We conducted a communications audit and surveys to find out what information our audiences wanted.

After we identified our target audiences, we gathered more information about their communications-related needs. To get this in-depth data, we hired an outside communications firm to conduct phone surveys of randomly selected people from our mailing list. We thought it important to rely on a firm with polling and surveying experience to ensure accurate results. The communications firm also interviewed staff and board members.

While we learned that our messages were for the most part reaching our intended audiences, several changes came about as a result of the audit. These included:

• adding a tagline to our materials — Grantmaking for a Healthier California — to help clarify our purpose;
• replacing our numerous program brochures with a single brochure that provides an overview of the Foundation;
• completely overhauling our website, which has since become an up-to-date, useful resource for all of our audiences; and
• creating a uniform “look” — what we call our “signature design” — for all of our materials in a way that would allow our readers to recognize our publications and identify more readily with our messages.

The audit also gave us information regarding our internal processes that we did not expect, nor necessarily wanted to hear. The communications department had then just been established, and some of the program staff was still somewhat unsure of the purpose and role of the communications staff. We learned that we needed to view our fellow staff members as an audience unto itself. Since that time, we have worked to clearly demonstrate the value our department brings to the Foundation’s mission and have promoted the philosophy that we are all partners in this work.