branding — Nonprofit Communications & PR Firm | Nonprofit Marketing Agency | Forthright Advising

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

Eliminating early childhood suspensions: lessons in real-world change

If you asked me a year ago what came to mind when thinking about early care and education, I would have conjured some pretty traditional images. Toddlers adorned with finger paint. Play-Doh of various colors, sculpted into comically unrecognizable shapes. The joyful sounds of children, with their infectious laughs and with their futures brimming with promise. You can, then, imagine what it felt to learn more about a startling truth in early care and education in America: the widespread suspensions and expulsions of young children, many barely old enough to walk. The desire to upend what has become an unfortunate status quo recently led me to Charlotte, North Carolina for the National Black Child Institute’s (NBCDI) national conference.

Nonprofit Communications, Writing and Messaging, Brand/Materials Creation, Communications Campaigns, StorytellingForthright AdvisingDecember 1, 2023elections, equity, Early care and education, branding, messaging, preschool suspension, preschool expulsion, suspensions and expulsions, logo, collaboration, communications campaign

5 tips for better project feedback

Have you ever received a draft of a written or designed document – and your heart sank because it isn’t quite right? We’ve all been there. Here are a few tips to get your creative project back on track!

Nonprofit Communications, Writing and Messaging, Brand/Materials Creation, School District MarketingForthright AdvisingNovember 13, 2023elections, systems, clear communication, advocacy, advocates, feedback, graphic design, writing project, creative project, kickoff call, branding, quality review, creative feedback

What do your logo’s colors say about your brand?

When we work with a client on a branding and logo project that involves decisions about color choices, we always start with strategy. We ask questions such as: What do we want people to feel when they consider the organization? What emotions do we want people to associate with the brand?

Knowing the answers to those key questions can help us make smart color choices.

Brand/Materials Creation, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit Communications, School District MarketingKatie Test DavisMay 25, 2023color psychology, branding, logos, rebrands, collateral creation

3 Things First Graders Taught Me About PR

Most Fridays, my husband and I take half an hour to read to first graders. Not only does the activity keep me grounded in Forthright’s mission and in a school setting each week, but it’s also a great place to be reminded of some communications lessons. Here are three things I’ve learned about communications from spending time reading with first graders.

School District Marketing, Nonprofit Communications, Writing and Messaging, StorytellingKatie Test DavisMay 8, 2020branding, messaging, crisis communication

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