Curious Public
Storytelling isn't about the storyteller - it's about the audience.
If you want people to listen, you need to understand them. If you want to inspire them, you need to know what they want.
Connect authentically. Influence wisely.
And say it better - and clearer - than everyone else.
The trick is to understand your audience, and build a connection to them that’s unexpected, fresh and memorable.
Narrative Development • Executive Reputation Management • Speechwriting • Content Creation • Issues Management • Digital Communications • Professional Training
Trusted by
When the message matters, the strategy comes first.
Curious Public UPLIFT Application
Applications for UPLIFT by Curious Public are closed.
Applications will open in Summer 2026.
Tell Us About You
On behalf of all of us here at Curious Public, thank you for your submission. Stay tuned and follow us for updates!
UPLIFT
Tell Your Story. Change Your Future.
UPLIFT offers annual pro bono support to help one Canadian non-profit or NGO share its story. From branding and narrative to content and PR, we deliver tailored strategy and content—at no cost.
Because every powerful story deserves to be heard. Is yours next?
"We are so grateful to have been chosen as the Curious Public UPLIFT client. They listened carefully, consulted with various members of our team, and came up with a wonderful narrative on our messaging."
"We are so grateful to have been chosen as the Curious Public UPLIFT client. They listened carefully, consulted with various members of our team, and came up with a wonderful narrative on our messaging."
-Lynda Kosowan, Executive Director, Scarborough Women's Centre
What You'll Get
Every UPLIFT partnership is custom-built. We tailor our work to your goals — but here’s what you can typically expect:
- A personalized workplan
- A revised narrative that reflects your mission and vision
- Strategic support to help your narrative drive your goals
- Customized content (e.g., blogs, op-eds, web copy, social posts, and more)
- NEW this year: a customized fundraising merchandise strategy
Together, it’s the equivalent of a 3-month engagement with our agency — delivered pro bono.
Who Qualifies
To be eligible for UPLIFT, your organization must:
- Be a Canadian non-profit or NGO
- Focus on creating local or regional impact (national organizations not eligible)
- Have limited in-house communications/marketing resources
How to Apply
Applying is easy!
Fill out our online application Hit submit Get our confirmation email
We review all submissions and select our recipient in Winter 2025.
Past UPLIFT Recipients
2025-2026Hockey 4 Youth Foundation
Hockey 4 Youth has been increasing social inclusion for newcomers and high-priority youth since 2015. The foundation currently offers 14 programs on and off ice in 10 cities across Canada in: Victoria, Sooke, Langley, Vernon, Prince George, Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal (Dollard Des Ormeaux and Ville Saint-Laurent). To date, Hockey 4 Youth has worked with 2,000 kids and teens representing 44 countries of origin.
Curious Public is working with Hockey 4 Youth to better support its strategic goals and fundraising mission. The foundation will also be the first UPLIFT recipient to get a customized fundraising merchandise strategy.
2024-2025Ernestine's Women's Shelter
For forty years, Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter has been a life-saving and life-changing pillar of community care, helping survivors of gender-based violence give themselves and their children stability, healing and a path out of violence.
Curious Public is actively working with Ernestine’s to drive its visibility with donors and decision-makers through strategic communications for fundraising, PR and media.
2023-2024Summer Music Society
Summer Music Society delivers high-quality music education for people of all ages and musical skill levels. Summer Music’s inclusive programs benefit children, adults, and seniors, creating a supportive environment where participants can learn, grow, and connect through the power of music.
Curious Public worked with Summer Music Society to create a refreshed logo, a narrative, a new website and supporting communications collateral.
2022-2023Hospice Mississauga
Hospice Mississauga (formerly Heart House Hospice) has been making a meaningful difference for clients and their families navigating end-of-life care and grief in Mississauga and Brampton since 1985. Its team of compassionate professionals deliver on their promise to ensure that people live their final days with grace and dignity while offering support and services to families and caregivers.
Curious Public worked with Hospice Mississauga to revise its core narrative and social media content and develop a suite of new fundraising materials.
2021-2022Learning for a Sustainable Future
Learning for a Sustainable Future’s (LSF) mission is to empower Canadian kids to change the world by supplying teachers and students with climate change resources and learning opportunities.
