Communications Leadership: Communications Strategy

Problem: Though a global organization, Water For People had never had a communications strategy that could serve the needs of both marketing/fundraising as well as awareness-building AND our country programs who are also focused on raising in-country awareness. Developing a strategy required that all of these audiences were considered. And because all of this was so new, it also meant educating and equipping the wider team in how to use and understand this strategy.

Solution: Goals and strategies need to build off a team definition and approach. From there, I established measurable goals that correlated with the organizational scorecard. In our global monthly communication officer meetings we talked through how the global goals could be customized to support in-country work. I also developed ethical storytelling principles to help guide partners, funders and others in how Water For People stories were gathered and shared.