Training

Liberal Communicators Network (LCN): Non-Profit Academy 2025

About the Academy

The LCN-Non-Profit Academy empowers liberal communicators to adapt cutting-edge communication strategies, innovation, and marketing trends for the specific context of the mission-driven sector. By innovating non-profit communications, liberals will be better equipped to win the hearts and minds, influence shifts in values and behaviour, and achieve societal change for a forward-looking Europe.

LCN strives to develop a professional community of non-profit communicators from civil society organizations, foundations, think tanks, change-makers, working on liberal topics.

This LCN Edition focuses on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties. LCN  looks for communications managers (both full-time or part-time) and programme managers, who deal only partially with communications or have limited to zero previous communications expertise, but are eager to learn fast. The ideal applicants work or volunteer in member organizations of the European Liberal Forum (ELF) and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), or are partners of ELF and FNF; liberal civil society organizations and activists in Europe. Join the Academy to become a member of this European network of marketing professionals.

The Academy ‘Make a Good Message Better’ offers webinars with thought leaders, best-selling authors, world-class trainers, who will bring everybody on the ‘same page’ with the latest trends in non-profit brand management, communications strategy, digital and content marketing, hope-based communications in democracy promotion and human rights, messaging and more.

The Academy is organised by the European Liberal Forum (ELF) with the support of Projekt: Polska and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom for East and Southeast Europe (FNF ESEE) for a fifth year now. The Academy is part of an umbrella programme – the Liberal Communicators Network (LCN), between ELF Secretariat, Projekt: Polska, Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF ESEE) and European Liberal Youth (LYMEC). 

Application

Please apply here by 21 April (midnight).

Applications will be assessed on the basis of criteria in the Call for Application. Selected participants will be notified latest by 2 May.

The Academy in Short

• Short, interactive and engaging online sessions spread out over 2 months, in the end of business day, at most twice a week.
• 120 min webinars with thought leaders such as Thomas Coombes (UK), Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications, Communications and Human Rights Strategist, Expert on Strategies for Social Change, a TED-speaker, Former Head of Brand and Deputy Communications Director of Amnesty International
• 120 min hands-on workshops with world-class trainers specialized in non-profit marketing and rich consulting experience from USA: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide, Award-winning Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”
• All successful alumni will become members of LCN professional community of liberal marketers and communicators in Europe.
• This LCN Academy focuses on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties.
• Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst: Political Philosopher; Former Secretary General of IFLRY; a renowned international facilitator.

 

Application Criteria

• Work fully or part-time on liberal communications in Europe.
• Work as liberal programme manager, who deals only partially with communications or has limited to zero previous communications expertise, but is eager to learn fast. 
• Work or volunteer in member organizations of the European Liberal Forum (ELF) and Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF); partners of ELF and FNF; liberal civil society organizations and activists in Europe. The ideal combination per country: a representative of ELF member, FNF and local liberal organization.
• Completed Application Form. We do take seriously the form, so do try to stand out.
• Compliance Obligatory Criteria
• Candidates in upcoming local, national, or European elections and paid campaign staff cannot participate in the training.
• If the participant is a member of staff or official (in elected or administrative function) of a political party, they must pay a participation fee of 20% of the services rendered as calculated by the ELF Secretariat (the flat fee that does not vary by country of residence.)
• If a participant is not a candidate at the time of the event but becomes a candidate within 12 months following the training, they will have to pay a participation fee of approximately 50%-90% of the services according to country of residence. If you would like to know exactly how much, given your specific status, please reach out to the ELF Secretariat.
• If the participant is none of the above, the participation is free of charge.

Assessment Criteria

• Commitment to active participation in all Academy sessions is of utmost importance.
• Regardless of your current level of communications expertise, what will be prioritized is a dedication to learn on-the-job and grow professionally in the field of communications.
• Previous work experience, professional/academic qualifications in communications are welcomed, but not required.
• Teams with limited communications capacity and resources will be given special consideration.
• Willingness to pay forward the gained knowledge in your organization.
• Passionate to join and contribute to the development of a pan-European community of non-profit communicators.
• Focus on the liberal non-profit actors, not on political parties.
• The learning journey focuses on professionals from Europe only. Preference for participants from East and Southeast Europe.
• Alumni of previous LCN Editions Non-profit are allowed to apply again, as the programme is slightly different. LCN alumni of LCN Youth edition, run by LYMEC, or of LCN Masterclass, run by ELF Secretariat, are allowed to apply. However, priority will be given to new applicants and not members of LCN.

LCN Resources

Don’t miss out the chance to discover highlights and insights from these world-class trainers from the first 4 editions of LCN. Check out the full keynote speeches of Rory Sutherland from LCN: 2023, 2022, 2021.

Please apply here by 21 April (midnight).

