Clarify Celebrate Craft Connect

where you’re from and where you’re going.

Culture and communications strategy for nonprofits and churches.

What tension keeps your org from delivering the impact it was created for? 

Homecoming Creative comes alongside nonprofits and churches to discover the answer and craft actionable strategies that rally your people toward meaningful goals.

I spent the past decade of my career in nonprofit communications and am passionate about fostering unity and efficacy in all expressions of the Christian Church. A continually humble learner, I hold certifications in OCAI facilitation and an advanced degree in Organizational Communication from Northeastern University. Whatever culture or communication challenges exist in your complex environment, I'm ready to endure conflict with kindness so that you can positively impact your community from within and without.

The Founder After Hours (That’s me, Caroline!): You'll find me exploring emerging ideas, trail running routes, podcasts, and new dessert recipes. I've lived in and loved many places, but Colorado Springs is my new hometown.

Can I Ask You a Question?

Testimonials

“Caroline turns challenges into victories with her creative, tailored solutions. Her blend of candid collaboration with clients and her knack for weaving data, trends, and tech into actionable plans truly sets her apart. Her dedication to excellence and innovative approach helped propel us into an exciting growth chapter.”

Janelle Suzanne, Partner @ Louder Agency

Project: Audience identification, funnel strategy, service development, and tactical ideation for multiple Christian schools + international and local orphan and foster care nonprofits

“Her expertise empowered us to connect with the right thought-leaders and learn about unique corners of the marketing world much faster than we could have on our own.”

Emily Rasmussen, Founder & CEO @ Grapevine

Project: Volunteer marketing advisor to Grapevine’s Growth Council. Member of Colorado Springs Women in Business for Good. Influencer strategy and recruitment for org’s first creator campaign.

“From her graceful way of pushing us out of our comfort zone and stuck ways, to her meticulous research and intentional approach to new projects, Caroline's impact is always felt in the work. ”

Adrian Owen Jones, Chief Growth Officer @ ThreeSixtyEight

Project: Nonprofit and for-profit audience research and multi-channel marketing strategy + copywriting

Services

I help ministry leaders clarify where they're going and rally the people they need to get there. With a decade of experience in communications strategy and an integrity-first approach, every service provided is clearly defined and purposeful from the outset.*

*Pricing is project-based and dependent on the size of the organization and the scope of work. All initial discovery calls are at no cost to you!

OCAI Survey & Culture Change Workshops

The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument is an academically-developed survey tool that kickstarts meaningful, actionable organizational change conversations. This process:

  • Diagnoses where your organizational culture is now

  • Determines what culture you need to achieve your mission and vision

  • Facilitates communication workshops among stakeholders

  • Utilizes findings to craft action steps for your internal and external communication strategy

Learn more about my OCAI training and process on OCAI Online’s official site.

Mission & Vision Goal Alignment

Is your mission and vision still relevant to the needs of your community and the unique call on your congregation or organization? Let’s re-evaluate your purpose statements and craft goals toward meaningful and motivating outcomes.

Stop-Start-Continue Program Evaluation

Every program needs to align with your organizational goals and target culture while serving your core audience. Auditing programs using findings from your OCAI, participation rate data, and more will help you put your limited energy into the right programs every day of the week.

Communication Clarity Workshops

Explore the organizational hurdles you can’t seem to get over through the lenses of communication planning and change management. This service audits your current marketing and communication messaging and channel strategies to ensure your team efficiently and effectively shares meaningful content.

Marketing Funnel Strategy

Stop spending energy on the wrong platforms and discover creative ways to meet your audience based on an audit of your current channels and identifying missed opportunities.

Copywriting Services

Drip email campaigns. Direct mail. Websites. Taglines. Punchlines. Try me.

Let’s Talk

Tell me what marketing or communications problem you’re trying to solve and we’ll find time to connect.

