pr for non-profits

OVERVIEW AND CHALLENGES

Rally Point’s strategic PR campaign elevated the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) profile, securing top-tier media coverage award recognition and expanding its reach to improve capital access for historically underserved entrepreneurs.

As the pandemic wreaked havoc on the US economy, entrepreneurs of color and small business owners faced significant challenges in recovering and rebuilding. Rally Point partnered with IFEL in June 2022 to raise local and national awareness for the organization. The mission was to activate 1,000 new Black angel investors and support broad economic development and entrepreneurial growth among diverse founders.

IFEL logo
IFEL client

PR STRATEGY

Rally Point developed a comprehensive PR strategy to achieve IFEL’s goals:

    • Showcase IFEL’s impact by highlighting insights and success stories that align with national narratives.
    • Establishing co-founder and CEO Jill Johnson as an expert in small business programs that promote inclusion and economic development.
    • Increase awareness among funders and potential entrepreneurs through targeted media coverage.
    • Highlight key partnerships and program announcements to demonstrate industry support.
    • Organize city-by-city roadshows to engage and address barriers women of color entrepreneurs face.
    • Showcase real entrepreneur stories and third-party advocacy to highlight IFEL’s impact.
    • Draft a white paper to empower Black angels and elevate successful Black entrepreneurs within IFEL.

EXECUTION

Under the leadership of Jill Johnson, a successful business owner and advocate for leveraging the power of relationship capital to increase inclusion and equity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Rally Point mobilized a nationwide campaign that focused on how local leaders, investors, and media address community challenges at scale. Rally Point introduced Johnson and IFEL to media outlets nationwide, generating extensive coverage. Success stories from each roadshow were strategically pitched to garner attention on a national level.

Rally Point facilitated introductions between IFEL, Johnson, and prominent reporters and producers at CNBC, Yahoo!, Forbes, New Jersey Business Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Crain’s New York, and other outlets. The campaign generated buzz in the media and business community, enabling an expansion of broadcast, podcast, and print pitching efforts.

RESULTS

Through this program, IFEL effectively raised its profile within the nonprofit sector. Furthermore, Jill Johnson received recognition as a recipient of the prestigious Whole Health Heroes Award presented by Crain’s New York.

While the pandemic’s impact persists, particularly affecting Black and Latinx business owners and entrepreneurs, the fruitful alliance between IFEL and Rally Point has yielded positive outcomes. IFEL has expanded its reach through planned events in Palo Alto, Houston, Washington D.C., and Boston, engaging allies, champions, and investors to empower marginalized communities further and support their post-pandemic recovery.

In 2023, Rally Point won an award from PR Daily for its work supporting IFEL.

IFEL team
  • Rally Point raised IFEL’s profile, securing media coverage and improving capital access for underserved entrepreneurs.
  • The campaign showcased IFEL’s impact and key partnerships, establishing CEO Jill Johnson as a small business expert.
  • Mobilizing a roadshow, our PR efforts engaged local leaders, investors, and media, increasing support for IFEL’s mission.
Forbes logo
CNBC logo
BizWoman logo
Fortune logo
  • follow us   –