Fractional leadership
Senior communications leadership without the full-time commitment or six-figure salary
You need communications that secure funding and build your reputation, but director-level salaries aren't in the budget. That's where fractional leadership comes in. We provide the strategic expertise and hands-on execution you need to advance your communications — without the full-time overhead.
Budgets are shrinking,
while comms needs only grow
Many nonprofits and startups can't afford full-time director-level expertise to tackle their communications needs. Which often leads to:
Staff stretched beyond their expertise
Team members add communications to already-overflowing plates. They're doing work they weren't trained for instead of focusing on their core strengths.
Strategic comms constantly pushed aside
Effective comms requires specialized skills and targeted effort. When teams lack the expertise, comms work often gets deferred to meet other demands.
Your impact story left untold
Without strategic comms capacity, your results stay buried in technical documents. Potential supporters never understand the full value of your work.
How fractional helps
A fractional approach gives you senior-level strategic comms leadership and hands-on execution — scaled to your budget, timeline, and organizational capacity. Our fractional support offers:
Expertise without the overhead
Get director-level communications support without the six-figure salary, benefits, and long-term commitment of a full-time hire.
Extra capacity when you need it
Ramp up during critical campaigns or fundraising pushes, scale back during quieter periods. Fractional hours can be stored up for busy seasons.
Strategy + execution over time
We don't just hand you a plan and disappear. We develop a strategy, then stay committed to execute it with you over the long term.
What makes fractional different?
Fractional work takes a different approach than traditional project-based consulting. Here's how they compare:
Project-based consulting:
One-off deliverables with defined endpoints
Narrow scope that’s predetermined upfront
Strategy OR execution, rarely both
Consultants leave after delivery
Fractional engagement:
Ongoing partnership with sustained support
Flexible scope that can be adapted over time
Strategy development AND hands-on implementation
We stay committed to see results through
How it works
Our fractional support typically involves a 12-month engagement at 10 hours per week. We start with strategy, shift to implementation, then evaluate and adapt based on what’s working. An engagement might look like:
Our fractional offerings
We currently offer two types of fractional leadership depending on your needs: communications strategy and execution, or creative direction for visual storytelling and brand development.
Fractional communications director
Strategic leadership across your full comms portfolio, including audience research, messaging frameworks, content creation, website management, and performance tracking. We develop your strategy, guide your team, and execute key initiatives that advance your mission.
Fractional creative director
Visual storytelling and brand strategy that brings your mission to life — from brand identity and design systems to publication layouts, infographics, scrollytelling, and campaign visuals. We ensure your visual communications reflect the quality, style, and impact of your work.
Ready to explore fractional support?
Here are three steps to get started on a customized fractional engagement to meet your organization's needs:
1. Discovery call
We discuss your communications challenges, organizational goals, and whether fractional engagement is the right fit for your needs and budget.
2. Customized proposal
We develop a tailored engagement plan outlining focus areas, phased approach, timeline, and investment based on your specific situation.
3. Kickoff and planning
We define workflows, rhythms, and quick wins while getting started on co-creating your comprehensive communications strategy.