part series, we’re sharing all of our secrets. We promise you'll walk away eager to plan and ready for success!
Read MoreHow do you make sure you’re targeting the right people? Friend, let me introduce you to a classic concept called powermapping. Organizations have been successfully using this tested tool for years!
Read MoreWhenever we’re working on big announcement launches for clients—be it a new advocacy campaign, a report or fresh research—we specifically avoid launching during the last few weeks of August and early September.
Read MoreAs communicators, our job is to get really great at both push and pull communications, because our audiences need and deserve both.
Read MoreWe asked a few members of our team what they imagine when they hear the phrase “hold your horses.” The results were nothing short of hysterical.
Since it’s always our goal at Forthright to help make our nonprofit clients’ and partners’ lives easier, we decided to create an actionable guide to nonprofit communication planning. In this three-part series, we’re sharing all of our secrets. We promise you'll walk away eager to plan and ready for success!
Read MoreHere’s a brief 101 on Communications Audits to get you started…
Read MoreSince it’s always our goal at Forthright to help make our nonprofit clients’ and partners’ lives easier, we decided to create an actionable guide to nonprofit communication planning. In this three-part series, we’re sharing all of our secrets. We promise you'll walk away eager to plan and ready for success!
Read MoreI find this framework to be helpful in illustrating why the work we do as communicators is SO important! You can see our impact and our deliverables in literally every stage of the funnel.
One of the things I’ve missed most in the past year is meeting with partners, clients, and fellow school communicators in person. As I look at the conference lineup—from sessions about bond campaigns to equity in leadership—I’m filled with excitement to learn from one another as we work together to serve students.
Read MorePlummeting public school enrollment numbers are keeping educators up at night nationwide. That’s why Forthright Senior Advisor Ashley Peterson-DeLuca is sharing strategies for how to build strong relationships with families all year-round.
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