Funder-to-Funder Huddle

Workshop Session

Creating Connective Tissue

Through Strategic

Communications

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Presenters

Debra Jacobs, President/CEO

@DebraMJacobs

Roxanne Joffe, Strategic Communications

@RoxanneJoffe

Andrew Ford, Senior Associate for

Education and Community Change

@AndrewatWRF

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Session Outcomes

• Deeper understanding of strategic

communications and its role in our shared work

• Practical ideas to take home and try with local

coalitions

• Increased awareness of the power of creating

connective tissue

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What is Connective Tissue?

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CEO/Executive Director

Board

Volunteers

Staff

Donors

Beneficiaries

Funder Internal Audiences

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Funder External Audiences

Citizens

Government

BusinessMedia

Nonprofits

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Building Movements

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PASSION!

It’s the first thing you need to start a movement

Four Elements

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Passion

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Connect Emotionally

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Stories + Data

Engage Advocates

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Fuel the Campaign

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Investment Opportunities

• Media

• Earned Media

• Social Media

• Capacity Building

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Channels

• Internal

• External

• How they work together

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Case Study

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By 2020, all Arkansas children will

read at grade-level by the end of third grade

AR-GLR External Audiences

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Parents

Educators

Policymakers

Business Leaders

Increase Public Will

GOAL 1Develop and release strategic communications, tools, and resources

to support reading development of children from birth to age eight

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Increase Public Will

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Enhance State Policies

GOAL 2Conduct research and advocate for policies

that move the needle on third grade reading proficiency

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Build Local Capacity

GOAL 3Build local capacity to increase third grade reading proficiency

by engaging parents and families, preparing children for kindergarten,

reducing chronic absence, and stopping summer learning loss

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Table Topics

• How are you building connective tissue

internally?

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Table Topics

• How are you building connective tissue

externally?

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Table Topics

• How can you put this to work when you get

home?

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Thank you!

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