Communications is one of six day-long courses offered annually, teaching practical knowledge and skills in core competencies that every nonprofit leader needs to know.

Click here for an overview of Nonprofit Fundamentals.

Communicating clearly and persuasively is vital to a successful nonprofit organization. And because you’re talking about a service or cause, such as day care or land conservation, rather than a product, such as coffee or convertibles, it’s all the more important to be clear.

Learning Objectives
This workshop will cover the tools for effective communication, including: 

• Clarifying who you are – mission development
• Understanding your audience and market
• Message development – thinking through what you want them to know
• Determining the best vehicles from media to letters to visits to internet and email
• Handling outreach during a crisis
• Assessing what works best for you
• Crafting a Communications Plan - a step-by-step guide
  

At the end of the day, you’ll have an action plan for addressing communications in your organization for the future.

Follow-up Support
After completion of the course, attendees can access up to three hours of no cost one-on-one assistance from the instructor in order to help apply what's been learned to the needs of their organizations.  (Note: You must represent a WNC nonprofit in order to qualify for this support.)

Who should take Fundamentals: Communications?
This course is appropriate for representatives from organizations of any size or developmental stage, whether you are new or experienced in the nonprofit field.  We encourage multiple representatives from an organization to attend together.

Instructor:
Nancy Foltz has 20 years experience in communications, working with businesses, foundations and nonprofits.  She is the principal of Communicatia, a communications consulting firm based in Asheville.