Behind the Scenes: My Role in Communications and Development at The Birmingham Promise

Every day at The Birmingham Promise, I get to tell stories that matter - stories of resilience, ambition, and opportunity. As the Senior Communications and Development Manager, my role is not just about strategy; it's about capturing the essence of what we do and why it matters. From social media to fundraising events, from student interviews to securing millions in grant funding, I work to ensure our impact is seen, felt, and understood by the community we serve.

Bringing Our Mission to Life Through Social Media

Social media is more than just posts and numbers; it’s about connection. It’s about the students who see a scholarship opportunity and apply because they saw a post at just the right time. It’s about the business leaders who reach out after seeing a LinkedIn update about our workforce development success. In 2024, we expanded our digital presence:

Instagram

• Annual Reach: 19,121

• Profile Visits: 2,518

• New Followers: 391

  
  

Facebook

• Reach - 72,750

• Page visits - 11,797

• New likes - 347

  
  

LinkedIn

• Organic impressions - 80,563

• Page views - 3,052

• New followers - 64

Twitter

• Impressions - 6,051

Every post, every student feature, every employer highlight is intentional. These numbers reflect not just engagement, but the real people who find out about The Birmingham Promise and decide to get involved.

Shaping the Narrative with Earned Media

Beyond social media, I work to ensure our mission is represented in the news, securing over $180,000 in media coverage with more than 9 million views in 2024. Seeing our students and programs featured in the media isn’t just about visibility, it’s about credibility. It’s about letting the world know that Birmingham’s students are talented, ambitious, and deserving of investment.

Fundraising and Development: Fueling the Future

I am incredibly grateful to work directly with our Executive Director to bring her vision to life when it comes to fundraising and donor engagement. Planning fundraising events, drafting grant proposals, and collaborating with our small but mighty cross-functional team have led to securing over $15 million in grants from foundations and corporations. These funds sustain our workforce development initiatives, ensuring students have access to meaningful internship and employment opportunities.

I also have the privilege of editing and producing our annual report, a project that brings together data, storytelling, and design to showcase the tangible outcomes of our work. In 2024, I had the honor of spearheading our 5th-year celebration, bringing together students, national CEOs in the banking industry, and local government leaders to reflect on our impact and chart the path forward.

The Human Side of the Work

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is working directly with students. Whether I’m helping them draft speeches, narrate their personal journeys, or training them in public relations and communications, I see firsthand how storytelling shapes confidence and ambition.

I like to think of myself as the “nosey neighbor at work”, always seeking out the latest student success story, always asking “What’s next?” so that we can celebrate achievements and push our mission even further. Staying curious allows me to define and refine our impact, ensuring that every milestone is recognized and every challenge is addressed with purpose.

Looking Forward

My role at The Birmingham Promise is not just about communication, it’s about impact. It’s about making sure every student, donor, employer, and partner sees themselves in our mission. As we move forward, I am excited to continue crafting stories that inspire action, forging relationships that expand opportunities, and building a future where every Birmingham student has the support they need to succeed and feels heard.