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Spitfire’s The Cutting Edge

Trainings that meet the moment

Communication essentials for 21st century foundation, NGO and movement leaders

Collage of yellow and orange elements with a cutout of a black woman speaking on top

Setting the gold standard in communication training for today’s changemakers

Nonprofit, movement, coalition and foundation leaders and their teams are operating in a hyperpolarized environment.

Effective social change leaders inspire with their words and make strategic decisions that advance their issues. Organizations can use communication to create and deepen relationships, set agendas, move solutions, build trust, inspire big change and so much more. To use communication to its full power, organizations need to embrace not just doing communication but being a communicating organization.

  • 500+

    Organization leaders have completed our communication training

    Every year, we train nonprofit and foundation leaders in multiday trainings, tailored to meet their needs, from communication strategy and profile-building to how to navigate crisis scenarios and combat disinformation.

  • 1,200+

    Client partnerships

    From civil rights organizations and think tanks to coalitions working on complex topics and campaigns, we’ve helped clients refresh their brands, pass important legislation, hold corporations accountable, score major media hits on their groundbreaking research and so much more.

The Cutting Edge training experiences

Creating change in tough times requires skilled communicators who can effectively motivate, persuade and influence people to take action.

The Cutting Edge training curriculum creates Communicating Organizations. It gives everyone, from the board to staff, the skills they need to effectively use the organization’s voice — one of their most valuable resources. Explore the training options to the right to find the perfect fit for your needs.

  • 01

    Spitfire’s training program for communicators at any level

    Budget-friendly online sessions for individual skills-building at all career levels. Our virtual sessions cover specific communication skills and strategies, allowing you to build your expertise from anywhere. Perfect for those looking to make the most of their professional development funds, Spitfire offers 6 trainings on a monthly basis.

    Explore individual skills sessions

  • 02

    Spitfire’s training program for communicating leaders

    For organization leaders and board members looking to refine their foundational communication skills, define their organization’s voice, and/or navigate sticky and tricky communication challenges. Be a leader who meets the moment. Join a cohort of 25 leaders for an intensive skills-building retreat in four different locations. Personalized coaching is included.

    Join our next cohort

  • 03

    Spitfire’s training program for communicating organizations

    Tailored training programs for foundations investing in their grantees’ communication capabilities or for organizations investing in their staff’s capabilities. Growth starts here. Choose from one-, two- or three-day learning experiences that focus on developing the skills that matter most to amplify their impact. Personalized coaching is included.

    Explore the offerings

  • 04

    Spitfire’s training program for elevating communication across movements and coalitions

    For foundations or organizations seeking to enhance internal and external communication skills across entire movements or coalitions. Find alignment and build momentum. Our customizable modules are designed for specific fields with sessions to help your coalition communicate effectively, plan for upcoming scenarios and/or leave with a solid communication strategy in place.

    Discover field-wide training options

Upcoming in-person training sessions for organization leaders

Join us in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; New York City and Chicago

These quarterly in-person two-day sessions will take even experienced participants’ skills and strategy to the next level. Join us, and meet your fellow nonprofit leaders for one session or all four!

Organizational trainings

This Spitfire program embraces the power of social movements, community organizing and people power in the nonprofit world. Anchored in actual organizational capacity, it provides effective tools for powerful storytelling, restful leadership, strong communications and impactful collaboration that are invaluable.

—Pilar Barreyro, VP, Point Source Youth