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How to create the perfect communications toolkit

How to create the perfect communications toolkit

When we get fellow advocates, board members, families, business leaders, faith leaders, and youth themselves involved in a cause, we’re unstoppable. But our partners and fellow advocates are BUSY. Like...eat some guac, chips and an apple for dinner and call it a well-balanced meal kind of busy. (It's me. I'm fellow advocates).

That's why to get partners involved, we need to make group advocacy easy. That’s where communications toolkits come into play.

Here are some questions and tips to get you started.

Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Storytelling, Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsNiki JuhaszJanuary 20, 2026nonprofit grant proposals, grant proposal best practices, communications in grant proposals, nonprofit communications, nonprofit grant writing, how to write a nonprofit grant proposal

How to get people to remember your message

How to get people to remember your message

We all have our favorite stats. (Okay, maybe not all of us. But at Forthright, we have our favorite stats. We’re nerds.) One of mine is about what it takes for people to REALLY remember your message. It’s called the Marketing Rule of Seven, and it’s pretty simple.

A person has to see or hear a message about seven times before it starts to resonate. Add to this number (say… 14 times) if your topic is particularly tricky, such as infant mental health or adolescent brain development.

The key to the Marketing Rule of Seven is twofold:

Using the same or similar message to build understanding, interest and buy-in
Repetition, repetition, repetition

You start with your core messaging. You make sure *everyone* in your organization is using it. And then you use it everywhere, over and over. Not only does this save your team time and effort, it helps your audience remember your message, too!

So what does this look like? We’re glad you asked! Here’s just one example of it in action.

Brand/Materials Creation, Digital and Social Media, Communications Campaigns, Writing and Messaging, School District Marketing, Nonprofit CommunicationsNiki JuhaszJanuary 20, 2026how to save nonprofit team time, save foundation team time, how to make communications easier, creating nonprofit materials, creating foundation materials, Marketing Rule of Seven

How to edit AI to sound like you

Something felt off… I was reading the latest newsletter from a health group I’ve admired for years. While I’ve always felt connected to the leader whose expert voice I trust, this time, her voice was gone.

The warmth and personality were replaced by sentences that felt a little too perfect, a little… familiar. It was the unmistakable voice of careless AI.

That icky feeling was a reminder: When our writing sounds like it could have been written by anyone, our audiences lose connection.

By blindly accepting AI-created drafts, we risk creating "workslop," or low-quality, generic content that does more than just waste time. It leads to a boring, indistinguishable voice that erodes the trust you've worked so hard to build.

Listen, I’m obsessed with AI. It’s a magical assistant that can make our work smarter. (For me, the excitement is in the everyday partnership. Summarize things! Tell me I’m wrong! Make my project plan more flexible!)

✨ But when it comes to content, it’s humans who have that good, good sparkle. ✨

Think of it this way: if any organization could say it that way, then you shouldn't say it all.

From a not-for-profit to a yes-we-profit!

From a not-for-profit to a yes-we-profit!

Lately, we’ve seen an influx of nonprofit clients who are coming to us ready to turn their beloved programs into profit centers for their organization. Clients who are taking programs that have historically been paid for by foundations, and instead of solely relying on funding, figuring out ways to make them replicable, accessible and cheaper.

They are rethinking their income streams. While doing that, they are reclaiming their own self-sufficiency.

Ready to reclaim your non-profit’s power and become a yes-for-profit? Here are four phases and some questions to get you started.

Brand/Materials Creation, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisNovember 12, 2025nonprofit revenue, earned income for nonprofits, nonprofit sustainability, how to generate revenue for a nonprofit, nonprofit business models, fee for service nonprofit, social enterprise, nonprofit leadership, nonprofit mindset shift

We dare you to say less

We dare you to say less

Starting my career in policy, I loved the long and winding wonky road. I believed more detail meant more credibility, and my early training taught me to love a 10-dollar word instead of a perfectly perfect 10-cent word. Our most important job, especially in 2025, is to be generous with our audience's time. That means doing the hard work of making our message simple. Here’s how to make it happen.

Digital and Social Media, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Storytelling, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisOctober 15, 2025nonprofit communications, advocacy, clear messaging, jargon, storytelling, call to action, strategic communications, simple writing, core messages, nonprofit leadership

Scaling a strong, consistent brand message

You are ambitious.

