On a warm Wednesday afternoon in Berlin, more than 30 experienced communicators gathered, not to pitch, promote, or post, but to offer something more profound: their time, their minds, and their professional skills in support of grassroots social change.
They came together for the Gift of Communication event, a global pro bono initiative launched by IABC. The program has been held in cities around the world and is designed to pair communication professionals with nonprofit organizations that could benefit from strategic guidance but often lack the resources to access it.
Berlin’s edition, hosted on 11 June 2025, brought together professionals from agencies, major corporations, and independent consultancies to support five non-governmental organizations (NGOs) tackling some of today’s most urgent and complex issues. Through three hours of structured teamwork, live discussion, and strategic development, each nonprofit walked away with fresh insights, tangible frameworks, and renewed energy for their mission. For the communicators, it was a rare and powerful opportunity to use their craft in a deeply purposeful way.
Meet the Nonprofits Who Received the Gift
The NGOs who participated in this year’s Gift of Communication event in Berlin represented a range of issues, each pressing and each deserving of more visibility and support.
Ukraine2Power
Focused on energy security amid wartime devastation, Ukraine2Power delivers decentralized clean energy solutions — such as mobile power stations — to frontline hospitals and schools. Their communication challenges centered on visibility, donor engagement, and operational funding. The group developed low-cost content strategies, explored new storytelling formats, and worked on positioning that conveys both urgency and impact without overwhelming audiences.
TMG Research (Think Tank for Sustainability)
This policy-oriented think tank conducts participatory action research on sustainable food systems and land use across several African countries. With a highly technical mission and a relatively low public profile, TMG’s needs revolved around visibility, clarity, and media engagement. The communications team helped identify quick wins for building a PR foundation, improving media readiness, and articulating the organization’s value in ways that resonate with both policymakers and the public.
Democracy Reporting International (DRI)
DRI works globally to defend democratic institutions, including election monitoring, digital rights, and legal reform. Their challenge lay in unifying communication efforts across multiple regional offices and diverse project areas. Discussions focused on harmonizing global and local content, developing internal workflows for story collection, and embedding key organizational messaging within program outputs to strengthen brand coherence.
Terre des Hommes Germany
A leading child rights organization active in 41 countries, Terre des Hommes faced the challenge of segmenting messaging across various audiences — donors, government partners, and the general public — while maintaining narrative clarity. The group explored storytelling techniques, the use of NGO ambassadors, and tactics to activate engagement from supporters beyond the inner circle.
Frauenpolitischer Rat Land Brandenburg
This umbrella advocacy group represents a network of women’s organizations across Brandenburg, Germany. Their work spans gender equality, civic participation, and policy change but has struggled with visibility. The communication team helped map internal and external stakeholders, define messaging priorities, and develop strategies to increase presence in both digital spaces and political arenas.
Shared Learnings and Strategic Approaches
Despite the varied missions of the NGOs, several core themes emerged throughout the session:
- The importance of foundational tools such as messaging platforms, audience maps, and internal comms processes. Many nonprofits lacked the structural support needed to sustain communications in the long term.
- Clarity of purpose and content was highlighted as essential to engaging non-specialist audiences. Technical language and dense reports needed to be distilled into compelling stories and human insights.
- Resource constraints required creativity, not compromise. Participants shared tips on maximizing reach with minimal budget such as leveraging AI tools, co-creating content with partners, and reusing existing assets more strategically.
- Visibility begins with ownership. Many groups explored how NGOs can better control their narratives by improving website usability, building media kits, and strengthening social media presence.
- Storytelling was central to every challenge. Whether advocating policy change or mobilizing donors, the ability to emotionally connect through well-framed stories emerged as a critical skill.
What Communication Professionals Had to Say
The event sparked enthusiastic responses from participants, many of whom shared their experiences in LinkedIn posts:
For Victoria Gieseking, head of corporate communications at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the collaboration really stood out. “In just a few hours, we explored stakeholder landscapes, clarified strategic goals, and offered guidance on how to turn communication challenges into structured, long-term approaches. The session was open, thoughtful, and full of momentum.” Read more.
Olena Androshchuk, head of corporate communications at Henkel in Ukraine, appreciated the group’s energy. “It was an honor to exchange ideas with such a fantastic group of participants from passionate NGO leaders working to make the world a better place to experienced communicators bringing fresh perspectives, strategic thinking, and creative energy to the table.” Read more.
For Nathalie Kempf, senior corporate communications manager at Zalando, the experience was as refreshing as it was rewarding. “Stepping outside my own bubble and collaborating with other professionals to support communicators in NGOs was definitely my highlight of the week.” Read more.
Marten Neelsen, expert lead, corporate communications at IBM iX, reflected on communication’s broader role in social impact. “It was a powerful reminder: Communication isn’t just for brands and big personalities. It's a tool for visibility, voice, and impact, especially for those who aren’t always heard.” Read more.
For Kateryna Chystiakova, senior communications manager at Grammarly, “It was truly rewarding to come together with fellow industry professionals to share our skills and knowledge for a great cause.” Read more.
These reflections underline what made the day so meaningful, not only the strategic support offered, but the sense of purpose and momentum it created across the room.
Looking Ahead
The event closed with reflections from all five teams who shared their key takeaways and outlined next steps. For many participants it was the most meaningful professional experience they’d had in months — one that reminded them why they chose communications in the first place.
Special appreciation goes to Quadriga University of Applied Sciences, our venue partner, for not only hosting the event in their welcoming café space but for embodying the very spirit of applied knowledge and public engagement. We also extend sincere thanks to Schwarz Gruppe for being a sponsor for this Berlin edition of Gift of Communication.
This event was a strong reminder of what our profession can accomplish when it centers purpose. Whether you're a communicator, a nonprofit, or someone who simply believes in the power of clarity and connection, this is your invitation to join us.
If you would like to learn more about how we ran the IABC Gift of Communication event in Berlin, reach out to Olha Boiko on LinkedIn or contact the IABC EMENA Region.