Nonprofit marketing strategy

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead

Counterintuity marketing + strategy logo

Clarity changes everything.

Our proven, collaborative process uncovers your nonprofit’s true identity, sharpens your message, and gives you tools and a roadmap for the months ahead.

Ready to move forward with confidence?

Right story + right people + right channels

For over two decades, we’ve helped nonprofit leaders write their organization’s unique story, build a compelling case, and execute winning strategies to get their story in front of the right people who can help them do more.

Our nonprofit marketing strategy process is a dynamic, interactive experience tailored to each organization’s specific needs and opportunities.

We work alongside you and your team to discover insights, build consensus, and create a lasting roadmap that will help you navigate the way forward.

STRATEGY CHECK

Do any of these sound familiar?

People aren’t responding to our marketing as much as we’d like.

We do great work. Nobody knows about it.

Fundraising appeals aren’t working like they used to.

We have a marketing plan (we’re just not sure about it).

We’re ready to grow, but don’t have a clear path forward.

*If you sighed, nodded, or winced at any of these, our strategy development process is built for you.

How it works

Five phases to build your nonprofit marketing strategy

  • Week 1

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    Week 1

    01 Discovery

    We start with in-depth conversations with your executive director and board chair to understand your organization’s history, challenges, and aspirations. These preparatory interviews give us essential context and help us identify the key questions that will drive your strategy session.

    02 Strategy session planning

    No two nonprofits are alike. Whether you’re launching a new program, repositioning your brand, or planning a major campaign, we build your strategy session specifically for your organization around your priorities.

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    Week 2

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    Week 2

    03 Interactive strategy session

    This is where the magic happens. In a fun, highly engaging facilitated session, we bring together your key stakeholders (board members, staff, volunteers, even donors) with Counterintuity marketers. Together, through lively discussions and interactive exercises, we:

    • Uncover your organization’s unique identity and positioning
    • Build consensus around your story
    • Develop compelling messaging
    • Identify challenges and opportunities
    • Generate creative marketing concepts

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    Weeks 3-4

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    Weeks 3-4

    04 Comprehensive action plan

    Within two weeks of your session, we deliver an action plan and report. It’s a practical roadmap that includes:

    • Budget considerations for next-step initiatives
    • Refined positioning and messaging frameworks
    • Specific marketing recommendations and tactics
    • Content strategies and story ideas
    • Prioritized to-dos with timelines

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    Week 5

    Week 5

    05 Leadership walkthrough

    We present the action plan in a dedicated session with your executive director and board chair, walking through each recommendation, answering questions, and ensuring you have everything you need to move forward with confidence.

What you’ll achieve

Real outcomes for your nonprofit’s marketing and growth

Crystal-clear positioning

Know exactly what makes your organization unique and how to articulate your value to different audiences.

Compelling messaging

Messaging frameworks that emotionally and rationally impact donors, volunteers, and stakeholders.

Team alignment

A shared understanding among board and staff about what your organization stands for and how to communicate it compellingly.

Actionable strategy

Concrete next steps prioritized by impact and feasibility with a clear, practical plan your team can act on right away.

Creative momentum

Fresh marketing ideas and initiatives tailored to your budget and capacity.

Growth roadmap

A clear path to increasing awareness, engagement, and revenue aligned with your mission.

Diverse group of women

“Counterintuity led our team through a highly productive, four-hour interactive strategy session. In a short time, we identified key themes and crafted compelling messages that highlight the positive impact we have on women and families. The result was a clear path forward and stronger alignment between our fundraising and program leadership.”

— Lori Carmona, CEO, YWCA Greater Los Angeles

Nonprofit marketing strategy report

Your strategy report

A comprehensive nonprofit marketing strategy document you can put to work immediately.

