Julie Masson, CCO for Nonprofits
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"In 6 months, I've become a strategic partner instead of a service department."
That's Crystal, a Director of Communications, on what changed after she joined. Most of our members arrive stuck in reactive mode, treated like a print shop while they're trying to become the strategic partner their nonprofit needs. Inside the Nonprofit Comms Club, you'll learn to plan ahead (and think like a CCO no matter what your title says) with peers who get it and me, a former nonprofit CCO, in your corner.
Marie, Director of Communications
The harder you scramble, the more your coworkers see you as the help.
"Can you get this out on social real quick?"
When You're Stuck Reacting
Even experienced nonprofit communicators find themselves:
✖️ Functioning in "survival mode" because you're a one-person show, responding to immediate requests with no time for long-term planning
✖️ Delivering campaigns and messaging rather than shaping them strategically
✖️ Unable to drive meaningful impact or align communications with broader organizational goals
✖️Being the only person who truly understands strategic communications, with no trusted network to test ideas
✖️ Knowing you should be thinking more strategically but spending most of your day reacting to whatever lands in your inbox.
When You Have Backup
Peers and private support will help you:
✔️ Get out of reactive mode and start shaping campaigns from the beginning, instead of just fielding requests that land on your desk
✔️ Walk into your boss's office with a clear plan and the confidence to back it.
✔️ Know exactly what to say when leadership asks "Can't we just post more on social media?"
✔️ Make the case for the budget, the hire, or the title you've earned, and actually have it land with the people who decide
✔️ Tie your comms plan to your nonprofit's biggest goals, so leadership can see the impact
"I decided to join NCC because I wanted to grow as a leader, not just become better at completing communications tasks."
"Before joining NCC, I was often focused on the day-to-day demands of communications—getting things done, promoting events, and responding to requests as they came in. Julie helped me step back and think more strategically about my role: how communications can support goals, create alignment across teams, and move beyond promotion into meaningful connection.
Since joining NCC, I've developed a clearer communications strategy, created stronger processes for collaboration, and gained the confidence to position communications as a strategic partner rather than simply a service department.
If you're considering joining, I would highly recommend it."
Marie, Director of Communications
Marie, Director of Communications
Meet Julie Masson, Founder of the Nonprofit Comms Club
I'm a former Chief Communications Officer with 18 years of experience leading nonprofit communications at every level from social media manager to CCO. I've worked with faith-based organizations, non-partisan policy groups, education nonprofits, and more.
In 2020, I sat alone in an empty conference room and realized I was stuck. I was a marketing director tired of the social media and email flywheel, watching the people one layer up on the org chart speak into decisions for the entire org (and wanting to be one of them).
Something. Had. To. Change.
Getting outside help is what got me unstuck and helped me move from marketing director to CCO in 5 years.
The Nonprofit Comms Club exists because I've been there. I know what it's like to be understaffed and figuring it out as I go. But limited resources shouldn't mean limited strategy. Every nonprofit deserves a communicator who can think like a CCO (even if you're a team of one, even if you're just starting out in a leadership role).
You don't have to figure it out ALONE anymore.
Ready to join us?
Nonprofit comms leaders lead in six areas. Most of us were only trained in one or two.
Nonprofit comms leadership means moving across all six of these areas, depending on what the moment in front of you calls for. You don't have to be strong in all six right now. You just have to know where you stand and keep growing from there, with people who get the work right beside you.
"You will see not only personal growth but a radical change in how your colleagues perceive you and the value you bring to your organization."
"If you're on the fence about joining this group and getting Julie's coaching, DO IT. You will see not only personal growth but a radical change in how your colleagues perceive you and the value you bring to your organization. Julie empowers you to see how wide the communications lane truly is and all the areas you need to speak into to be effective as a non-profit communications professional."
Alisson, Communications Director
Marie, Director of Communications
Community, coaching, and a former CCO in your corner.
Everything here is built for one reason: so you never have to figure out the hard stuff alone.
The Community
A private, always-on space to ask questions and get input from other nonprofit comms leaders in real time, as the challenges come up. Drop in when you need a sounding board, or just to see how others are handling the same things you are.
Expert Trainings & Member Master Classes
Quarterly trainings from senior-level communications leaders with deep nonprofit experience, plus member-led masterclasses where experienced communicators share their specialized skills. All recorded and waiting in the library.
Monthly CCO Roundtables
These monthly live calls are your time to connect with me and other members around a specific nonprofit comms leadership topic. We talk about things like advocating for bigger budgets or helping leadership understand your value.
Think Like a CCO Course
My self-paced course on planning ahead. You'll build a strategic calendar, a messaging calendar, and a comms calendar so you're driving the work instead of reacting to your inbox.
