Creating Effective Communications

This worksheet was created by The Denver Foundation's Inclusiveness Project (http://www.nonprofitinclusiveness.org/) to support organizations doing inclusiveness work.

Users are encouraged to customize the worksheet (both content and formatting) to meet the needs of their respective organizations. A Word version is attached.  A writable PDF version is also attached.

The kinds of groups with whom you want to communicate may include the following: 

• Staff
• Board members
• Volunteers
• Donors
• Clients/constituents

Are there other groups you want to communicate with?  

The following are some informal and formal communications channels: 

• Email updates.
• Written memos or letters from the Chairperson of the Inclusiveness Committee and/or the Executive Director.
• Inclusiveness newsletter.
• Intranet with a section devoted to inclusiveness.
• Buddy system (pairing people on the Inclusiveness Committee with others not on the committee).
• Staff meeting updates.
• Board meeting updates.
• Periodic community meetings/information sessions.
• Periodic newsletters/bulletins posted in areas consistently used by your target audience.

Are there other ways to communicate with your stakeholders?  

Instructions

• Decide who needs to know about your initiative's progress - Target Audience.
• Decide how you will communicate with them - Method of Communications.
• Decide who will communicate with them - Responsible Party. 

Name of Organization __________________________________________

Date Exercise Completed _________