Advancement Communications
Advancement Communications
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Your institution is a game-changer.
Your institution is a game-changer.
With philanthropic support, you will unlock a new level of impact.
With philanthropic support, you will unlock a new level of impact.
But first, you need the right words to bring your vision to life.
But first, you need the right words to bring your vision to life.
I can help.
I can help.
"You really 'get' the fundraising side and the importance of this shouldn’t be understated. Having a communications lead who understands the investment opportunities, can weigh in on them, and then weave a story around the impact is so important."
Lindsay Manning
Senior Director, Advancement, Rotman School of Management
University of Toronto
I really get it
I really get it
I am inspired by what you do, and I know how to shine a light on your impact.
But first, I'm not afraid to ask the big questions, including:
What makes your vision unique?
How will your work/research/campaign make a difference?
How are you uniquely positioned to lead?
Why would donors support your vision?
Why here?
Why now?
Bringing your vision to life
Bringing your vision to life
I partner with fundraising professionals and leadership teams to translate educational and research initiatives into inspiring cases for support, proposals, proposal template packages, campaign messaging, impact stories, reports and more.
Cases for Support
Cases for Support
A compelling narrative to showcase your vision and how you are uniquely positioned to make a difference.
Proposal Templates
Proposal Templates
A package of customizable donor proposals, equipping fundraisers with tools for success.
Proposals
Proposals
Customized major and principal gift proposals, presenting a compelling vision of how specific funding opportunities align with a donor's philanthropic goals.
Campaign Messaging
Campaign Messaging
Translating your organization's fundraising initiatives into a clear and compelling campaign narrative.
Donor Stories
Donor Stories
Fantastic tools to highlight the impact of key fundraising initiatives, while engaging and stewarding donors.
Impact Reports
Impact Reports
Impact reports you actually want to read (instead of skim through on your way to the donor listing).
"Carolyn is a fantastic writer, strategist and thinker. She has a perceptive and nuanced understanding of advancement communications needs, a compelling writing style and a collaborative approach. If you need someone to elevate and sharpen your communications work, Carolyn is the right fit. She's a pleasure to work with."
Jonathan Leitch
Executive Director, Integrated Marketing and Content Strategy
University of Toronto
What it's like to work with me
What it's like to work with me
Lindsay Manning, Senior Director, Advancement, Rotman School of Management, offers a glimpse of what it's like to work with me.
I have had the opportunity to support on several cases for support and proposal templates.
Here is her feedback:
What was it like to work with me on these projects?
You really “get” the fundraising side and the importance of this shouldn’t be understated. Having a communications lead who understands the investment opportunities, can weigh in on them, and then weave a story around the impact is so important.
You are smart, knowledgeable and a great question asker—able to flesh out the need and urgency.
Incredibly organized and timely. You are often ahead of schedule.
You are always open to ideas and feedback.
Your ability to synthesize information and turn it into a compelling fundraising argument is impressive. You are a great storyteller.
What did you find valuable about the process and the materials we developed?
What I remember loving and I still use is the template that you shared on the elements we need for a case, and what questions we should ask in order to obtain the info we need to build the argument.
You always stressed how important examples were. This heightens every case you worked on.
Your ability to communicate with faculty members. Having you take the lead and ask the right questions was invaluable.
The fact that you broke out the investment opportunities from the narrative, making them two distinct pieces.
Having a developed case for support gives fundraisers the information they need to inform donors. Your work allowed us to articulate the “why” and “how” easily and concisely.
A snapshot of my work
A snapshot of my work
You can find a collection of my writing here, including impact reports, feature magazine stories, research articles, donor and alumni spotlights and more. (Note that confidential advancement projects are not featured.)
"Carolyn is always a pleasure to work with—smart, open and ensures a clear understanding of the project and its deliverables, which she sees through to excellent execution."
Sara Franca
Director, Alumni & Donor Engagement,
Faculty of Arts & Science
University of Toronto
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