Communications for nonprofits
Services
Communication strategy
Don't settle for simply raising awareness. Change happens when the right people take action. Together, we will ensure that your nonprofit is getting meaningful and measurable results.
Training
You’ve got this! Let me show you and your team how. Village PR builds your team’s capacity in areas like media relations, strategic communications and crisis response.
Communication audit
Are you unsure what's working? Village PR will conduct a thorough audit of your communications activities and results to help you understand which efforts are (and aren’t) working and fine-tune your communications strategy.
Media relations
The voice of your not-for-profit deserves to be heard! Village PR provides a connection to media outlets, writes messaging that resonates and helps you prepare for impactful interviews.
Crisis communication
Knowing that preparation is key, we will anticipate and prepare for worst-case scenarios together. When a Bad Thing happens and puts your nonprofit's reputation on the line, Village PR will be there to support you through it.
Storytelling
Your clients' and patients' stories bring your work to life—for media interviews, presentations and fundraising. Village PR supports them in preparing and telling their stories in a way that feels comfortable, safe and authentic.
Training
Village PR delivers interactive workshops to staff, volunteers, clients, patients and board members.
- Five steps to creating a communication strategy: It feels like a huge undertaking. So let’s break it down step by step.
- Working with the media: From pitching a story the media wants to tell, to giving impactful interviews. Our media training helps your leaders, staff and clients feel confident telling your organization’s stories.
- Crisis communication: Protect your reputation when The Bad Thing happens—Whether a crisis strikes out of the blue or you create the crisis by closing a program. Keep the trust of your stakeholders while you’re under the microscope.
To request a workshop, customized in length and content, at a location of your preference, please contact us.
What Clients Say
The Ottawa Food Bank has worked with Heather and Village PR multiple times. Her trauma-informed and sensitive approach is why we keep hiring her to work with us. Most recently, Heather supported us for a large communication project, and also supported us on an ongoing basis while we work through staff transitions. Her work was critical to help us manage the large time-sensitive project and keep our day-to-day communications moving. The Ottawa Food Bank has benefitted tremendously from Heather’s expertise.
Heather has played a pivotal role in transforming our center's media and public engagement strategies. Her dedication to collaboration involves working closely with our team to develop clear and compelling messages, while her coaching and feedback have significantly strengthened our external communications.
Her expertise in simplifying complex information has greatly enhanced our public communications, making them more accessible and inclusive. Her deep understanding of equity and issues of marginalization align with our centre’s values and has been a highly welcomed approach.
Heather is committed to the success of our organization and often goes above and beyond, working alongside us until the completion of each project. We are deeply grateful for her passion, her expertise, her responsiveness, and her relentless dedication to good clear communications.
Centretown CHC has worked with Village PR and Heather Badenoch for several years. Heather’s flexibility in being able to support our organization throughout a wide range of our communication needs has been key. She has been able to step in and provide comprehensive communications support when needed.
Now that we have a communications officer, she has excelled at supporting us and the team with coaching and mentorship in developing our internal capacity.
Heather has also been very effective in supporting us as we develop our processes for media strategies with media training, as well as supporting our teams in developing media pitches. She has truly enhanced our communications capacity in a way that is deeply aligned with our values as an organization.
Focus Areas
Community
Because when the needs of every member of our community are met, we are all better off.
Health
Because every person deserves equal access to quality healthcare.
Disability
Because each individual should be empowered to make their own decisions and supported in living a full life.
Environment
Because the earth is owed both respect and protection for its water, land and animals.
Clients
About
Heather Badenoch (she/her) believes in the power of non-profit and purpose-driven organizations and their ability to effect change for people, animals and the environment.
As the Communications Strategist at Village PR, Heather has advised health, disability, food security, community and environmental clients. From strategic communications planning to media training, she works creatively and candidly with her clients to accomplish their goals.
In her more than 25-year career supporting organizations across Canada, Heather has developed a deep appreciation and understanding of the players, pressures and meaningful work being done by the not-for-profit sector.
In 2018, Heather became a living liver donor, donating 22% of her liver to a child she has never met. An active volunteer with the transplant community, Heather mentors people on the path to becoming living liver donors and volunteers with the Canadian Donation and Transplant Research Program and the UHN Centre for Living Organ Donation Advisory Council. She also helps people on the transplant list find living kidney or liver donors by running their public appeals pro bono.
When not working with clients or volunteering, Heather and her spouse can often be found embarking on another Pinterest-driven house project or walking Mini, their rescued Saint Bernard.
