The Medill Cause Marketing Initiative (CMI) is a student-run committee that provides pro-bono marketing services for non-profit organizations in the Chicago area. Since 2008, CMI has been providing strategic, creative and effective marketing communications solutions to help NPOs further their community reach and deepen their social impact. CMI consists of graduate students in the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Full-Time program at Northwestern University Medill School. Student teams develop and deliver innovative solutions by applying skills and insights learned in the classroom to solve real-world business objectives.
CMI undertakes 2-3 month-long projects with specific marketing communications objectives outlined by the client. CMI provides NPOs with work including (but not limited to):
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) is a STEM-designated program at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. An educational leader since 1921, Medill offers programs that combine enduring skills and values with new techniques and knowledge that are essential to thrive in today’s digital world. IMC uses art (creativity) and science (qualitative and quantitative data) to understand consumers and build strong brands.
Avery’s Helpful Hair Kits provides culturally relevant hair care resources for children in foster care with curly and textured hair. The CMI team supported the organization by building a purpose-driven identity book, designing a social media strategy, and creating a cross-platform content calendar and press outreach toolkit to increase visibility and fundraising impact.
“One of the most meaningful things I’ve learned is how powerful a clear and purpose-driven identity can be, especially when it’s rooted in a personal story like Avery’s. It has taught us the importance of building an organization around values, empowerment, and cultural representation.”
– Ana Bahena, IMC’ 24
“We’ve learnt about the logistics of hosting a screening for a film that hasn’t been released to the public yet. From designing, printing, and pasting flyers across campus, to creating engaging content for social media while being mindful about not giving too much away – It’s been a pleasure to work on a project that talks about something that affects all of us.”
– Anay Poddar, IMC’ 24
Nourishing Hope is one of Chicago’s leading hunger relief organizations, offering food, mental health, and social services to over 4.5 million people annually. The CMI team revamped its Google Ads strategy by updating ad copy, refining keyword targeting, and building structured campaigns to boost awareness, donations, volunteer sign-ups, and Gala 2025 visibility. The campaign drove 302 clicks and 1,920 impressions at a $2.13 average CPC, with both metrics on the rise.
“My favorite part (of working on this project) has been building the Google Ads campaign for Nourishing Hope from the ground up. It was really rewarding to brainstorm ideas together as a team, shape the strategy collaboratively, and bring our plans to life step by step!”
– Siyuan Feng, IMC’ 24
Center for Enriched Learning (CEL) supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through services that foster inclusion, growth, and community engagement. The CMI team assisted CEL’s rebranding by enhancing its digital presence, for example by SEO, and advising on long-term marketing strategies to boost visibility, engagement, and impact. They also conducted a full social media audit and used data insights to inform targeted outreach.
“I learned how to develop SEO and SEM strategies through hands-on work with website optimization and Google Ads. The project gave our team a great opportunity to dive into keyword research, content improvement, and campaign planning. With a supportive client and amazing teammates, this has been a truly rewarding experience.”
– Xingyu(Cindy) Chai, IMC’ 24
SitStayRead helps young kids build reading skills and confidence through fun, emotionally supportive lessons—with the help of trained reading dogs. The CMI team refreshed their brand materials, organized files and tools, and built a clear communication plan that fits the team’s size and budget.
“A favorite part of both working with my team and my client is our communication. Our team is super efficient in team meetings and our clients are also super responsive and understanding. The communications are very effective and pleasant.”
– Yeran(Lisa) Lu, IMC’ 24
One Earth Collective hosts an annual environmental film festival to inspire action and spotlight justice through powerful storytelling. The CMI team supported their 2025 campaign by managing Google Ads, creating marketing toolkits for 19 venues, publishing filmmaker interviews, and helping capture key festival moments on-site.
“My favorite part of working with the One Earth team was getting to attend one of their film festival screenings and seeing our efforts come to life. The turnout was incredible, with a packed theater of engaged viewers watching an impactful investigative journalism story unfold!”
– Haotian(Vivian) Meng, IMC’ 24
Ballet Chicago nurtures young dancers and brings classical and contemporary ballet to audiences of all ages through education, performance, and community outreach. The CMI team developed a marketing campaign for their Spring Repertory performance—managing PR strategy, email marketing, social media content development, and event promotion strategy with close collaboration from the Ballet Chicago team.
“My favorite part of working with my team is the genuine support I received for over the past 10 weeks. Joining the Spring Repertory performance together—celebrating one ballerina’s farewell, who was also our main contact—was especially meaningful. It reminded me how powerful our work becomes when it’s built on real relationships.”
– Chih Yuan(Emily) Hsueh, IMC’ 24
Rainbows for All Children supports youth navigating grief and loss by creating safe spaces and community connections. The CMI team helped boost the organization’s visibility by refining its media kit, shaping PR and podcast strategies, and building tools to better reach families, volunteers, and donors.
“One of our biggest takeaways was realizing how many kids go through tough family changes—nearly 1 in 2 experience divorce, which really surprised us. Working with Rainbows showed us how much impact these programs can make when they get the visibility and support they deserve. They’re doing incredible work—sometimes all they need is a stronger platform to reach the right people.”
– Kacey Hsu, IMC’ 24
WINGS Program supports survivors of domestic violence by providing housing, advocacy, and essential resources for long-term independence. The CMI team helped expand the digital presence of WINGS Resale Stores through a targeted social media strategy, survey-driven insights, and a three-month content plan designed to increase donations and foot traffic.
Hyde Park School of Dance offers inclusive, high-level dance training and performance opportunities to students of all ages and backgrounds. The CMI team supported their digital outreach by developing a social media strategy, conducting stakeholder surveys, and creating tools to monitor audience engagement and donor growth.
“Our favorite part of working with the Hyde Park School of Dance team has been the collaborative energy and openness to new ideas. Everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to work together has made the whole process really fun and inspiring.”
– Yanglu Wang, IMC’ 24
CMI had the honor of leading a special takeover session for the Art and Conversation event, hosted by Akeya, Director of Academic Advising at Medill.
For the takeover, CMI guided the cohort in creating heartfelt cards for Cards for Hospitalized Kids (CFHK), a nonprofit organization that delivers encouraging messages to children’s hospitals across all 50 states. Students crafted beautifully personalized cards filled with kind and uplifting words, offering encouragement to children in local hospitals.
“It was truly sweet to see our cohort come together for such a meaningful cause. Knowing that our small act of kindness, crafting cards filled with encouraging words, maybe could bring joy to hospitalized children made this experience so special!”
– Coco Ding, IMC’24
CMI joined Avery’s Helpful Hair Kits in their mission to provide essential haircare kits for foster children with highly textured hair. On Martin Luther King Day, CMI invited student volunteers to participate in assisting in assembling haircare kits to support these children in Evanston and Chicago Area. This initiative was a meaningful way for CMI to give back to the community and commemorate Dr. King’s legacy through service.
“I always understand that hair is more than just hair—it’s confidence and self-expression. Volunteering by assembling these kits was an incredibly meaningful way to support young girls in our local community and to give back in a way that uplifts others.”
– Nicole Wang, IMC’24
We want to help your organization further its community reach and deepen its social impact.
If you are interested in working with us and reside in the greater Chicago area, please fill out the request for proposal form below. Your project objectives and deliverables should focus on a marketing need that furthers your organization’s mission and should be accomplishable within 10-12 weeks. Please see the “What does CMI do?” section above for a list of skills that reflect the core competencies of our student teams. Each year, our student teams kick off the projects in March; however, please feel free to submit this form at any point during the calendar year and we will reach out to you to secure your spot in the lineup of CMI clients.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at cmi@u.northwestern.edu.