Project management where relationships matter as much as deadlines
Creative Project Manager ☆ Editor and Proofreader ☆ Grantee Profile Writer
In collaboration with art director Alice Cho
Creative project management for Vancouver Foundation Magazine
The Vancouver Foundation Magazine reaches thousands of prospective and current donors each year to support Vancouver Foundation’s end-of-year giving season. Filled with stories of impact, this major storytelling piece is meant to introduce new readers to the community foundation’s work, while also engaging current donors.
In 28 pages, the 2025 issue profiled donors, grantees, and emerging issues the non-profit sector faced. Creating the magazine involves a large production ecosystem. That means a large relationship ecosystem as well, made up of long-standing donors, ambitious grantees, multiple internal teams, and a team of creatives.
Vancouver Foundation brought on E.T. Communications to act as Managing Editor for its flagship marketing product. In practice, this meant being a project manager with an understanding of creative and strategic storytelling, and the ability to deliver on tight deadlines. But above that, deadlines mattered as much as the foundation’s relationships. Donors, grantees, and contributors needed to be encouraged, but not rushed, through the process.
Storytelling can be a stewardship moment (if managed well)
Every story is a touchpoint between the organization and the source. For Vancouver Foundation, a thoughtful and high-trust experience was crucial to strengthening their relationships, particularly as the donors and grantees involved were often sharing personal stories of grief, loss and trauma. As it turns out, designing for people-first isn’t separate from effective project management, but gives you a strong incentive to plan ahead, communicate regularly and clearly, and meet your marks.
I built a clear structure and timeline that kept the project moving while giving staff and story sources clarity on what to expect, and continued care at every step of creating a story. This process reflected Vancouver Foundation’s commitments to equity and inclusion. In storytelling terms, this means making donors and grantees a partner in how their story is told, rather than a resource to extract from.
I developed a new story brief structure to help onboard new writers quickly into Vancouver Foundation’s brand, language, and relationship stakes. These briefs included both context about the source, but also organizational context and plain-language explainers of products like endowment funds, so writers could spent more interview time exploring moments and details that made stories feel distinct.
Stronger stories, smooth production with a Creative Project Manager
Inspiring and resonant stories are the core of any publication. But when you’re profiling your relationships, the systems that create the stories matter too.
Thoughtful processes and project management created the conditions for better stories, while also improving the experience for everyone involved. Contributors reported having the clarity needed to write a compelling story while honouring brand language.
Behind the scenes, the project also became more manageable for the Vancouver Foundation team. 2025 was the first year an external team had a fully integrated production process and handled all aspects of producing a story, allowing the communications team more capacity to focus on broader priorities.
Good project management takes care of relationships, too
Non-profit teams are often working on a big project on top of their day-to-day work. Whether you have an upcoming impact report, website refresh, or major initiatives, a Creative Project Manager can develop project structures that bridge artistic vision with operational excellence, represent your brand and voice like an extension of your team, and make sure everyone stays optimistic about getting to the finish line in one piece.
I’m a communications consultant and Creative Project Manager for organizations who work in complexity. I bring structure to ambiguity, help you find what’s truly important when there isn’t a clear answer, all while making collaboration a breeze for everyone involved.
Book a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your goals, your team's capacity, and how I can support your next project.
“Esther was instrumental in ensuring our magazine was produced and delivered on time. Their exceptional project management kept every detail on track, including liaising with writers and managing deadlines.
They also understand the importance of our donor relationships, reflected in their approach and in the stories they helped develop.
That level of insight is rare. We are so glad we chose Esther to support us with our projects!”
