Nonprofit Communications Strategy That Helps People Understand, Trust and Act on Your Work
Your nonprofit’s strategy only matters if the people who matter most understand it, believe in it and know how to act on it.
Our communications work connects what your organization is trying to achieve with the people you need to reach, from donors and funders to program participants, partners, advocates, staff, board members and community members.
Communications is the bridge between strategy and action.
Help people understand who you are, what you do and why it matters.
Strengthen relationships with the people your nonprofit needs to reach and serve.
Move stakeholders to donate, advocate, participate, partner or get involved.
Communications should be a strategic function, not a collection of disconnected tactics.
Many nonprofits are communicating constantly, but not always strategically. Their websites, campaigns, fundraising appeals, talking points, stories, visuals and donor communications may all be moving in different directions. That makes it harder for people to understand what the organization stands for and how to support its work.
Prosper Strategies helps nonprofits build communications strategies that are clear, stakeholder-centered and connected to bigger organizational goals. Whether you need a full marketing and communications strategy, a fundraising communications strategy, or a brand and messaging strategy, we help you communicate in ways that are both effective and aligned with your mission.
Three ways we help nonprofits strengthen communications
Our communications work is designed around the strategic question your organization needs to answer: how do we help the right people understand, trust and act on our work?
Marketing and Communications Strategy
Build an organization-wide or campaign-specific communications strategy that connects your marketing, outreach, content, events, paid media, storytelling and stakeholder engagement to your strategic priorities.
Explore Marketing and Communications Strategy Service 02Fundraising Strategy
Develop a fundraising strategy, case for support or donor communications approach that helps funders understand your work, see their role in it and feel motivated to invest.
Explore Fundraising Strategy Service 03Brand and Messaging Strategy
Clarify your nonprofit’s story, strengthen your brand position and develop messaging that helps every audience understand who you are, why you matter and how they can engage.
Explore Brand and Messaging StrategyOur communications strategy work follows the Nonprofit Strategy System™: People, Strategy and Progress.
The exact process depends on the type of communications work we are doing together, but our method is consistent. We start with the people you need to reach, turn what we learn into a clear strategy, then build the systems needed to move that strategy forward.
People
We begin by understanding your stakeholders: what they know, what they need, what they believe, what motivates them and how your communications can better reflect their priorities.
Strategy
We translate stakeholder insight into the communications strategy, messaging, brand direction, fundraising case or campaign approach your organization needs to move forward.
Progress
We help your team turn strategy into action with clear owners, practical tools, implementation plans, dashboards, training and rhythms for learning and adjustment.
You may need communications strategy support if:
Communications challenges usually show up as surface problems: an outdated website, inconsistent messaging, weak fundraising materials, a confusing brand or a campaign that is not landing. But underneath those issues is often a deeper strategy problem.
- ✓Your stakeholders do not understand what your organization does or why it matters.
- ✓Your team is communicating a lot, but not in a coordinated or strategic way.
- ✓Your fundraising materials do not clearly connect donor support to mission impact.
- ✓Your brand or messaging no longer reflects where your organization is headed.
- ✓You need a campaign, launch or public-facing initiative to move people to action.
- ✓You want communications to become a stronger driver of your strategic plan.
Clearer communications, stronger alignment and practical tools your team can use.
Every engagement is designed around your organization’s goals, but the outcome is always the same: a clearer story, a smarter strategy and the tools to communicate with greater consistency, confidence and impact.
- ✓A clearer understanding of your audiences and stakeholders.
- ✓A communications strategy connected to your organizational goals.
- ✓Messaging that helps people understand what you do and why it matters.
- ✓Brand, fundraising or campaign guidance tailored to your needs.
- ✓Practical tools your team can use across channels and audiences.
- ✓Clear owners, priorities, timelines and implementation steps.
- ✓Measurement systems that show whether communications are working.
- ✓Better alignment between communications, fundraising, programs and strategy.
Our communications work is grounded in Shared Power Strategy™ and the Nonprofit Strategy System™.
That means we do not build communications strategies in a vacuum. We involve stakeholders, center the people and communities closest to your mission, and connect communications to the systems your team needs to make measurable progress.
The core idea
Communications should not just make your nonprofit sound better. It should help people understand, trust and act on your work in ways that advance your mission.
Ready to strengthen your nonprofit’s communications strategy?
Tell us what you are trying to communicate, who you need to reach and what needs to change. We’ll help you determine which communications service is the right fit.
Contact Us | Start Your Nonprofit Marketing or Brand Project
Ready to learn more about partnering with Prosper Strategies for your nonprofit marketing, communications, branding or messaging strategy needs? Get in touch by filling out the form below.
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Frequently asked questions about nonprofit marketing and communications strategy
How long does marketing and communications planning take?
It typically takes 3–4 months to develop a comprehensive marketing and communications plan for an entire organization. Department-specific strategies, campaign plans, and messaging platforms can often be developed in 1–3 months. Timing depends on scope and stakeholder availability.
What is the difference between nonprofit marketing and nonprofit communications?
These functions are closely related and often overlap. Marketing is usually focused on motivating specific audiences to take action, while communications is often broader and includes the way your organization informs, educates, engages, and builds trust with stakeholders.
Read Our GuideDo we need to meet in person to develop our strategy?
No. Marketing and communications planning can often be accomplished remotely. In-person retreats and workshops can be valuable for some parts of the process, particularly messaging and objective development, and we will work with you to determine whether in-person sessions make sense.
Who should be involved in marketing or communications planning?
It depends on your team structure. If you have a chief marketing or communications officer, that person should usually serve as a key partner. We also often recommend a staff committee that includes marketing, communications, and fundraising representatives.
We also aim to involve community members, supporters, program participants, and other stakeholders through surveys, interviews, listening sessions, or draft review so the plan is responsive to real stakeholder needs and preferences.
What differentiates Prosper Strategies from other marketing strategy consultants?
Our most important differentiator is Shared Power™. We build marketing and communications planning processes that deeply engage a nonprofit’s stakeholders, especially the people and communities it serves.
We only work with nonprofits, and our roots in marketing strategy are now paired with deep strategic planning expertise. That gives us a unique perspective on how marketing should advance your nonprofit’s broader strategy.
What does nonprofit marketing and communications planning cost?
Each engagement is custom designed based on scope, timeline, stakeholder engagement needs, deliverables, and implementation support. The best next step is to contact us so we can learn more and share relevant pricing guidance.
Will you respond to our RFP?
We do not typically respond to RFPs in the traditional way, but we are happy to review what you have put together and discuss the best way to move forward.
Read WhyWhat kind of results can we expect?
You can expect a clear, actionable, stakeholder-informed plan; stronger alignment around your messaging and communications priorities; and the systems needed to implement the plan. Depending on scope, deliverables may include pillars, objectives, key results, tactics, calendar, budget, messaging platform, OKR dashboard, and team activity plans.
Results vary based on the priorities and OKRs your team selects. Our clients have seen improvements in brand clarity, likelihood to donate, fundraising revenue, and program participation after implementing their strategies.