You want everyone to know your organization – you want the front page of the paper, the brightest billboard in Times Square, every celebrity endorsement.

You need to ensure you have a strong, consistent brand message. Yet you’re a small nonprofit., so (of course) you’ve got caviar dreams on a tuna fish budget.

You know what we say to that? Keep dreaming big.

Here’s our guide to making a big brand splash with a small team.

Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisOctober 6, 2025nonprofit marketing, branding, brand consistency, core messages, communications strategy, spokesperson training, marketing on a budget, public relations, nonprofit communications, small business branding, brand messaging, storytelling

How to avoid the dreaded "scramble" 🍳

How to avoid the dreaded "scramble" 🍳

It’s a familiar feeling. You know the one…

“OOPS! We completely forgot. It’s time to do that project again.”

It sounds like…

“Oops – we totally forgot to start on the Annual Report and now we need to run a sprint to meet the big donor meeting deadline.”

“Oops – we forgot to do our yearly update of the website, and now an important policy partner is reviewing last year’s outdated information.”

It’s the WORST! I hate it when an annual project that you KNOW (gosh darn it!) happens every year sneaks up on you, and you’re left scrambling to get it done.

So let’s make a pact – eh? This year will be the last year that projects sneak up on you from behind and spook you into action. Here’s how to prevent the dreaded scramble.

How to fund comms through grants

How to fund comms through grants

You’re working on that big grant proposal. I’m talking hours of research, planning and writing to craft that perfect pitch. But before you send it, wait! Did you remember to budget for actually telling people about the great work you’ll do if you win the funding?

Today, I’m sharing why you should include communications in your grant proposal.

Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Storytelling, Nonprofit Communications, Communications CampaignsNiki JuhaszJune 26, 2025nonprofit grant proposals, grant proposal best practices, communications in grant proposals, nonprofit communications, nonprofit grant writing, how to write a nonprofit grant proposal

Why we love photos of real people

If you want to gain attention in the ever-crowded online world, you have to put yourself out there. That is, you have to put your face out there.

There’s research that shows using authentic photos of you and your colleagues is not just a powerful way to get people to pay attention – it can help build trust, too.

Here’s four reasons that will convince even introverts like me to use real photos in digital communications:

Digital and Social Media, Brand/Materials CreationKatie Test DavisJune 5, 2025website design, social media design, photography, headshot, photo shoot, video, psychology, cognitive science, trust, authenticity

The lawn sign that changed my life

The lawn sign that changed my life

It’s finally – FINALLY starting to warm up. (Your girl is not meant for the winter.) That means some days, I’ll take a lunch run to enjoy the sunshine.

I was on one of these runs last week, bored and thinking about needing to mix up my exercise routine. And then I passed a lawn sign. It simply said:

Free Outdoor Workout Classes

And then included a QR code.

While I’ve been a TAD dramatic saying it changed my life, this is brilliant marketing.

Here’s why:

Nonprofit Communications, School District Marketing, Brand/Materials Creation, Digital and Social Media, Communications Campaigns, Writing and MessagingNiki JuhaszMay 20, 2025billboard best practices, lawn sign best practices, smart marketing for nonprofits, smart marketing for associations, smart marketing for foundations, how to catch my audience's attention

Why I’ve got LFG energy

Why I’ve got LFG energy

I’ve heard many experts compare the first few months of 2025 to the first few months of the COVID pandemic. People are feeling unsure, overwhelmed, confused and paralyzed. (That’s by design, by the way.) Yet, we learned during COVID that pausing your outreach and communications work is the wrong choice.

While we may need to shift our work – to change it to meet the moment – coming to a standstill is ultimately harmful for our communities. Here’s what you should do next.

Brand/Materials Creation, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisApril 28, 2025nonprofit advocacy right now, how to move our advocacy forward, nonprofit storytelling campaigns, association storytelling campaigns, foundation storytelling campaigns, storytelling best practices, social media advocacy

How to find your trusted messengers

How to find your trusted messengers

In times of mistrust, it’s time to call in the reinforcements and boost your trusted messenger game.

Messengers are the people who influence your target audiences. They can support your work in a variety of ways – from sharing your posts on social media, to posting about your programs on their neighborhood listservs to sponsoring your programs.

