Looking for ideas and tips to maximize your nonprofit’s communications? Check out Big Duck’s Duck Pond— our free newsletter offering tips, tools, case studies, and other resources to help your organization communicate more effectively. Subscribe here or take a stroll through our recent issues below.

Shouting to be heard: communicating in a noisy era

October 2009
Getting your organization's message out in this day and age can be challenge. In this month's newsletter we give some tips on how to rise about the noise and reach donors effectively. (More)
capacity-building, communications strategy, positioning

That’s our Mission! Vision? No, our Values! Wait, What?

September 2009
Ever wonder what the difference is between Vision, Mission, and Values Statements? This short primer will help it all become clear. (More)
brandraising, capacity-building, communications strategy, messaging, personality, positioning

Do you have a social media policy?

August 2009
Whether you are sparking discussion or others are discussing you, your organization has a presence in social media. (More)
capacity-building, communications strategy, online, personality, social media

[Insert world’s best subject line here]

July 2009
Everyone’s emailing these days — your favorite shoe store, your local farmer, your doctor, your school, your parents. Use subject lines well, and make your nonprofit’s emails stand out from the pack. (More)
communications strategy, messaging, online

Beyond the RFP: Better, Stronger, Faster!

June 2009
More than ever, nonprofits are using RFP's (requests for proposals) as part of the process for determining which vendors or partners they'll hire. RFP's can help you gather information about a lot of different possible vendors or partners in one fell swoop. That's the good news. But there's also a dark side.... (More)
communications strategy, nonprofit management

Reflections for the NTC — NTEN’s nonprofit technology conference

May 2009
On April 26-28, 2009, Big Duck's Sarah Durham and Farra Trompeter joined over 1,400 nonprofit professionals and consultants in San Francisco, CA for the 2009 NTC (nonprofit technology conference). Read on to get some of their takeaways. (More)
capacity-building, communications strategy, nonprofit management, social media

Write Visually. Making your prose pretty will do more for readability than style.

April 2009
In today’s topsy-turvy world, writing well about your organization doesn’t necessarily guarantee that people will read your words. Attention spans are getting shorter, distraction rates are higher, and skimming (or skipping) tendencies are surer. (More)

Your Website as an Experience of Your Brand

March 2009
Your organization’s brand is more than just its logo, its name, or how it all looks on letterhead. It starts with the core purpose and vision your organization hopes to fulfill and goes all the way through how people experience your organization—via programs, events, videos, newsletters, and yes, your website. (More)

Listening to predict what donors want

February 2009
In tough times, going back to the basics and considering your organization's priorities can help you make smart investments and weather the storm. (More)

That gap in your 2009 budget

January 2009
If your organization’s communications and/or development budget got cut at the end of 2008, you’re not alone. (More)