nonprofit leadership — Nonprofit Communications & PR Firm | Nonprofit Marketing Agency | Forthright Advising

We’ve all felt that magic moment in a coalition meeting. That instant when two dozen different perspectives click into place behind a brilliant idea. We build coalitions for this very reason – to make change happen that can’t happen when we work in isolation.

I’ve helped manage coalitions, led task forces and been just a quiet participant, so I've also seen the flip side of that magic: the drain of 50 reply-all email chains about scheduling, meetings that drag, alignment that never quite crystallizes.

It’s no wonder this friction saps coalition members’ energy and stalls progress. Coalitions are often powered by passionate people squeezing this work in on top of demanding jobs.

This brings me to the real secret of coalition building. A coalition is only as effective as its internal communications. How we communicate *internally* creates the trust and alignment needed to win *externally.*

Writing and Messaging, Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisNovember 17, 2025internal communications, coalition communications, nonprofit coalition, communication strategy, meeting facilitation, email strategies, nonprofit leadership

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

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

How to get your board's buy-in

We’ve all been there. You and your team have poured endless hours into crafting the perfect communications strategy or advocacy plan. You’re proud, you’re excited… but there’s one last step: bringing it to your board.

As a leader at a foundation or nonprofit, you know that board buy-in is so much more than a rubber stamp or a vote of approval. You want early, sustained trust and partnership that turns a great plan into a smashing success. Getting to that feeling of being "all in" together is the result of a thoughtful, ongoing process.

Here are four simple shifts in the way you work to get that process in motion and earn that buy-in… every time.

Communications Campaigns, Nonprofit CommunicationsKatie Test DavisJuly 17, 2025nonprofit communications, nonprofit board, board members, communications planning, communication goals, strategic communications, getting buy-in, nonprofit leadership

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