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SUMMARY:Nonprofit Strategic Communications
DESCRIPTION:A new professional development series hosted by Nonprofit Austin at ACC.\n\nStrategic Communications Certificate \nProgram Purpose\nThis certificate equips nonprofit practitioners with the practical skills required to communicate strategically\, drive action\, build trust\, and generate sustainable support across their organizations. \nCapstone Integration\nThroughout the certificate\, participants will develop an applied strategic communication project based on a real need within their organization. Depending on the participant’s starting point\, the project may involve creating a new strategic communication plan\, strengthening an existing plan\, or developing a focused communication initiative. Each module will provide concepts\, tools\, and practical work that participants can apply to their project. During the final session\, participants will present their work and receive feedback from instructors and peers. \nCurriculum Structure (8 Sessions) \nModule 1: Foundations of Rhetoric & How Communication Works\nSummary: This module introduces the core principles of rhetoric and audience-centered communication. Participants will learn how messages are interpreted\, how meaning is constructed\, and how to design communication that influences perception and action. \nCompetencies: \n\nApply foundational rhetorical principles (ethos\, pathos\, logos) in communication\nRecognize how audience perception shapes message effectiveness\nStructure communication for clarity\, relevance\, and influence\nInitiate development of a strategic communication plan framework\n\nModule 2: Communicating Value & Impact\nSummary: This module focuses on developing clear\, consistent messaging that communicates organizational value and impact to funders\, partners\, and the community. \nCompetencies: \n\nDevelop clear and compelling value propositions\nCommunicate organizational impact effectively to different audiences\nTranslate mission and outcomes into consistent messaging\nCreate messaging frameworks that can be used across channels\n\nModule 3: Stakeholder Engagement\, Influence & Partnerships\nSummary: This module focuses on how organizations build relationships that drive results. Participants will learn how to engage stakeholders\, apply principles of influence\, and develop strategic partnerships. \nCompetencies: \n\nIdentify and prioritize key stakeholders and partners\nApply principles of influence and persuasion in nonprofit contexts\nBuild and maintain long-term\, trust-based relationships\nDevelop partnership strategies that extend organizational impact\n\nModule 4: Communication Alignment\, Risk & Reputation\nSummary: This module examines how communication moves across internal and external audiences and shapes organizational trust\, credibility\, and reputation. Participants will learn how to align messages across stakeholder groups\, reduce communication breakdowns\, identify communication risks\, and respond effectively in high-stakes situations. The module recognizes that communications intended for an internal audience can quickly become external and that organizations must communicate with consistency across an increasingly interconnected stakeholder environment. \nCompetencies: \n\nIdentify and address gaps or inconsistencies across internal and external communication\nAlign messaging across employees\, board members\, partners\, funders\, media\, and community stakeholders\nAssess communication risks and their potential effect on organizational reputation\nPrepare for and respond to high-stakes or crisis communication situations\nStrengthen organizational trust\, credibility\, and message consistency\nCommunicate effectively with media and other external audiences\n\nModule 5: Leading Change Through Communication\nSummary: This module focuses on the role communication plays in helping organizations navigate change successfully. Participants will learn how to explain the need for change\, engage affected stakeholders\, anticipate resistance\, and create communication approaches that build understanding\, trust\, and commitment throughout the change process. \nCompetencies: \n\nIdentify the communication needs created by organizational change\nDevelop clear messages that explain the purpose\, impact\, and benefits of change\nAnticipate stakeholder concerns and sources of resistance\nEngage employees\, board members\, partners\, and other stakeholders throughout the change process\nDesign communication strategies that support understanding\, participation\, and adoption\nMaintain trust and message consistency during periods of uncertainty\n\nModule 6: Events & Experiences as Strategic Communication Tools\nSummary: This module focuses on how to use events as a core communication and relationship-building strategy. Participants will learn how to design events that drive engagement\, strengthen partnerships\, and support organizational goals. \nCompetencies: \n\nDesign events aligned with communication and organizational goals\nUse events to build relationships and stakeholder engagement\nIntegrate events into broader communication strategies\nEvaluate the effectiveness of events as communication tools\n\nModule 7: Digital Communication\, Social Media & Analytics\nSummary: This module focuses on managing digital communication and social media effectively\, including how to prioritize efforts and measure performance. \nCompetencies: \n\nDevelop and manage social media strategies\nApply best practices in digital content and communication\nUse analytics to evaluate communication effectiveness\nPrioritize digital efforts based on impact and resources\n\nModule 8 :AI for Strategic Communication & Execution\nSummary: This module examines how nonprofit organizations can use artificial intelligence to strengthen communication\, expand capacity\, and improve execution without losing human judgment\, organizational voice\, or stakeholder trust. Participants will explore the evolving landscape of AI tools and identify practical applications across research\, audience analysis\, message development\, content creation\, campaign planning and communication measurement. Through hands-on exercises\, participants will learn how to select appropriate tools\, write effective prompts\, design repeatable human-in-the-loop workflows\, evaluate AI-generated outputs\, and establish responsible practices related to accuracy\, bias\, transparency\, privacy\, copyright\, and the use of sensitive organizational information.  \nCompetencies: \n\nIdentify high-value uses of AI and select appropriate tools based on organizational goals\, capacity\, privacy\, and cost\nDevelop effective prompts and use AI to support research\, messaging\, content creation\, planning\, and measurement\nDesign repeatable workflows that combine AI-supported efficiency with human judgment\, review\, and approval\nEvaluate AI-generated content for accuracy\, bias\, credibility\, accessibility\, privacy\, and alignment with organizational values\n\nOutcomes \nBy the end of the program\, participants will: \n1. Build and deliver a complete Strategic Communication Plan\n\nDevelop a written Strategic Communication Plan & Execution Roadmap tailored to their organization\nInclude: audience\, messaging\, stakeholder strategy\, internal alignment\, external communication\, channels\, and tactics\nPresent the plan in the final session and receive structured feedback\n\n2. Apply audience-centered communication to improve message clarity\n\nAnalyze at least one key audience segment and redesign messaging to improve clarity and relevance\nDemonstrate improved message effectiveness through peer or instructor feedback\n\n3. Develop and implement a clear messaging and impact framework\n\nCreate a core messaging framework (3–5 key messages + impact narrative)\nApply this framework consistently across at least two communication contexts (e.g.\, donor\, community\, internal)\n\n4. Design a stakeholder engagement and partnership strategy\n\nIdentify and prioritize 5–10 key stakeholders or partners\nDevelop a targeted engagement approach for at least 2 stakeholder groups\n\n5. Improve internal alignment and reduce communication breakdowns\n\nDiagnose at least one internal communication breakdown in their organization\nPropose and document specific communication practices or systems to improve alignment\n\n6. Develop an external communication and reputation strategy\n\nCreate a basic external communication plan\, including audience\, messaging\, and media approach\nOutline a crisis or high-stakes communication response framework\n\n7. Select and justify strategic communication channels and tactics\n\nIdentify 2–3 priority communication channels (e.g.\, events\, campaigns\, partnerships)\nDesign one communication initiative (event\, campaign\, or outreach strategy) aligned with organizational goals\n\n8. Apply digital tools\, analytics\, and AI to improve execution\n\nDevelop a basic social media or digital communication plan\nUse at least one AI tool to support messaging\, planning\, or content creation\nIdentify 1–2 metrics to evaluate communication effectiveness
URL:https://nonprofitaustin.org/event/nonprofit-strategic-communications/
LOCATION:5930 Middle Fiskville Rd\, 5930 Middle Fiskville Road\, Austin\, TX\, 78752\, United States
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