Cause Consulting
One of the cornerstones of CSIC, Cause Consulting is a signature course in the Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications program. It offers a cohort of students an applied learning experience working in small consulting teams to develop and implement communications plans for clients from both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors.
The experience is transformative, both for the student consultants and for the organizations on the receiving end of high quality, high impact, strategic communications solutions that enable them to broaden their reach, increase their visibility, become more efficient and effective at reaching target audiences, and more. The emphasis is on providing sustainable communications systems that will add the most value for the client organization.
Since 2008, the center has partnered with more than 25 different D.C.-based nonprofits and currently boasts a corps of alumni Cause Consultants that numbers close to 60. Students have developed a number of different deliverables for their clients, including:
- Message guides and trainings
- Media outreach materials and trainings
- Website and social media content, tools and recommendations
- Collateral, such as brochures, newsletters and one-sheets
- Surveys and other vehicles to collect stories from stakeholders
- Workshops and communications trainings for staff, board members and volunteers
- Donor outreach presentations and accompanying materials
The course is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Clients are selected on a rolling basis and are notified at least two months prior to the start of the semester. Organizations interested in participating are encouraged to submit their information to our Partner Database, and we will be in touch with any follow-up steps. An added benefit to entering the database is that interested students may also choose you as their client in Capstone, the final required course for every student in the program during which they must develop a strategic communications plan.
Congratulations to our Spring 2013 clients:
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop
Main Street Child Development Center
Potomac Riverkeeper
Yellow Ribbon Fund