Sarah Fitzgerald

I’m a senior communications strategist and storyteller who specialises in developing simple, actionable strategies for non-profit organisations, informed by audience insight.

As a consultant, I’ve worked with almost 60 charities. As well as freelancing, I’ve also worked in-house, agency-side, and served as a charity trustee and chair.

I’ve dedicated my career to promoting audience insight and voices. I believe that the more charities know about those they exist to inspire and support, and the more open they are to responding to audience perspectives, the more successful they’ll be.

At its heart, my practice is about stories: the stories audiences tell about their lives, needs and expectations; how those stories are heard and understood by my clients; and the stories they in turn create and share to encourage those audiences to support their missions.

My services include strategy development across audience, communications, marketing and brand; qualitative research and insight; creative development; and communications design for behaviour change, fundraising and services marketing. I also help teams foster creativity and build communications capacity.

Clients

I’ve worked with over 55 charities and non-profit organisations, across a range of sectors.

Health, social care and disability clients include: Mind, RNIB, the MND Association, MS Society, National Autistic Society, Parkinson’s UK, Blind Veterans UK, Sense, Arthritis UK, Dementia UK and Crohn’s and Colitis UK.

International development clients include: Christian Aid, Save the Children International, World Vision, Bond, BRAC International, Ipas, CAFOD and Ripple Effect.

Other clients include: Cycling UK, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, IMIX, PDSA, Police Care UK, Citizens Advice, Solace Women’s Aid, Home-Start UK, Local trust and Carers Trust.

Qualifications

I hold the CIM Diploma in Marketing, and I’m a member of the Market Research Society.

I’ve completed a Masters in Creative Writing.

Experience

I’ve developed multi-year audience-centred engagement strategies for many household name UK charities, including Mind and RNIB, working with senior staff and facilitating team and audience participation.

I led the project to rename Send a Cow as Ripple Effect, and developed a new brand strategy for leading development agency CAFOD.

I’ve developed narrative frameworks for charities working on promoting reproductive rights and protecting women and girls from violence.

I also love working with small-but-mighty charities where budgets require more creativity and structure around communications strategy. Smaller strategy and insight clients have included Retina UK and HENRY. I’ve also chaired a small charity, the Miscarriage Association.

I was a leading contributor and editor of Who Cares? – a practical guide for non-profits to building engagement strategies that put audiences first, and deliver lasting impact.