Happy Wednesday, nonprofit communications leaders.

A year ago, I started this newsletter with 26 subscribers. I had no idea what it would become, I just knew I wanted to help nonprofits communicate better!

But somewhere along the way, I realized the person I was writing for wasn't the CEO or the Executive Director. (Though plenty of you are on this list, and I'm glad you're here.)

The person I actually want to serve was you. The nonprofit communicator.

• You're the director of comms leading a team of... one.
• You're the VP whose "team" somehow includes half of development, who sits at the leadership table but still gets treated like the person who posts to social.
• You're the CCO with the title, the seat, and the isolation that comes with both.
• You're the manager or coordinator doing the work of three people, wondering how to grow from here.

I see you. I've been you.

So to celebrate one year, I want to hand you a little hope, in the form of real stories from people who sit in your exact same seat. (Well, the same seat at a different org... you get the idea.)

• Three of you were comms teams of one. Not anymore. They advocated to their leadership and finally got the help they needed. Hearing how relieved they were to know support was on the way made me so happy.
• Another landed a freaking promotion. Huge win. A few months earlier, I watched her drowning in work, a gifted, strategic leader stuck in reactive mode. The promotion came with the budget to finally hire help. Yes!
• One comms director I coached has gone from service department to strategic partner.
• And one of you, already trusted by your ED and given real freedom, told me you'd been stuck at about 90% seen as a strategic partner. After one hard conversation, you were closing in on 100%. I think I actually clapped when I read it that one in my inbox.

These stories have some things in common (and there are more I'm not sharing!). Every one of these people was humble, coachable, and eager to learn. Even when they were a little scared, they advocated for themselves. That's what made the growth possible.

And in every one of these stories, they were the main character. I was just in the wings, helping them shine.

I didn't even know I would love this. But through this little list that grew from 26 to 2,600 subscribers, I found out how much I love helping nonprofit comms leaders get from where they are to where they want to go.

So thank you for being one of the 2,600+ nonprofit comms leaders taking your own growth seriously. I hope these stories encourage you and remind you that you don't have to stay stuck where you are. The fact that you read this each week tells me you're already someone who wants to grow, not just clock in.

Bring that same willingness, and I can't wait to see where you are a year from now.

Former nonprofit CCO and founder of the Nonprofit Comms Club

P.S. I deviated from my normal format of answering a reader question today, but if you have a question you want answered in a future issue, drop it here.​

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Nonprofit Comms Jobs

• ​Brand and Content Strategist - The Global Orphan Project A creative-leader role owning and stewarding the brand voice across all channels, blending strategy with hands-on content creation. You'll be a great fit if you think strategically but still love making the work yourself. On-site in Kansas City, MO. Full-time.
• ​Graphic Designer (two openings) - The Global Orphan Project Two openings for a designer who can carry projects from concept to publish, across digital and print, with web updates start to finish. Strong web design experience matters most here. On-site in Kansas City, MO. Full-time.​​
• ​Communications & External Affairs Manager - Education Reform Now Advocacy This one comes from a Nonprofit Comms Club member, and the hire gets to work alongside him! That is a selling point in my book, as this particular member is oh-so fun. This is a press and digital campaigns role for someone with political communications experience and a passion for education equity. You'll be a great fit if you've done campaign, advocacy, or statehouse press work. Remote-friendly, $80K to $100K, some travel required.

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Want Nonprofit Comms Help?

• ​Join the Nonprofit Comms Club and get direct access to me plus 53 other nonprofit comms leaders who are doing this work alongside you. This is where you become the strategic partner your org needs.
• ​Get Monthly Coaching! You're confident in your comms abilities, but you're doing it alone, and the people above you don't always understand what you do. Monthly coaching gives you a thought partner with an executive-level communications mindset who can help you lead with confidence, think strategically, and move your work forward.
• ​Is your organization looking to make a comms hire? The right hire starts with knowing exactly what you need. As someone who has sat in almost every nonprofit comms seat since 2008, this process can be made affordable, smooth, and focused on getting the right person in the right seat.
• ​Need help building a foundational comms strategy from scratch? The CCO Accelerator is a 12-week 1:1 coaching program where a customized communications plan gets built around your organization and your leadership confidence grows along the way.