Communications Institute

About

Communications professionals, narrative strategists, and storytellers hold immense power and responsibility in shaping just futures. We can’t do this alone. When we feel in our full agency, connected to a values-aligned network, and equipped with practical tools, we can shift the philanthropy ecosystem together. NCG's Communications Institute works to bring an offering for philanthropic communications professionals each year that adjusts based on timely needs for the sector. 

Mobilizing for Narrative Change: A Philanthropic Learning Series

NCG's 2025 offering for communications professionals, Mobilizing for Narrative Change: A Philanthropic Learning Series will ground participants in a shared understanding of narrative power building developed by practitioners in the field. We're excited to share ReFrame is the curriculum partner for the series and will lead the session content. ReFrame invests in people — strategists, creatives, leaders, and dreamers — developing the skills, acumen, and networks we need to advance just narratives at scale.  

Sign Up for the Series

The guiding principles of the program are as follows:

• Agreement that power building and organizing are critical strategies in social change efforts
• Willingness to talk about power as it relates to narrative, organizing, policy, and advocacy 
• Engagement in frank conversations about narrative strategy 

Target Audience

Curriculum

Curriculum Goals

Over the course of these sessions, we will ground in a shared understanding of narrative power building developed by practitioners in the field. We will explore different narrative power building projects and the funding strategies that support them. And finally, we will learn from peers and work together to identify existing funding strategies and ideate on what is missing and needed to advance this critical strategy for social change.

This program seeks to lay the groundwork for the following: 

• Shared philanthropic understanding and practice when funding narrative power building
• Groundwork for collaboration across philanthropic institutions to amplify narrative power building efforts
• Expanding the pool of resources and narrative funders who understand the importance of organizing and power building

Sessions

• Session 1: Narrative Power 101 & Infrastructure
  When: Thursday, March 13th | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm PST
  A kickoff session to establish a solid grounding in the principles of narrative power,  its relevance to organizing, and the infrastructure we need to build it. We will set the stage for this series and provide opportunities for fostering connections among attendees.
• Session 2: Deep Dive: Lessons from California Narrative Infrastructure Building
  When: Thursday, March 20th | 11: 00 am - 12:30 pm PST
  A facilitated session and panel discussion on the lessons, opportunities, and challenges of building impactful narrative infrastructure in California.
• Session 3: Case Study: Learning from Narrative Experiments in the Bay
  When: Thursday, March 27th | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PST
  A case study and facilitated discussion on the lineage of narrative power and strategic communications in the Bay area.
• Session 4: Exploring Funding Models Together
  When: Thursday, April 3rd | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm PST
  This session will highlight funding models for narrative power and infrastructure and strategies to sustain long term narrative work.

Contact