The role of a communications plan is to help clearly outline the goals and objectives of your work. Going through the communications planning process step by step will help you identify who you need to reach, what you want them to know, and how you will reach them. You will find that each of your audiences has unique characteristics, needs, and motivations. Through planning, you will discover the most effective ways to communicate with them.

At the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, we use a communications plan to plot each of our report launches. Using the template, we identify and implement a variety of communications activities tailored to the message and audience. The plan also clarifies everyone’s role and their responsibilities. Engaging colleagues and stakeholders during planning and integrating their opinions will create a more collaborative process that articulates a consistent message.

The communications plan is your opportunity to get organized and really consider how to make your content digestible to the public, whether it’s a research paper, an annual report or a book, this template will anchor your knowledge mobilization efforts. 

In the video below, COH’s Communications Manager, Niveen Saleh outlines the process of creating a communications plan and helps identify the relationship between audiences, messages and channels to communicate your information effectively. 

Resources

• COH’s Communications Strategy Template
• From A to Z Evaluation & Communication Strategies for the Nonprofit Sector