I saw the challenges nonprofits face when it comes to marketing. And I decided to do something about it.
Catharsis’ story began when I was hired as the first communications staff member at a 25-year-old nonprofit. Despite its age, the nonprofit had never had a marketing staff member, marketing strategy, or coordinated marketing effort.
The website was 10 years old. There were no branding standards, so every flyer looked different. No one knew the login info for the social media accounts.
Sound familiar?
On top of this, marketing was assigned to an entry level staff member (me) who also had many of the functions of a development department folded into their job description. It was up to me to unify the organization’s brand, set a marketing strategy and execute on a new vision for the organization’s external identity. (And, do some fundraising on the side, because, well, this is the nonprofit sector we’re talking about).
So I dove in, becoming a storyteller, a graphic designer, and, most importantly, a marketing strategist. I quickly became a passionate advocate for high-quality marketing at the organization. My network grew to include photographers, website designers, PR professionals, and graphic designers, all of whom taught me valuable lessons about marketing strategy.
With more perspective, I’ve learned this is a common story. It is common for nonprofits to underresource their marketing departments, or lump them in with development. This practice impacts our nonprofits and our sector. With 8 years of experience in the sector under my belt, I have no doubt that more strategic marketing efforts can contribute to stronger, more impactful nonprofits.
So I began to imagine nonprofit marketing done differently.
What if we were upfront about the marketing challenges nonprofits face, instead of rushing past them, in pursuit of that next major gift?
What if we took some lessons from emerging for-profit marketing tactics and mindfully adapted them to fit our unique nonprofit sector needs?
What if marketing professionals at nonprofits accessed the resources and trainings they need in order to be successful in their work?
Carefully, Catharsis took shape.
Catharsis’ mission is to empower nonprofit organizations to use values-based marketing to:
Access resources
Build community
Carry out their missions
I do this while staying grounded in Catharsis’ values, which you can read more about here. Catharsis’ marketing is process-oriented. Catharsis is meant to be your nonprofit’s starting point for sustainable, values-aligned marketing efforts that feel like your organization.
A bit about me
I have 8 years of nonprofit experience that runs the gamut of many hats roles—fundraising, evaluation, program administration, and communications. Communications and marketing stuck, and for the past half-decade I have been building my marketing skill set.
Many nonprofit missions resonate with me and, because of that, my greatest passion is equipping nonprofits themselves with tools for success. I’m a Denver-area professional currently based in Louisville, Colorado.
For me, current ways of being and doing supercede past accomplishments. Academically, I have a Human Services background and apply it every day listening and learning from clients. Each project is a 50/50 partnership between me and the client.
Get to know me a little better by reading past clients’ experiences of our projects together. Or, even better, visit my LinkedIn page to look over my full resume, and don’t hesitate to reach out with a connection request!
Send me a message or schedule a free consultation to get to know me! It’ll at least be cathartic, and at best be the beginning of a beautiful paradigm shift for marketing at your organization.