Trusted messengers are people, or groups of people, your audiences are most likely to listen to. We’re sharing more strategies to harness their power in this blog.

Brand/Materials Creation, Most Popular, Writing and Messaging, Communications CampaignsEmily SwartzlanderApril 16, 2025trust, messengers, trusted messengers, messaging, audience research, core messaging, audiences, know your audience, finding the right messenger, identifying the best messenger

Why your people are stuck + how to fix it

Why your people are stuck + how to fix it

People are ready to fight back. They are ready to help. They are ready to "make good trouble."

Your audiences are looking for someone to tell them what to do.

If you’re a nonprofit or association leader, the person they are looking to is YOU. 🫵We’re sharing tips for how to do empower them today.

Most Popular, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit Communications, About ForthrightKatie Test DavisApril 7, 2025flooding the zone, overwhelming your audiences, freeze mode, messaging clearly, simplify your messaging, building clarity in messaging, single ask messaging

Unlock stronger coalition comms with a unified brand

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how coalitions can improve advocacy efforts by aligning around core messages and creating easy-to-use resources to better reach your audiences.

Today, I want to talk about the next step in successfully communicating about your coalition: creating a coalition brand.

Most Popular, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit Communications, About ForthrightKatie Test DavisApril 4, 2025brands, branding for advocates, coalitions, coalition comms, advocacy, partnership, how to brand, branding coalitions, coalition branding best practices

Our best project management tips

Our best project management tips

You worked so hard on that campaign. It’s so, so close to finished…and then someone comes in and blows it all up. 💥

We’ve all been there. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You CAN have smooth processes and easy review rounds. We promise a brighter future exists.

Today, we’re sharing three tips – tactics we use with our own clients – to make sure your projects have a clear process and a clean launch.

How do we do it? Let’s dive into our special sauce.

Nonprofit Communications, Brand/Materials Creation, Communications Campaigns, School District MarketingNiki JuhaszMarch 19, 2025smart nonprofit project management, how to get design feedback, how to plan a nonprofit project, smart foundation project management, smart association project management, association communications, foundation communications

Calling coalitions: 3 steps to advocate effectively

Calling coalitions: 3 steps to advocate effectively

Coalitions have the power to create real, lasting change for children and families. And in times of uncertainty (like – you know – right now), coalitions can be particularly powerful.

But to create successful advocacy campaigns, coalitions need thoughtful, data-backed communications that work for all partners involved. On top of that, coalition leaders must ensure your work together is aligned so audiences can understand your vision and know how to take action and support your efforts.

Fortunately, coordinating your coalition’s communications work is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

Nonprofit Communications, Writing and Messaging, Brand/Materials Creation, Communications CampaignsEmily SwartzlanderMarch 7, 2025coalitions, advocacy, coalition comms, toolkits, logic model, partnerships, network, advocates

Get the right eyes on your new report

Get the right eyes on your new report

So you have new data, and you want to share that information with the world!

A report release can be a wonderful way to get eyes on your organization. But, take it from me – as someone who LOVES a good, ole’ fashioned report release – they can be a TON of work.

Before you start putting pen to paper, I want to share a few key questions to ask yourself as you prepare for your own report release.

Digital and Social Media, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Storytelling, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisFebruary 17, 2025report, report release, report writing for nonprofits, public relations for research reports, data visualization for reports, education research dissemination, nonprofit report release strategy, early childhood policy report, how to engage stakeholders with data, visualizing data in education reports

How to help overwhelmed parents

How to help overwhelmed parents

Parents and caregivers need our help.

I’ve led work that supports parents and caregivers for two decades.

I’ve also been a parent for nearly 13 years.

And over time, I’ve noticed a growing trend. Parents and caregivers are overworked, overstressed and overwhelmed – and it’s impacting their health.

As communicators and leaders, there are three easy guidelines you can follow to ensure your messages break through the noise to reach this overwhelmed (but critical!) audience.

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?

Brand/Materials Creation, Digital and Social Media, Storytelling, Communications CampaignsKatie Test DavisOctober 26, 2024Innovative 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

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.

Nonprofit Communications, Brand/Materials Creation, Writing and Messaging, Media Relations, Communications Campaigns, School District MarketingKatie Test DavisAugust 20, 2024nonprofit 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