Client Case Study: Live It Learn It

Inspiring Through Experience.

Georgetown Cause Consultants Julia Gaudet, Jacqueline Hahn and Ali Sanders created a strategic communications plan that would help position LILI as a leader and innovator in experiential learning.

Live It Learn It (LILI) was created in 2005, after its founder, Mathew Wheelock vowed to take a stand for D.C. students’ education. Mr. Wheelock believed he could transform education, improve standardized test scores, and enhance student development by helping kids experience the resources surrounding them.

Based in Washington, D.C., LILI uses the concept of experiential learning to bring children in grades 4, 5 and 6 at Title 1 schools to the abundant learning opportunities throughout the city. In 2009, LILI instructed 630 programs.

An Opportunity… And a Challenge

Through research, the Cause Consulting team learned that support among those familiar with LILI is strong; however, awareness is limited outside of the nonprofit’s close-knit circle of funders, teachers, partners and board members. The team established that LILI has the opportunity to engage more people in the organization’s work and improve the lives of more students throughout Title 1 D.C. Public Schools, by proactively communicating its programs’ values and success.

Strategic Solutions

The Cause Consultants created a strategic communications plan that would help position LILI as a leader and innovator in experiential learning in order to engage more people in the organization’s work and improve the lives of more students in D.C. Public Schools. The plan included:

  • A Message Guide, with the purpose of facilitating communication with past, current and potential supporters.
  • An Elevator Speech that will allow staff members to easily describe what LILI does in a few sentences.
  • Press Documents, including a Media Advisory Template, Press Release Template, and Backgrounder.
  • A Newsletter, which will serve as a communications tool in keeping supporters up to date with LILI’s impact and information.
  • A Snap Shot that offers basic information in a compelling, eye-catching manner--best used after speaking engagements, meetings, or conferences to remind and reinforce potential supporters what LILI is and how they felt about the organization.
  • A One-Pager that gives an example of a successful business partnership and provides insight into how new corporate partners can get involved.
  • Sample Content that can be sent to partners via email to thank and remind them just how much their partnership means to LILI.

For more information on Live It Learn It, please visit http://www.liveitlearnit.org.