Communications Toolkit

Use these communication resources, designed for program participants, to increase awareness of the NOSB and garner further support for your team, regional bowl, and the national program.

There may be times when the NOSB National Office has a specific “call-to-action” that we need your help to magnify. We don’t have anything for you right now, so please check back later. In the meantime, we encourage you to explore the resources below and share your NOSB story far and wide.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is responding to requests from our participants for resources that will help them better communicate about the program. Our 2023-2025 Needs Assessment showed that we need to enhance communication and outreach to highlight the NOSB’s value to prospective schools, volunteers, and funders. Our current participants (students, alums, volunteers, regional coordinators, and other partners) are the ones directly experiencing, implementing, and benefiting from the program. Therefore, YOU are the best person to help us communicate the program’s impact to increase awareness and garner further support (financial and otherwise) at a time when it is desperately needed. Use the resources and guidance provided in this Communications Toolkit to help you, but remember to customize your outreach with personal stories, photos, and calls to action that resonate with your intended audience.

What Resources are Included and How to Use Them

Click on the button above to access the listed resources in a Google Drive.

A template for writing letters expressing your support of the program and highlighting its impact on you for various audiences. Use this as a starting point and make it your own. See the included examples of past letters written by NOSB participants for ideas.

Key information about the program and ideas for personalizing your message or “ask”.

Pre-packaged captions and graphics that you can post on your own social media channels. Use these as a starting point and make the posts your own.

An informational brochure that describes the program and its impact, with supporting testimonials, our sponsorship levels, and benefits. Use this to help recruit new funders and program partners for the regional or national level, or separate out the testimonials to support other communication efforts.

A general, high-level overview of the program. Use this at outreach events or include it with your letter or other communication efforts to provide more context about the program.

An outreach flyer designed to support recruitment of new teams. Use this at outreach events, posting on campus and on social media, emailing to schools, etc.

An outreach flyer designed to support recruitment of new volunteers. Use this at outreach events, posting on community bulletin boards or on social media, emailing to listservs, etc.

Our most recent annual report highlighting our yearly activities and impact. Use this to support communications to potential donors/partners, institutional leaders, interested teams, etc.

An advertisement designed to share information about the program with school and district leadership. Use this to support team recruitment/formation or to garner further support for an established team/bowl.

An advertisement designed to share information about the program with Workforce Development Boards (WDBs). Find WDBs in your region and see what programs they offer, then reach out with this advertisement to request support for your team/school/bowl.

Ideas for Supporting the NOSB

  • Spread the word about the NOSB and its impact (see audience ideas below). Use the resources above to help you.

  • Send the NOSB a personal video or written testimonial highlighting the impact of the program on you/your community. We could use it on our social media, website, or in communications with sponsors and partners.

  • Alumni can complete our Alumni Spotlight Form. Your input will help us shape further alumni engagement efforts (e.g., a mentorship program or alumni network) and may be used in communications about the program pending your approval (e.g., featured in Alumni Spotlights on our website).

  • Send the NOSB a letter thanking sponsors.

  • Donate and encourage others to donate to support student opportunities, prizes, and scholarships.

  • Volunteer and encourage others to volunteer for your regional competition, the finals competition, or for the national office as a question writer or reviewer.

  • Recruit new teams to participate in your regional competition.

Potential Audiences

  • Local funders and partners (current or potential for the team, regional bowl, and/or the national program)
  • Host institution leadership to reinforce current or ask for more support
  • School principal or school district to reinforce current or ask for more support
  • Potential coaches/teachers to support team recruitment
  • Local and state representatives to share information about the program and what it means to you
  • Regional volunteers to underscore the impact of their time commitment