Getting Help & Resources

This organization is a national clearinghouse for editorial opinion, organized through 12 different state editorial boards which seeks to promote greater discussion of social issues confronting communities, by providing professionally prepared and easily used materials to print and broadcast media.

The APC is a six-year old global computer network that serves non-profits and citizen activists.

Formed in 1981, the Benton Foundation works with non-profit organizations to gain an effective voice for social change and to shape the emerging communications environment. Benton helps non-profits use a range of communications tools (opinion research, video production, CD-ROM, radio, etc.) to make their case, engage their constituencies, build coalitions, and share information. Benton's involvement ranges from hands-on support for grassroots media advocacy to the strategic planning and coordination of a national policy summit.

The Center for Strategic Communications educates non-profits about communication tools, media techniques, and how to develop communications plans. The center also works to strengthen those organizations providing communications technical assistance to the non-profit sector.

CTN is an interactive, satellite-based TV network that links America's communities to each other. CTN's goal is to enable civic leaders and volunteers throughout the country to share problem-solving ideas and experiences, to discuss public issues, to disseminate community building information.

Formed in 1988, the CCMC teaches non-profits to use media and telecommunications technology as tools for public education and public policy change. CCMC arranges collaborations between organizations with similar agendas, and develops education campaign strategies. CCMC's current issues include: global stewardship and population, family preservation, learning disabilities and energy efficiency.

ECO-News Forum (EMFO) is a communications agency which was spawned from The Earth Network, an alternative television in late 1990. It is now a national agency that works to design programs which support the concept of alternative communications in all media. ENFO's programs include: design and implementation of models for grassroots networking; community video production coalitions; research, interview and survey techniques; and community project development.

Goodwill Communications provides PSA distribution and evaluation assistance to non-profits and government agencies in the form of a free newsletter, Public Service Report, pamphlets on how to distribute PSAs, and the Public Service Advertising Resource Center on the Internet.

Kartemquin is a non-profit organization that produces documentaries and series for public television stations which deal with the most pressing issues of our time. The organization has embarked on a project, Grassroots Journal, which will be a weekly half-hour series for and about people who are engaged, or want to be engaged in the community.

Media Network is a national membership organization committed to the development and use of alternative media to promote social change. Its membership includes media producers, educators, activists and concerned viewers who use progressive film and video to educate and organize around contemporary issues. Media Network's media literacy workshops teach people how to use the media to fight AIDS, sexism, racism and homophobia.

National Video Resources is a non-profit foundation launched by the Rockefeller Foundation. Its mission is to assist the distribution of independently produced film and video through all available media. NVR aims to improve the availability of visual media expressing diverse viewpoints to the public.

A coalition of public TV managers in twenty cities across the nation, this Group unites community-based, grass-roots organizations to put telecommunications resources to work in addressing urban challenges. Each participating station develops a local community network, and supports programming that strengthens and responds to the concerns of those networks.

Are you new to the nonprofit world? The Nonprofit Good Practice Guide provides key information designed to help manage your nonprofit organization efficiently and effectively. Follow links to nine topic areas to find articles, standards of practice, resources and glossaries.

The Public Media Center (PMC) specializes in marketing campaigns to at raise public's awareness of health, social, environmental and community issues. Specific campaigns have centered on women's health, AIDS education, media fairness, social justice and civil rights. Since its founding in 1974, PMC has served over 1,500 non-profits and governmental agencies.

Since 1989, the Center has conducted the "Community Visions" project, which enables community organizations tackling difficult community issues to produce their own videos, pro-bono. After soliciting proposals from community groups and non-profits, a selection committee chooses four organizations and grants them the training and equipment needed to create 10-15 minute productions.

The Strategic Press Information Network (SPIN) Project provides comprehensive media training, intensive media strategizing, and resources to community organizations across the country. This year SPIN will continue to help grow the capacity of grassroots groups to shape public opinion and garner positive media attention.
SPIN is presenting a residential retreat in July that offers progressive leaders accessible, comprehensive communications training and support, in order to help organizations dedicated to social change become more media-savvy. The SPIN Academy provides training and development in:

• Specific communication tactics & skills;
• Strategic communications planning;
• Organizational capacity building through more effective communications;
• Communications leadership growth and networking

VAF is a video production company and arts education center providing a voice for people without access to mainstream media. Video/Action collaborates with artists, educators and innovative grassroots organization to produce video programs, television documentaries and multimedia presentations. All programs produced include detailed distribution plans implemented through public education outreach campaigns.

Archives television, radio, print, Internet and out-of-home advertising creative. VMS's library of over 1,000,000 ads dates to the 1960's. Offers online access to creative from the 1990's to present.

AD AGENCIES AND PSA PRODUCERS

We have worked with the following advertising agencies and producers and can attest to their professionalism.

Accent Media
1350 Beverly Rd. Suite 213
McLean, VA. 22101
703-883-8050 Ext. 26
Attn: Dr. Jack Jorgens

August Lang Husak
4630 Montgomery Ave. #400
Bethesda, MD 20852
(301) 657-2772
Attn: Mike August

Cossette Post
415 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10017-1163
(212) 572-0704
Attn: Fred Morris

Crosby Marketing Communications
705 Melvin Ave., Suite 200
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 626-0805
Attn: Raymond Crosby

Eagle Design & Management
7830 Old Georgetown Rd.
Bethesda, MD 20814-2434
(301) 907-8900
Attn: Joy Nathan

Foote, Cone & Belding
150 E. 42nd St.
New York, NY 10017
(212) 885-3651
Attn:Roseanne Ruppel(212) 885-2896

Garrett, Yu Hussein, McCabe & Reis
1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 650
Washington, DC 20009-5708
(202) 745-5109
Attn: Sharon Reis

Greer Margolis Mitchell & Burns
1010 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 338-8700
Attn: Beverly Barnes

GSD&M Advertising
828 W. 6th St.
Austin, TX 78703
(512) 242-5626
Attn: Soni Lang

Hager Sharp
1090 Vermont Ave. NW Third Floor
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 842-3600
Attn: Rachel Greenberg

Head Play, Inc.
1517 Reistertown Rd. Suite 203C
Baltimore, MD 21208
(410) 733-0717
Attn: Jim McBean

Laughlin Marinaccio & Owens
2000 N. 14th St. Suite 380
Arlington, VA. 22201
(703) 875-2193
Attn: Doug Laughlin

Low + Associates
5454 Wisconsin Ave, Suite #1300
Bethesda, MD 20815
(301) 951-9200
Attn: Mike Cosgrove

Prospect Associates
10720 Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20901
(301) 592-8600
Attn: Martha Mater

PR Productions
4113 Dunnel Lane
Kensignton, MD 20895
301-933-7960
Patrick Rafferty

Richfield Productions
3333 K St., NW Suite 115
Washington, DC 20007
(202) 625-1900
Attn: Deb Marton

Sage Communications
7411 Dulany Drive
McLean, VA 22101
Attn: Trish Butler
(703) 917-0611

The Hastings Group
1901 N. Ft. Myer Dr. Suite 1012
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 276-1116
Attn: Scott Stapf

Think Film
1233 20th St., NW Suite 204
Washington, DC 20036
800-709-FILM
Attn: Bridget Baylin

Vilsack Productions
3734 Dittmar Rd.
Arlington, VA 22207
(703) 533-1036
Attn: Roger Vilsack

Widmeyer Communications
1825 Connecticut Ave, NW, Fifth Floor
Washington, DC, 20009
(202) 667-0901
Attn: Scott Ward