Not everyone can hire a full communications team.
Sometimes you just need the basics. We get it.
That’s why we designed:
The Comms Cohort
by Frontwood Strategies
The Comms Cohort by Frontwood Strategies
Many nonprofits need communications support but just don’t have the resources to hire an in-house communications team or marketing & communications firm. So we decided to do something about it.
We designed The Comms Cohort by Frontwood Strategies for those leaders looking to build out their organization’s communications practice with a little extra help from the experts. Throughout the cohort experience, Frontwood Strategies Founder, Nell Callahan, and our other team members will lead live sessions about communications strategy & messaging and how to effectively leverage owned, earned, and paid media channels & platforms. We’ll also work one-on-one with participants for personalized support.
Our experience working with clients for nearly 20 years has informed the resources and tools included in The Comms Cohort. The templates you’ll have access to are the very same ones we use for our full-service consulting clients, and we’re thrilled to be offering this support to more organizations that really need it.
We hope to see you in a cohort soon!
What’s Included in The Comms Cohort
Five Live Group Sessions
Four Individual Coaching Sessions
Communications Resources
Reduced Rate for Additional Support
When you’re selected to join The Comms Cohort, you’ll have access to Frontwood Strategies expert communications professionals for nine weeks.
The experience includes five live group sessions on communications strategy & messaging and owned, earned, and paid media channels & platforms, as well as resources to support you in activating what you learn.
During the cohort, you’ll also have four individual coaching sessions with a Frontwood Strategies team member to augment the group learning experience.
And along the way, if you need or want a little more one-on-one support, you’ll also benefit from a cohort-only reduced rate for additional individualized consulting sessions.
““The Comms Cohort was incredibly useful for me. The small group and one-on-one sessions offered practical lessons that I was able to apply in my work right away. The templates and planning documents provided for each session have been excellent references for me in building campaigns. I gained insights into communications strategy that allowed me to contribute on a substantive level to my organization’s efforts to grow our brand recognition and social media presence. The skills and knowledge I gained through The Comms Cohort did not go unnoticed—just three months after completing it, I was promoted to director of marketing & communications.””
— Emily Rabbit, Director of Marketing & Communications, The SEED Foundation
The Comms Cohort Group Session Overview
Session 1: Strategy
A successful communications program starts with understanding your own strategy. In this session, we’ll guide you through developing a firm grasp on the communications goals that can elevate your organization & identifying tactics that will turn those goals into reality.
Session 2: Messaging
Developing the key message that feeds your communications program is critical to success. In this session, we’ll walk you through Frontwood Strategies’ framework for developing your messaging, grounded in an understanding of your audience(s) and goals.
Session 3: Owned Media
Owned media includes the channels where your organization has the most control over the message you present, as well as the context in which that message is received. In this session, we’ll explain the various owned media channels and how to effectively leverage them.
Session 4: Earned Media
Earned media amplifies your organization’s key messages through media relations, using press across mediums to reach wider audiences. In this session, we’ll guide you through the skills you need to identify and engage with key press in your industry, while preparing you to put your best foot forward in media interactions.
Session 5: Paid Media
Paid media allows you to put tangible dollars behind your messaging to expand the audiences you reach without having to sacrifice control. In this session, we’ll not only break down paid media best practices but also outline how to measure success.
Upcoming Cohort Details: Spring 2025
Dates: February-April 2025
Week 0-1: February 10-19, 2025
Intake & Individual Coaching Session
Week 2: February 27, 2025, 4-5pm ET
Group Session: Strategy
Week 3: March 3-7, 2025
Individual Coaching Session
Week 4: March 13, 2025, 4-5pm ET
Group Session: Messaging
Week 5: March 17-21, 2025
Individual Coaching Session
Week 6: March 27, 2025, 4-5pm ET
Group Session: Owned Media
Week 7: April 3, 2025, 4-5pm ET
Group Session: Earned Media
Week 8: April 10, 2025, 4-5pm ET
Group Session: Paid Media
Week 9: April 14-18, 2025
Individual Coaching Session
Criteria: The Comms Cohort is a fit if you’re a nonprofit professional who:
Contributes in some way to defining and/or executing your organization’s communications strategy (you may or may not have a communications’ title), and
Can dedicate time to cohort activities between sessions so you walk away with an actionable plan, and/or you’ll be able to implement learnings in real-time at your organization
Fee: $3,000
Cancellation Policy: Non-refundable; transferability can be considered on a case-by-case basis
Other Important Dates
Application Opens:
October 1, 2024
Application Deadline:
October 31, 2024
Acceptance Notification:
Rolling beginning week of November 11, 2024
Payment Deadline:
January 15, 2024
Set-Up & Schedule Intake:
January 27-February 7, 2025