Nonprofit communicators are often asked to “be more strategic” while being treated like order takers. New data from the 2026 Nonprofit Communications Trends Report shows this isn’t a confidence or competence problem, but a reflection of how communications work is typically positioned and practiced in our sector. In this session, we’ll focus on what you can actually do to shift how your work is valued. You’ll learn why working harder, saying yes more often, or even getting a “seat at the table” rarely changes anything. Instead, using real patterns from the data, we’ll explore the habits, choices, and conditions that move communications from reactive supporter to strategic contributor. You’ll leave with clearer language to describe your strategic role, practical ways to assess how much (or little) your current setup supports comms strategy, and specific moves you can start using right away to build trust and influence—so you can be a strategic communicator for good.

After this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify the specific signals and behaviors that cause colleagues to treat communications as either tactical or strategic
• Use a simple diagnostic lens to evaluate whether their current workflows, priorities, and expectations support strategic communications
• Apply practical influence moves that shift how communications work is requested, framed, and evaluated
• Articulate a more strategic “why” for communications work that resonates beyond the communications team