The frameworks below translate peer-reviewed research from behavioral, cognitive, and social science into practical tools for public interest communications practitioners.
Each one was developed at the Center for Public Interest Communications at the University of Florida and is grounded in decades of applied work across foundations, nonprofits, government agencies, and advocacy organizations. They’re designed to be used — in strategy sessions, training rooms, and campaign planning — not just read.
The Six Spheres of Influence
Six spheres shape every social change issue: Policy, Media, Communities of Influence, Market and Industry, Activism, and Social Norms. Identifying which to work in — and where you have the resources to create leverage — is the strategic decision this framework is designed to help you make. <a class="continue"…
Science of Story Building
Story is the best tool we have for transforming culture and changing systems. This has become a fundamental belief in the social change sector. Many organizations are telling stories about their work and the issues they work on to capture attention, increase emotional engagement and ultimately drive behavior change. But what do we know about building…
Build the World You Wish Existed: An Action Guide
A systems-thinking and human-centered design framework for changemakers facing
complex, interconnected problems. It helps you map the system, find the leverage
points, and design interventions that address root causes — not just symptoms. <a class="continue"…
Four Questions: The Back of the Envelope Guide to Strategy
Coming up with a strategic communications plan doesn’t have to require a staff retreat and hours of work. Simply focusing on making the right decisions in the right sequence can make a world of difference in helping you gain traction for your work. For each project or objective, we recommend trying to kick off with these (seemingly simple, but can…
The Science of What Makes People Care – Six Imperatives for Changemakers
The scientific evidence is piling up: people don’t act on information, they act on what they care most about. We’ve distilled six core principles from behavioral, cognitive and social science that you can apply to help people care more about your work. The framework helps you learn to apply these rules to your own work and apply a science-based framework…
The Center uses these frameworks in its own consulting work and offers training programs built around them. Explore training →