Resource Media

Resource Media provides expert strategic communications advice to conservation organizations around the West. As a result of a recent organizational evaluation and the hiring of a new executive director, the organization is evolving from providing advice to engaging directly in strategic communications advocacy. This grant would support Resource Media’s new direction, allowing it to join a coalition of other grantees that work to limit the impact of fossil energy development on public lands. The coalition seeks to raise awareness among varied constituencies about fossil energy’s impacts on human health, wildlife, and water in the West. The coalition’s goal is to ensure that sensitive public lands and rivers are not developed and that human health is protected.

Resource Media is a nonprofit organization that provides expert communications strategies and media services to NGOs working to protect communities, public health, and the environment. Resource Media would work with targeted NGOs to improve their communications strategies and media outreach activities, help execute their strategies, and identify messages and messengers for the energy, coal, fossil fuel, and renewable energy projects underway in the West. Resource Media may provide support to: (1) the Western Clean Energy Campaign for its ongoing efforts to defeat proposed coal-burning power plants and replace existing plants, (2) the Western Energy Project for its work to mitigate the impacts of oil and gas development and protect ecologically important landscapes in the interior West, and (3) organizations working to responsibly site renewable power facilities in the West, for their strategic communications efforts.

To support the planning and initial launch phase of StoryDrive Resource Media provides communications strategies and media services to NGOs working to protect communities, public health, and the environment. They work with targeted NGOs to improve their communications strategies and media outreach activities; help execute their strategies; and identify messages and messengers for energy, coal, fossil fuel, and renewable energy projects under way in the West. Resource Media is at an important point in its organizational development. Communications strategies and methods have changed significantly since the organization’s founding but it has not kept up adequately. The board hired a new executive director in September 2012 who has a clear vision for delivering more effective communications on energy and natural resource protection issues. This grant would provide funds for the organization to implement current programs for six months while completing a plan for a way to implement the vision laid out by the new director. If the plan is compelling, we would consider recommending renewed support in July 2013. If not, we would tie off support.