Seven Comms Foundations for a Small Charity
In my last post, I wrote about Dan Slee’s list of 77 skills for a public sector communications team and why it can feel overwhelming if you work in a small charity.
Small charities don’t have large teams or specialist roles.
But that doesn’t mean communications doesn’t matter. It just means you have to focus.
I looked at the list, and with a bit of artistic licence, made from it a top seven of my own. These aren’t all technical skills in the traditional sense, these are the seven foundations that make the biggest difference in a small charity.
1. A clear, simple strategy
Not a 40-page document.
Just clarity on:
Who are we trying to reach?
What do we want them to understand?
What do we want them to do?
Without this, communications becomes reactive. With it, decisions get easier.
Start here:
Write your top three priorities for the next six months. If your communications doesn’t support one of those, question it.
2. Real understanding of your audiences
Small charities often talk about what they do.
But funders, volunteers and local partners are usually asking:
Why does this matter?
Why now?
Why should I care?
When you understand your audience’s motivations and pressures, your messaging shifts from informational to compelling.
Start here:
Pick one key audience and write down what success looks like from their point of view, not yours.
3. Strong, straightforward messaging
Can everyone in your organisation clearly explain:
The problem you exist to address?
What you actually do?
The difference it makes?
If not, your communications will always feel muddled.
Clear messaging supports everything - funding bids, website copy, social posts, trustee conversations. Is it written down in a messaging document?
Start here:
Try explaining your charity to someone outside the sector in three sentences, without jargon. Try a relative!
4. Consistent content planning
You don’t need to be everywhere.
You do need to show up consistently in the places that matter.
That might mean:
a regular email newsletter
one or two social platforms you can realistically manage
updating your website news every month
Consistency builds trust. Sporadic bursts don’t.
Start here:
Plan one realistic piece of content per week for the next month. For team meetings, put it as a standing item on your agenda. Keep it simple.
5. Solid digital basics
Before chasing trends, make sure your foundations are strong:
Is your website clear and up to date?
Is it easy to donate or get involved?
Is your content accessible?
Do you know what pages people actually visit?
Small improvements here often have a bigger impact than starting something new.
Start here:
Ask someone outside your organisation to try donating, or find key information. Watch where they struggle.
6. Human storytelling
Data and outcomes matter, but stories are what people remember.
Real examples of change, with real voices and real experiences.
Stories help funders see impact, help volunteers picture themselves involved, and help communities feel represented.
Start here:
Share one short story this month about a person, project or moment that captures your impact.
7. Internal confidence and buy-in
This one is rarely listed as a “skill”, but it might be the most important.
If senior leaders and trustees don’t understand the value of communications, it will always be squeezed.
Small charities need:
confidence to prioritise comms
realistic expectations about what can be achieved
permission to keep things simple
When leadership backs communications properly, everything becomes more sustainable.
Start here:
Put communications on a board agenda - not as an update, but as a strategic discussion.
You don’t need everything. You need what works for you.
The reality is most small charities will never cover all 77 skills, and they don’t need to.
But getting these seven foundations right creates consistency, a clear voice and confidence.
And from there, other skills can be layered in gradually and realistically.
This is the work I support charities with - whether that’s building a simple strategy, mentoring an in-house comms lead, or providing hands-on support when capacity is stretched.
Good communications shouldn’t feel overwhelming. It should feel purposeful, manageable and aligned (realistically) with the difference you’re here to make.