Thoughts from the Feed

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Thoughts from the Feed -

Phew! My #eclipse day was spent volunteering at my first-ever Space Symposium shift with the @spacefoundation. I worked with an amazing team to check in just a portion of the 12,000+ attendees from 40+ countries who traveled to Colorado Springs to co
Phew! My #eclipse day was spent volunteering at my first-ever Space Symposium shift with the @spacefoundation. I worked with an amazing team to check in just a portion of the 12,000+ attendees from 40+ countries who traveled to Colorado Springs to connect with businesses and governments leading the space industry. Congratulations to the Space Foundation for their tireless and essential work organizing this event. It is incredible to see how a nonprofit can generate that much economic impact on the beautiful @cityofcos! #39Space #spacesymposium #spacefoundation #nationalvolunteermonth
How can faith-based nonprofit and church marketers avoid platforming for the sake of growth in favor of creating for the sake of discipleship? This is the final question I walked away with from @denverinstitute's Business for the Common Good Confere
How can faith-based nonprofit and church marketers avoid platforming for the sake of growth in favor of creating for the sake of discipleship? This is the final question I walked away with from @denverinstitute's Business for the Common Good Conference last week. The answer isn't black and white. People are going to come to different conclusions. But I see too many organizations either following the trends unquestioningly or refusing to cultivate new initiatives out of fear. I made this chart to help guide my own decision-making when working with clients on strategies for communicating with their people. What would you add to the left or right side? #nonprofitmarketing #churchmarketing #communicationsstrategy #valuesbasedleadership #nonprofitstrategy #faithbased #nonprofitleadership #faithandwork
"Values need to happen every single day in the workplace." Okay, but how? At the @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference, Dan Dye and Christopher Redhage provided some compelling ideas on how they ensure the cultures at @a
"Values need to happen every single day in the workplace." Okay, but how? At the @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference, Dan Dye and Christopher Redhage provided some compelling ideas on how they ensure the cultures at @ardentmills and @providertrust evolve toward values at every organizational level. At ProviderTrust, values are operationalized through a weekly Culture Formation Schedule. This process takes just about an hour over a week but pays off in team camaraderie, openness, and success. How could your team implement values conversations into the weekly cadence? Would this routine pay off for you and/or your clients? #cultureformation #culturechange #valuesbasedleadership #organizationaldevelopment #nonprofitleadership
Starting this week refreshed by the good words from @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference last week! My number one takeaway: As a person of faith, working for the common good requires skillfully and thoughtfully making decisions t
Starting this week refreshed by the good words from @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference last week! My number one takeaway: As a person of faith, working for the common good requires skillfully and thoughtfully making decisions toward redemption. This might mean moving a little slower, making unconventional recommendations, or giving beyond what makes sense. But it also means flourishing for my clients, communities, family, and self. The legacy of the tradeoffs will always be worth it. Can't wait to reflect further and share more concrete lessons with you all this week! #faithandwork #integration #legacy #integrity
📣 For my Colorado Springs locals: On March 6 you have a very cool opportunity to go deeper into the conversation around philanthropy. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a test screening of @uncharitablemovie, and now I'm thrilled to say it's officia
📣 For my Colorado Springs locals: On March 6 you have a very cool opportunity to go deeper into the conversation around philanthropy. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a test screening of @uncharitablemovie, and now I'm thrilled to say it's officially coming to Colorado Springs. You're invited to watch the film and join in the conversation surrounding this thought-provoking documentary that challenges conventional wisdom about philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. 📅 Date: Wednesday, March 6th ⌛ Time: 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM 🍻 Place: @ivywildschool Gym After the movie, the organizers will host discussion groups and talk about what the concepts might look like in the Springs. It's a chance to spark new ideas and perspectives, so bring or share with anyone whose voice needs to be there! RSVP today at the Gather Innovation link in my bio to secure your FREE spot! Hope to see you there. #coloradosprings #philanthropy #communityconversation #grants #nonprofitleadership
One of the most surprising and engaging parts of being self-employed is the time it's opened up for me to pursue writing opportunities. I'm an external processor, so exploring my thoughts on niche and complicated issues through writing is helpful to
One of the most surprising and engaging parts of being self-employed is the time it's opened up for me to pursue writing opportunities. I'm an external processor, so exploring my thoughts on niche and complicated issues through writing is helpful to my frantic mind and, hopefully, a help to others! On that note! I wrote an article for @thegospelcoalition that might encourage you to consider whether your news and entertainment habits are healthy or consumeristic. Put another way: Does your connection to your newsfeed cultivate the person you want to be? There's no time like an #electionyear to take stock! Let me know what you think. Link in bio and at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/tragedy-consumption/. #habits #doomscrolling #trendingnews #truecrime
Another Colorado sports allegory from yours truly! Working on a team of one is hard for me. Really hard. I love being a part of something; leaving projects, people, and places better than I found them. And at the end of 2023, it finally sunk in th
