News breaks.

Funding is cancelled.

New legislation is enacted.

How do communicators like you find steady ground while everything feels like an earthquake?

We get it. It’s a lot.

Yet charting a stable course on unsteady ground is something we’re pretty darn good at here at Forthright. (In fact, we have data to prove it. We heard from our clients in our 2025 client happiness survey that we’re a shelter in the storm.)

So how do we do it? Let’s break it down.

Nonprofit Communications, Communications Campaigns, About Forthright, Hiring and PeopleKatie Test DavisApril 6, 2026team burnout, communications strategy, breaking-news response, nonprofit communications, workflow protocols, advocacy communications, finding focus, time management, crisis communication, child family advocacy

After 5+ rebrands, I’ve noticed a pattern…

In the same way you wouldn't wear pajamas to a keynote speech, an outdated brand can undermine your organization’s credibility. As we enter the new year, it’s time to ensure your visuals – from fonts and colors to photography – match the heart of your mission.

In this post, you’ll learn about:

The Trust Gap: Why outdated visuals make stakeholders wary of your message.
The Brand Audit: 7 critical questions to determine if you need a refresh.
Refresh vs. Rebrand: How to decide between a full visual overhaul (like our work with Positive Childhood Alliance NC) or high-impact small updates.
45-Minute Team Checklist: A step-by-step guide for your next communications meeting to audit your materials and prioritize updates for 2026.

Brand/Materials Creation, Nonprofit Communications, School District MarketingKatie Test DavisJanuary 21, 2026brand refresh, visual identity, nonprofit marketing, brand audit, communications strategy, rebranding tips, graphic design for nonprofits, how to know if your brand is outdated, brand refresh vs rebranding, building trust through visual storytelling, nonprofit brand consistency guide, 2026 visual branding trends, how to conduct a brand audit for your team, impact of professional photography on brand trust

3 steps to hire amazing comms leaders

We know how hard you work to keep your mission moving. Most of you are running on lean teams with zero capacity to spare.

The search for a comms leader is super high-stakes…

When you don’t have the right teammates, progress stalls. You miss opportunities to connect with funders or supporters. You lose momentum on critical advocacy campaigns. And the burnout on your existing team starts to creep up.

Here’s how to get those birds chirping peacefully again.

Hiring and People, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisDecember 16, 2025communications director, nonprofit leadership, hiring, equity, mission alignment, staff retention, interview questions, communications strategy, how to hire, how to hire for nonprofit jobs, how to hire a good communications director

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.