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Amplify Your Impact

Name: Amplify Your Impact
Start: 2026-04-23T09:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-23T17:00:00-04:00
Location: Harrison Museum of African American Culture at Melrose Plaza

April 23 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Join us on Thursday, April 23 from 9 AM–5 PM at the Harrison Museum of African American Culture at Melrose Plaza for Amplify Your Impact, a nonprofit marketing workshop designed to help organizations create buzz around their missions. Throughout the day, you’ll hear from local marketing and creative professionals on topics like social media strategy, AI tools, media relations, digital marketing, and more. You’ll walk away with practical ideas to amplify your message, strengthen fundraising efforts, and engage your community. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.

What You’ll Learn

Sessions will focus on practical strategies nonprofits can immediately apply, including:

Social media strategy for nonprofits
Using AI tools to save time and improve marketing
Media relations and storytelling
Digital marketing strategies
Building awareness for your mission

Sessions & Schedule

8:30 am: Doors open. Find a seat, get to know your fellow nonprofit leaders, and network!

9:00 am: Michael Hemphill, Creator & Host of Buzz4good
8 No-Budget Nonprofit Marketing Tips + DIY Video Production
BUZZ4good creator Michael Hemphill shares some easy and no-cost marketing tricks to incorporate into your nonprofit, plus show you how to create a quick promotional video with just your iPhone!

10:00 am: Julianne Jacob, Art Director & Innovation Coordinator, and Kristen Chapin, Account Manager at Anstey Hodge
Better Design, Smarter Marketing
Learn the essentials of graphic design and marketing that can help your nonprofit produce clearer, more effective materials and strengthen your brand recognition and outreach.

11:00 am: Carrie Cousins, Vice President at Leadpoint Digital
Now is the Time to Add AEO to Your Marketing Strategy
It’s more than just acronyms — SEO, AEO, GEO, LLM — that are important when planning your marketing calendar in 2026, you need to understand how AEO and SEO work together for comprehensive search across the web. Carrie Cousins of LeadPoint Digital will walk you through the acronyms and help you create an action plan so that your brand gets found in search and AI engines.

Noon: Lunch & FREE Professional Headshots courtesy of Ryan Hunt Photography!

1:00 pm: Bruce C. Bryan, Creative Founder & President at 5Points Creative
Invisible No More. Getting Your Nonprofit Seen in the Newsrooms
5Points Creative Founder and President Bruce C. Bryan helps nonprofits meet the media where they are with some insights and ideas to help you cut through the understaffed and hectic newsrooms.

2:00 pm: Ryan McBurney, Interactive Strategies, Vice President of Marketing and Fundraising
Digital Trends Reshaping Nonprofit Marketing and Fundraising
The digital landscape is changing quickly, and nonprofits are being challenged to adapt. From shifting audience behavior to new tools and growing competition for attention, today’s environment is reshaping how organizations connect with supporters and drive results. This session will explore key trends affecting nonprofit marketing and fundraising and share practical ideas for how small teams can respond.

3:00 pm: Jennifer Hayward, Social Media & Content Manager at Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Allan Mower, Sales Manager at WSLS, Raki Wright Clements, Owner & Digital Strategy Director at The O’Connor Group
Seen & Heard: Insider Strategies from Media and Marketing Experts
One session. Three expert perspectives. At Amplify Your Impact, our guest panel brings together leaders in tourism, media, and digital strategy to answer the question every nonprofit is asking: How do we get seen and heard right now?

4:00 pm: Closing Remarks

5:00 pm: Optional: Social at Twisted Track Brewpub