Curious Public (then LRC) worked with LSF to give them a new narrative and communications strategy to increase brand awareness.
2020-2021Scarborough Women's Centre
Scarborough Women’s Centre (SWC) is a non-profit organization that gives support, information, resources, counselling and workshops to women in the community.
Curious Public worked with SWC to refresh its narrative, update communications materials and better connect the centre with its audiences, including donors. SWC awarded Curious Public (then LRC) with the centre’s “Volunteer of the Year Award.”
2019-2020Urban Alliance on Race Relations
Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) was founded in 1975 by Torontonians who were concerned about the rise in hate crimes. The organization was a leading voice for more than 40 years, but felt its brand was out-of-date and missing opportunities to connect allied groups to fight for change.
Curious Public (then LRC) worked with the UARR to strengthen its digital and brand communications.
"UPLIFT is about helping deserving organizations get a share of voice out in their communities so they can make a greater impact and connect with more supporters and champions."
-Lloyd Rang, President, Curious Public
"We remain inspired by the quote from Bishop Desmond Tutu: 'Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.' That's UPLIFT's motto."
-Tracey Sobers, Chief Operations Officer, Curious Public
Our Services
Content and Insights
We help good people tell great stories.
We'll find out what makes you unique, learn what you have to offer, and figure out how to say it best using our signature narrative process.
We'll give you a better version of your story and use that story as a jumping-off point to create content and a strategy that gets people talking - for all the right reasons.
No jargon. No marketing-speak. Just fresh ideas and trusted insights - every time.
Narrative Development and Communications Strategy
We do a deep dive into your organization and work with you to tell your story. We’ll uncover it, write or re-imagine it, refine it – and create a step-by-step plan to help you share it.
Services:
Product narrative
Company narrative
Communications strategy
Fundraising campaign
Executive Reputation Management and Thought Leadership
We can help you build or polish a reputation as a leader in almost any area of expertise. We’ll work with you to create your leadership narrative – identifying topic areas you can explore and developing a strategy and content to share your expertise, advice and opinions with your audience.
Services:
Personal narrative
Speechwriting
Fundraising campaign
Speechwriting
We work with you to make you sound like you – only better. We’ve earned a reputation as some of the best speechwriters in Canada – which is why we’ve worked with politicians, CEOs, and celebrities all over the world.
Content Creation and Editing
We create thought-provoking articles, blog posts, releases, web copy – on any topic, no matter how complicated. We help start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, universities, hospitals and others get noticed. And our editing services will make your documents clear and readable.
Services:
News releases
Report writing
Briefing note creation
Contributed articles
Op-eds
Blog posts
Q&A doc
Podcast support
Video script writing
Shot lists
Issues Management
The best way to deal with issues is to learn to avoid them (see our training courses). But if you can’t, we can help you deal with a problem and make it go away as fast as possible.
Public Relations and Media Support
Choose from our complete menu of public relations services to help you manage your external communications, enhance your reputation, reach and build trust with your audiences/journalists, and increase your visibility.
Services:
Deliver spokesperson workshops
Create and execute media strategy
Develop targeted media lists
Craft media pitches and responses
Monitor and analyze coverage
Digital Communications and Website Development
We use digital audits, social listening and raw data to identify and evaluate your digital storytelling opportunities. We create content and influencer strategies. We can build your website. And you can trust us with the details – our team can design, develop, and manage your social campaigns, platforms or analytics for you.
Services:
Digital communications strategy
Website design
Social media copywriting
Digital advertising
Graphic design
Organization Effectiveness and Systems Analysis
Today’s business landscape is global, turbulent, and fiercely competitive. How your organization is designed and structured can be the difference between successfully driving results or perpetually putting out fires. That’s why evaluating your organization’s structural health is critical to ensure you’re set up for optimized performance. That’s where we can help.
Our organizational behaviour and human resources management specialist gives companies the recipe for success with unique, fluid, and customized recommendations that serve your organization’s exact needs and drive results.
Our signature narrative process is at the heart of everything we do:
FIRST...
We ask a lot of questions and analyze your organization to find out what makes it tick.
NEXT...
We write your core story – your narrative – that connects what you do to the people you’re trying to reach.
FINALLY...
We use your narrative to create the customized strategies, content, or training that helps you realize your goal.