1:1 Sessions with Julie
Book a 1:1 with me whenever you need help thinking through something: a stakeholder who's hard to work with, a message you can't crack, a strategy you have to present to leadership. As often as you need, whenever you need it.
Start With a Welcome Call
Once you join, book your first 1:1 with me so we can look at where you are and where you want to go as a nonprofit comms leader. (I recommend it for every new member.)
Become the comms leader your nonprofit can't live without
The Nonprofit Comms Club gives you what you've been missing as a solo leader. Here's a look inside.
Find Your People
When you're the only person in your organization who truly understands strategic communications, it's isolating. Here, you'll find peers who get why that "quick request" is never quick.
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Search the member directory by role, organization size, cause area, and location
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Join monthly CCO Roundtables to hear how other members are solving the same problems you are
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Think Like a CCO
Getting out of reactive mode starts with planning ahead. The Club gives you practical guidance and real-world systems so you can lead with confidence, even before you have the CCO title.
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Take the Think Like a CCO course and build your strategic calendar, messaging calendar, and comms calendar
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Put the course templates to work right away
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Learn from experience comms leaders in quarterly expert trainings and Member Masterclasses
Never Make the Tough Decisions Alone
You shouldn't have to second-guess yourself when it matters most. Having someone who's sat in the CCO seat look at your approach first gives you the confidence to move forward.
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Run draft messaging by me before your board meeting or campaign launch
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Gut-check your strategy before you present it to leadership
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Have a second set of eyes on that tricky email or difficult conversation
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Post a challenge in the community the moment it hits and hear from peers who've been there
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Learn from seasoned communications leaders
Every quarter, you'll learn from a seasoned communications leader in a live, interview-style training (with your questions answered). Every session is recorded, so you can catch up anytime.
D.J. Jordan, SVP at Pinkston
Policy + PR & Media Comms
Chelsea Sobolik, Former Director of Policy and Government Relations
Government Relations Comms
Brent Bowen, Owner Sparkcade Marketing
Generative Search Optimization
Stephanie Roberts, CCO at Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems
Crisis Comms Planning
Hear it from your peers
Allyson Howell
Comms Director at Patients' Rights Action Fund
"I was functioning in "survival mode" for quite some time because I am a one-woman show. I have been in communications for over three years, but I don't have a degree relevant to my work as Communications Director. This gave me the tools and training I needed to move from surviving to thriving. I feel more equipped to take ownership of my department due to Julie's expertise, and I feel less alone after meeting other nonprofit communicators. I believe I will reap the benefits for years to come."
Nick Friend
Communications Director at Community Provider Network of Rhode Island
"I joined the Nonprofit Comms Club because I was looking for a community of people who understand the unique joys and challenges of nonprofit communications. It’s energizing to be surrounded by people who care deeply about mission-driven work. I have found a place to learn, share ideas and connect with people who do similar work. If you are looking for a community, this is the place for you."
Crystal Stine
Director of Communications
When I first connected with Julie I was lacking clarity around my role, the confidence to change the perception of my role, and the tools to make the shift I knew our organization needed. From the first post I saw on LinkedIn to our very first coaching conversation, I just kept thinking, "She gets it!" In 6 months, I've not only been able to become a strategic partner instead of a service department, but I've had the tools, resources, and data to share with my team - and the support of Julie AND the NCC community.
Alicia Somers
Connections & Communications. Director
Keystone Church
"If I was in that position of thinking about whether or not to invest the time and the money into this comms club, I would do it again, hands down, without a doubt, no hesitation... I am already a more confident communicator and strategic partner for my church."
WATCH TESTIMONIAL
How to join
Apply
Fill out a quick application so I can learn about you, your role, and what you're looking for. It takes five minutes, and keeps the Club full of ambitious practitioners doing the actual work.
Take the Assessment
Get Approved
Jump into the Club
RECOMMENDED: Complete the
Nonprofit Comms Leadership Assessment to see where you are strong across the 6 comms domains and where you need to grow in order to move towards being a strategic partner.
I review every application personally within 24-48 hours (M-F). If you're a fit, you'll receive an invitation with a link to join whenever you're ready.
Get instant access to the community and start connecting with peers who get it. Schedule your first 1:1 call with me to discuss specific goals and challenges you're facing.
Join the Club
The Nonprofit Comms Club is application-only, and some members even invest in it themselves because it's about their own growth as a leader. For context, coaching from a former CCO usually runs hundreds of dollars per session. This is a fraction of that, for a whole year.
