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.
LEAP Innovations partners with educators, schools, and technology leaders to improve learning experiences and outcomes for students. Collaborating with the organization, the team refined messaging and communication strategies to better connect LEAP’s impact with key stakeholders.
Collaborating with the organization, the team refined messaging and communication strategies to better connect LEAP’s impact with educators, district leaders, and funders.
LEAP Innovations brings deep knowledge of education and a decade of genuine impact. We are honored that, through deep listening and strategic structuring, we helped turn fragmented impact into a focused, empathetic voice that speaks to teachers, district leaders, and funders, those who dedicate themselves to the growth of students.
Onward House is a community organization that provides educational, social, and economic programs designed to empower individuals and families. In partnership with the organization, the team evaluated digital communications and developed strategies to expand audience reach and community impact.
In partnership with the organization, the team evaluated digital communications and developed strategies to expand audience reach and community impact.
We are so grateful to have spent this quarter working alongside Onward House! It was an incredible learning opportunity that taught us how strategy, storytelling, and structure must work together to help a nonprofit reach beyond the community it already serves. Through a full social media and website audit, we developed a rebalanced content strategy, an SEO and design plan, and a phased roadmap to support the team’s continued growth and impact.
Sarah’s Circle works to end homelessness among women in Chicago through housing, support services, and community-based programs. Working alongside the organization, the team developed communications recommendations to strengthen engagement and support its mission.
Working alongside the organization, the team developed communications recommendations to strengthen engagement and support its mission to end homelessness for women in Chicago.
Collaborating with Sarah’s Circle has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Touring their facilities gave our team a firsthand look at their vital work, uniting us around the mission to end homelessness for women in Chicago. Connecting with their purpose inspired us to pour our best energy into every deliverable and pushed us to expand our skill sets to best support women in need.
WINGS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence by providing housing, advocacy, and support services for survivors. Collaborating with WINGS, the team developed strategic communication and positioning recommendations designed to expand the organization’s visibility and advocacy efforts nationwide.
Collaborating with WINGS, the team developed strategic communication and positioning recommendations designed to expand the organization’s visibility and advocacy efforts nationwide.
Our experience working with WINGS showed us how strategic communication can help mission-driven organizations expand their impact beyond local communities. By developing national positioning frameworks, TBI toolkit launch strategies, and visibility recommendations, we created tools that support long-term advocacy, partnerships, and survivor-centered responses across national conversation.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy Nexus brings together global leaders and experts to address the interconnected challenges of energy, food, water, and climate resilience. Partnering with the Council, the team explored how strategic narratives, messaging, and stakeholder engagement can drive awareness, foster collaboration, and advance action on these critical global issues.
Partnering with the Council, the team explored how strategic narratives, messaging, and stakeholder engagement can drive awareness, foster collaboration, and advance action on energy, food, water, and climate challenges.
Working with the World Economic Forum and contributing to the Global Future Council’s work on the Energy Nexus was such a unique opportunity to contribute to a meaningful initiative. With three teams working on this project, we were able to see the fruits of our labor come together in how our work on narratives, messaging, and network mapping come together. From research to proposed recommendations for future action, it was awesome to see the different possibilities of how messaging can be transmitted through key intermediaries, and what the impact can be when done right. Partnering with the Council, the team explored how strategic narratives, messaging, and stakeholder engagement can drive awareness, foster collaboration, and advance action on energy, food, water, and climate challenges.
P33 Chicago is a civic organization dedicated to driving inclusive economic growth and strengthening Chicago’s position as a global technology hub. Working with P33 Chicago and Xchange Chicago, the team supported initiatives focused on advancing the city’s innovation ecosystem through research, positioning, and strategic communications.
Working with P33 Chicago and Xchange Chicago, the team supported the city’s innovation ecosystem through research, positioning, and strategic communications.
Working with P33 Chicago and Xchange Chicago was an incredibly rewarding experience! Through stakeholder research, positioning strategy, and messaging work, we had the opportunity to contribute to an initiative creating meaningful workforce, technology, and economic impact in Chicago.
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.