Another Colorado sports allegory from yours truly! Working on a team of one is hard for me. Really hard. I love being a part of something; leaving projects, people, and places better than I found them. And at the end of 2023, it finally sunk in that most of my teamwork is temporary during this season. Admittedly, I started hitting the job boards daily, wondering if I should abandon this whole venture and return to the safer space of company life. But spending a lot of time skiing alone this past weekend reminded me that going solo doesn't mean the journey is lonely or fruitless. If you're willing to start a conversation, you meet interesting people outside your circle and culture. If you put your personal ideas and standards to the test, you sharpen your skills and values. If you choose your own adventure, you learn to accept the unexpected. Even if you accidentally end up on a double black. And this is an adventure I believe in and need to continue to choose. 📣 So, to the church and nonprofit leaders in my network: If you could use an outside perspective that refocuses your internal and external communications this year, I want to hear from you. I started Homecoming to help people like you clarify where they're going and rally the people they need to get there. However long I'm on your team, I promise to do the best for them this season so they can do their best in the next. Pictured: Fresh powder at @steamboatresort #cultureconsultant #communicationstrategy #fundraising #internalcommunications #nonprofitleaders #churchleadership #organizationaldevelopment #toxicculture
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from HOCO! We hope you all enjoy well-deserved rest and celebration after a year that contained so much. On a personal note, I can't believe I'm ending the year as a business owner! So often, I see how far I have
Merry Christmas and happy holidays from HOCO! We hope you all enjoy well-deserved rest and celebration after a year that contained so much. On a personal note, I can't believe I'm ending the year as a business owner! So often, I see how far I have to go instead of appreciating how far I've come. Right now, the future is murkier than ever, but the incredible support of my community is so clear. And that's what I'm leaning into. What a blessing to be on this journey with you. #christmascard #endofyear #thankyou #celebrate
We’re one week out from @givingtuesday! Do you know how your favorite charities are celebrating? Beginning my nonprofit consulting journey this summer has allowed me to connect and reconnect with several amazing charities. We’d be way beyond social media video best practices if I tried highlighting them all. If you have yet to decide where to kick off giving season this year, I hope you’ll consider one of these orgs or look into other ways to increase your impact on November 28! #1 Oasis for Orphans ➡️ Providing underresourced children with an education that empowers them to own their future. They’re 52% of the way toward their year-end goal! o4o.org #2 Haven Retreats ➡️ Raising money to make foster and adoptive care sustainable for families through restorative retreats. haventreatreatsinc.org #3 The City Mission ➡️ Matching gift up to $40k to build Cleveland’s first transitional housing complex for moms and kids! thecitymission.org/transitional-housing/ **Bonus** #4 Grapevine ➡️ Find your local giving circle and make generosity a part of your entire year. https://www.grapevine.org/ #5 Braid Mission ➡️ Helping heal the wounds of foster care by building trusted and supportive relationships through team mentoring. https://braidmission.org/ #6 PLAEP ➡️ Grassroots charity in Zambia providing preventative and rehabilitative care for children and adults affected by the AIDS crisis. https://plaep.org/ Who’d I miss? I want to hear what nonprofits are close to your heart, too! #givingtuesday #givingseason #eoy #nonprofitmarketing #donors #fundraising
I wrapped up a Donor Engagement Framework consulting project this week with @haven.retreats and @wearelouderagency. So. Much. Fun. The Haven team was a blast to work with, and it was a blessing to lend a hand to an organization that's doing critical work in foster and adoptive care: ensuring parents and biological kids can step away from the swirl and connect with people who genuinely understand the beauty and challenges in their daily life. Plus, working with @the_janelle_suzanne again has been such a gift. If anyone in my nonprofit network is looking for a quick turnaround, high-value way to jumpstart their marketing efforts with an expert audit and actionable ideas next year, please reach out to me, and I'll get you two connected. P.S. If you know a family who could use a retreat or this cause is close to your heart, check out www.havenretreatsinc.org to learn about Haven's approach to reducing caregiver burnout. #nonprofitmarketing #donors #fundraising #endofyear #annualplanning
Phew! My #eclipse day was spent volunteering at my first-ever Space Symposium shift with the @spacefoundation. I worked with an amazing team to check in just a portion of the 12,000+ attendees from 40+ countries who traveled to Colorado Springs to co How can faith-based nonprofit and church marketers avoid platforming for the sake of growth in favor of creating for the sake of discipleship? This is the final question I walked away with from @denverinstitute's Business for the Common Good Confere "Values need to happen every single day in the workplace." Okay, but how? At the @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference, Dan Dye and Christopher Redhage provided some compelling ideas on how they ensure the cultures at @a Starting this week refreshed by the good words from @denverinstitute Business for the Common Good Conference last week! My number one takeaway: As a person of faith, working for the common good requires skillfully and thoughtfully making decisions t 📣 For my Colorado Springs locals: On March 6 you have a very cool opportunity to go deeper into the conversation around philanthropy. A couple of weeks ago, I attended a test screening of @uncharitablemovie, and now I'm thrilled to say it's officia One of the most surprising and engaging parts of being self-employed is the time it's opened up for me to pursue writing opportunities. I'm an external processor, so exploring my thoughts on niche and complicated issues through writing is helpful to Another Colorado sports allegory from yours truly! Working on a team of one is hard for me. Really hard. I love being a part of something; leaving projects, people, and places better than I found them. And at the end of 2023, it finally sunk in th Merry Christmas and happy holidays from HOCO! We hope you all enjoy well-deserved rest and celebration after a year that contained so much. On a personal note, I can't believe I'm ending the year as a business owner! So often, I see how far I have
We’re one week out from @givingtuesday! Do you know how your favorite charities are celebrating? Beginning my nonprofit consulting journey this summer has allowed me to connect and reconnect with several amazing charities. We’d be way b
I wrapped up a Donor Engagement Framework consulting project this week with @haven.retreats and @wearelouderagency. So. Much. Fun. The Haven team was a blast to work with, and it was a blessing to lend a hand to an organization that's doing critical

5 Recent Worthwhile Podcasts for Church & Nonprofit Leaders

Fascinating kickstarter conversations from the church and nonprofit world to bring up at your next dinner party. Or maybe just with your team if you want to continue being invited to dinner parties.

Follow me on LinkedIn for regular content recommendations and follow-up thoughts.