Quarterly
$50/month
Your membership includes:
✔️ Full access to the private Nonprofit Comms Club community
✔️ Monthly CCO Roundtables to work through real challenges with me and other members
✔️ Quarterly expert trainings and member masterclasses
✔️ Access to the Think Like a CCO course
✔️ A member directory to connect with other nonprofit comms leaders
✔️ Bookable 1:1 sessions with me whenever you're stuck on something specific
✔️ Ongoing strategic support from me and the community
Best if you want to try it before committing to a full year.
Annual
$33.33/month
Your membership includes:
✔️ All features in the quarterly plan
✔️ Save $200 with an annual membership
✔️ One payment that's easy to expense
Picture where you want to be a year from now. Annual is $400. Quarterly adds up to $600 over the same year. Most of our members choose annual.
2026 pricing ends December 7.
In 2027, new members pay $497/year or $177/quarter. Join now and you keep your 2026 price for as long as you stay.
This is for you if...
You're in a communications leadership role or striving to be
All members are communications leaders at every level, from solo communicators running it all to directors, VPs, and CCOs leading teams.
You want to move from order-taker to strategic partner
You're tired of delivering campaigns and messaging instead of shaping them, and you're ready to align communications with where your nonprofit is actually trying to go.
You're thinking about what's next for your career
You know this role won't be your last. You want to grow as a communicator and a leader so that when the right opportunity comes along, you're ready for it.
Whether that's a promotion, a bigger role at a new organization, or finally stepping into the title (and compensation) that matches what you're already doing.
You work in-house at a nonprofit
You're on staff at a nonprofit (or functioning as in-house even if you're technically a contractor), doing the day-to-day work and navigating the organizational dynamics that come with being inside a mission-driven organization.
This isn't for you if.....
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You're a consultant or work at an agency. The Club is for in-house nonprofit communicators only.
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You're looking for someone to do the work for you. I'll help you think it through, but you'll be the one leading it.
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You want a place to debate politics or social issues. We keep our focus on the craft of communications.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the application process like?
After you fill out the application, I'll review it within 24-48 hours (M-F). If you're a fit, you'll get a personal invitation with a link to join and have 5 days from your invitation to join, so watch your inbox. Once you're in, book a call with me so we can talk through your goals and where you want to go as a comms leader.
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What if I can't attend the live sessions?
All monthly CCO Roundtables, quarterly trainings, Member Masterclasses, and Show & Tells are recorded and posted in Circle, our community platform. Access them anytime. Due to the global nature of our community, we offer a variety of live call times to serve members in different time zones.
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How much time will this require each week?
As much or as little as you want! Schedule a 1:1 with me as needed, pop in for quick advice, join live calls, or dive deep into trainings. Some members are really active in the community while others lurk and attend live calls to take it all in.
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Can I really ask questions anytime?
Yes, you really can. Post questions in the community whenever they come up and get responses from me and fellow members. For real-time problem-solving, bring questions to monthly Q&A calls. This isn't 24/7 emergency support, but it is having a strategic sounding board available when you're facing decisions that matter.
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I'm not a Director or CCO yet. Is this still for me?
It's EXACTLY for you! This community is specifically designed for nonprofit communicators at every level who want to move to the next level, whatever that next level is for them. Whether you're a team of one or part of a small comms team, you belong here.
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I lead comms at a church. Is this a community for me?
Yes! We have several church comms leaders inside the community and they even have their own, private dedicated space to interact about comms challenges specific to the church world. Select that you work in church comms on the application form.
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Can I cancel if it's not a great fit for me?
If you're unsure, start with the quarterly plan at $150/quarter. You can cancel anytime. That said, the biggest growth happens with consistent support throughout the year.
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What makes this different from a Facebook group or LinkedIn community?
Everyone inside is a vetted, in-house nonprofit communicator (I read every application myself), so you can ask the questions you'd NEVER post on LinkedIn where your boss might see them. Nobody's in there pitching their services, and when you need more than peer advice, I'm right there with you.
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Can my employer pay for my membership?
Yes, and many members do this! It's a professional development expense, and I'll even give you an email template you can use when asking your employer to cover it. If they say yes (and they almost always do), the annual plan is one payment that's easy to expense. Many organizations have professional development funds that go unused by the end of the fiscal year, so it’s worth asking before yours closes.
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What's the difference between NCC membership and the Think Like a CCO cohort?
NCC membership gives you ongoing access to the community, trainings, CCO Roundtables, 1:1 calls with me, and the Think Like a CCO course.
The cohort is a separate 12-week experience where I lead six live discussion sessions with a small group of comms leaders working through the Think Like a CCO framework together. The cohort runs twice a year and is available as a standalone experience for $695. You don't need to be an NCC member to join a cohort, and NCC membership does not include the cohort.
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