Programme Overview

8 May, Thursday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00  Meet & Greet. Mapping Where Do You Stand?

Speaker: Dr. Milosz Hodun, Board Member, European Liberal Forum; President, Projekt Polska (TBC)

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst, Political Philosopher; Former Secretary General of IFLRY

Co-Facilitator: Boryana Atanassova, LCN Project Leader and Co-facilitator; Senior Regional Communications Manager for East and Southeast Europe, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom

12 May, Monday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00  Workshop 1: The Missing Magic in Your Communications Strategy: Choosing the Right Objectives

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

• You have big, vague goals and an even bigger and longer to-do list. But neither of those are what you need to set priorities and make good decisions. And how do you know if any of it is actually working? During this session, we’ll fill in the gaps with marketing strategies and objectives designed to help you measure the impact of your work.

14 May, Wednesday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00  Workshop 2: Using Different Writing Styles and Creating Content for the Four Engagement Mindsets

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

• No one knows for sure what content will get the most attention. But there are ways to greatly improve your odds. First, you should use the best writing style for each situation. Second, you have to appeal specifically to the values of the people who will be reading it. We’ll cover both during this session.

19 May, Monday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00  Workshop 3: Communications Planning and Workflow Tools That Make Life Easier

 Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

• You don’t expect a carpenter to work without a hammer and a drill. Communicators also have tools they need to do their best work, which now includes AI. But just like a hammer can do damage in the wrong hands, so can AI. During this session, we will talk about the communications planning and workflow tools you need to save time and get more good work done, but also how to use them safely and effectively.

21 May, Wednesday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00  Workshop 4: Taking Care of Yourself on the Job:  Setting Boundaries and Other Workplace Survival Tips

Trainer: Kivi Leroux Miller (USA), Founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide. Author “Content Marketing for Nonprofits”

• Do you ever feel overwhelmed, frustrated, uncomfortable, resentful, or guilty at work? Do you feel like it’s very hard to say “no” to requests at work? Those are signs that you need to learn to set boundaries. But that is much easier said than done! During our final workshop, we’ll explore the kinds of boundaries communicators should set and explore other ways to prevent yourself from burning out, especially in the current political environment. 

28 May, Wednesday Open Session

17:00 - 19:00  Workshop 5: Hope-based Communication - a Smart Strategy for Promoting Democracy and Human Rights

Trainer: Thomas Coombes, Founder and Director of Hope-based Communications, Communications and Human Rights Strategist, Expert on Strategies for Social Change, TEDx-speaker, Former Head of Brand and Deputy Communications Director of Amnesty International

• How can you be hopeful when things are so dire in human rights and liberal democracy? Hope is necessary to make people believe the change you seek is possible and desirable. It is also about understanding the audience we are communicating with, so that we can cultivate empathy for the people whose voices and stories we want them to hear. Hope-based communications is a pragmatic approach to winning support for policies and advocacy positions by showing how they will work. Hope-based communications acts on the principle that we should be focused on building the world we want, setting the agenda with our values, our goals, our mission. When it is so tempting to react to our opponent's frames and actions, it offers a simple formula for telling stories of our own that contribute to the long-term changes in ideas, attitudes and behaviour we want to bring about. Discover the 5 shifts of hope.

2 June, Monday Open Session

17:00 - 19:00:Navigating the Future: Key Trends in Political and Advocacy Communications

Trainer: Sebastián Rodríguez (Spain),  Founder, European Campaign Playbook

• New rules, new platforms, new challenges—political and advocacy communications are changing fast. How do you keep up? Navigate through the European Campaign Playbook: 2025 Policy Comms Trends. This session will break down the biggest trends shaping the field, from the latest political advertising restrictions to new strategies for reaching audiences without paid ads. We’ll also explore how to use emerging tools and tactics to stay ahead while staying true to your message.

 4 June, Wednesday  Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00: Workshop 5: AI For Advocacy 

Trainer: Sebastián Rodríguez (Spain), Founder, European Campaign Playbook

• AI is everywhere—but how can you actually use it to make your advocacy work more effective? And how do you avoid the risks that come with it? In this session, we’ll cover the fundamentals of AI, the best ways to use tools like ChatGPT, and how to prompt effectively to get better results. You’ll also learn how to create AI-generated images and videos, tackle biases, and follow best practices to use AI strategically. Plus, we’ll put it all into action with a hands-on exercise: launching a campaign in just 10 prompts.

10 June, Tuesday Open Session

17:00 - 19:00: Workshop 5: Beyond Happy Clappy Dances: The TikTok Revolution

Trainer: Sven Gerst

Trainer: Medeni Sungur, Founder of Kuest Media,Türkiye

• TikTok isn’t just about viral dances or the latest social media trend—it’s changing the way we consume and engage with content. In this session, we’ll break down how short-form video has rewritten the rules of communication and what that means for non-profits looking to get their message across. Together with the media agency Kuest, we’ll explore best practices and share practical tips on how to use TikTok and short-form video to complement your work and amplify your impact.

12 June, Thursday Closed Session

17:00 - 19:00: Consultations & Graduation 

Speaker:  Martin Kothee, Regional Director for East and Southeast Europe, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (TBC)

Speaker: European Liberal Forum (TBC)

Speaker: LYMEC (TBC)

Lead Facilitator: Sven Gerst

Co-Facilitator: Boryana Atanassova