Resource library · free toolkits, templates and guides

The practical library for people who build nonprofits

211 really practical toolkits, templates and guides for nonprofit and NGO leaders, and the consultants and funders who support them. A mix of the classics and newer methods.

Suggestions are welcome

211 resources · 15 topics · 137 publishers · 197 free to use

Search and filter all 211 resources

6 resources found

  • Search: nonprofit communications plan
  • 9.1C113

    Communications Toolkit

    A toolkit by R. Christine Hershey of Cause Communications for nonprofit staff who run communications with limited resources. It draws on national audits of nonprofit communications needs. It explains how to write a communications plan and set a budget, and gives tools for raising awareness and funds. The print edition has 71 pages, an index and 9 loose worksheets. Teams use it to build or review a basic communications plan.

    ClassicKey manual or guideFree
  • 9.1C112

    A Practical Guide to Integrated Communications

    A workbook from Idealware that helps nonprofit staff plan communications across channels as one system. It has 18 worksheets in 4 sections: getting started with a self-assessment and an ideal channel mix, planning a campaign with schedules and a week-by-week calendar, planning ongoing maintenance content, and combining both into an integrated week and a longer-term plan. Teams can work through it from start to finish or use single worksheets.

    ClassicTool or templateFree
  • 6.4C203

    Toolkit for Building Organizational Resilience

    A free toolkit from the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, designed with the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. It helps a nonprofit team develop or update a crisis management plan, sharpen crisis communications, write a business continuity plan that keeps essential work running during disruption, and review disaster recovery plans. You request a copy with your name, email and organisation.

    CurrentTool or templateFree with sign-up
  • 9.1C117

    Smart Chart 4.0

    An online planning tool from Spitfire Strategies for foundations and nonprofits. It takes a team through 6 steps to build a communications plan tied to the organisation's goals, covering objectives, audiences, messages and tactics. It is used online at smartchart.org, and a PDF version can be downloaded. Teams use it in planning sessions to test whether each communications choice supports the change they want.

    Start hereCurrentTool or templateFree with sign-up
  • 9.2C118

    Stories Worth Telling

    A guide from Georgetown's Center for Social Impact Communication and the Meyer Foundation, based on a review of storytelling at more than 150 social impact organisations. It covers 5 building blocks of a story: character, trajectory, authenticity, action-oriented emotions and a hook. It then walks through a story cycle of planning, production, distribution and evaluation, and ends on building a storytelling culture. Companion checklists and tools include a culture self-assessment and a story bank guide.

    ClassicKey manual or guideFree with sign-up
  • 4.3C055

    How to Plan and Execute an Emergency Succession

    A short Blue Avocado article on emergency succession plans, which cover a sudden leader absence for 1 to 3 months. It walks through 4 parts: naming first and second acting successors with limits on authority, or splitting the role's functions among staff; a ranked communications plan; and an operational checklist of contacts, accounts and key dates. It links to an editable Word template that a board and staff can complete in under 2 hours.

    CurrentTool or templateFree

Suggestion box

Know a resource we should add?

Know a practical resource we should add, or found a broken link or a mistake? Tell us.

A person reads every message. A title, a link or a few words is enough.

What is it about?
Why is it useful, or what needs fixing? A title or a link alone is fine too.