Complete documentation

  • Executive summary of key findings and recommendations
  • Your organization’s core identity and positioning descriptors
  • Target market analysis and stakeholder mapping
  • Messaging frameworks for different audiences
  • Content strategy and story recommendations
  • Social media and digital marketing strategy
  • Specific marketing initiatives with budget ranges
  • Implementation timeline and prioritized action steps
  • Photographic transcript of session materials

CASE STUDY

Flipping the script (and the strategy)

Center for Living and Learning was on the brink. The nonprofit’s primary source of funding had dried up. A national competitor was dominating search results and siphoning away donors. With revenue dwindling, the outlook was bleak. But where others saw a dead end, we saw opportunity.

Fast forward to today, Center for Living and Learning is thriving, with a $5 million budget and growing recognition for the work they do.

See how we did it
Nonprofit workforce development team and program participants

Ready to build a new marketing strategy?

Let’s clarify your story, sharpen your message, and build a strategy that moves your mission forward.

Get started
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Nonprofit marketing strategy FAQ

Usually, it comes down to one of three things: the message isn’t clear, the strategy isn’t focused, or the audience isn’t right. When you’re inside the organization, it’s difficult to determine where the problem lies. And fixing the wrong thing wastes time and money. A nonprofit marketing strategy session is designed to surface exactly what’s getting in the way and build a clear plan to address it.

On rare occasions, a simple fix is all it takes. But more often, when we see a problem like an underperforming website or lackluster fundraising, it is a symptom of something deeper. When organizations try to fix things by tweaking execution without addressing underlying issues, they end up with a better-looking version of the same problem. Through nonprofit marketing strategy sessions, we work with organizations to solve underlying issues and develop plans for sustainable, long-term success.

Usually, yes! When fundraising becomes more challenging, the instinct is to work the donor list harder. But if the underlying issue is that the wrong people know you, or the right people know you wrong, more effort won’t fix it. A nonprofit marketing strategy session provides much-needed clarity. It helps you tell the right story to the right people and make “the ask” work better.

More on this topic here: Most fundraising problems are marketing problems in disguise

The most important ingredient in a successful nonprofit marketing strategy session is the right people in the room. We’ll work with you ahead of time to identify who should be involved, but plan on your executive director, board chair, and key marketing and communications team members being essential. Beyond that, we typically recommend a mix of staff, board members, volunteers, or even trusted donors and program alumni who can offer valuable perspectives. The time commitment is focused: an hour with one or two key leaders for a preparatory interview in week one, and one 4-6 hour session with the team you assemble in week two. We do the heavy lifting from there.

The report is built to be actively used. It includes prioritized action steps, budget considerations, and a clear implementation timeline so you know exactly where to start. We walk your executive director and board chair through every recommendation in a dedicated session, and we’re available to answer questions as you begin executing. Some clients also engage us to help implement specific initiatives. Either way, you leave with everything you need to move forward on your own.

Both options are available, and we’ve run highly effective nonprofit marketing strategy sessions each way. In-person sessions are best since they generate a lot more energy and can be especially powerful for building team alignment. Virtual sessions can work for organizations with distributed teams or remote board members. We work with nonprofits across the country, and we’ll talk through what makes sense for your organization during our initial conversations.

The strategy session is where many clients find the most value. It’s a facilitated, highly interactive experience where your team works through thought exercises, discussions, and breakout groups alongside our nonprofit marketing strategists. You’re not just observers. By the time we go over the written report a few weeks later, most clients tell us the session experience has already shifted how their team thinks about their organization and their marketing. The strategy report provides a wealth of additional insights and details to continue the momentum: messaging frameworks, marketing recommendations, and prioritized action steps to help you move forward successfully.

Not at all. Some of our most impactful nonprofit marketing strategy sessions have been with small organizations, especially because they have limited resources and can’t afford to spend money in the wrong direction. The session is designed to work with what you have, and the action plan is always built around your actual budget and capacity, not an idealized version of either.

Let’s make some noise

Our proven approach can help you connect with supporters like never before.
Ready for more? Let’s talk.
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