Civil Society Nonprofit Organization Communication Ecology: A Case Study of Communication Strategies in Ghana

Stakeholder relationship management and effective communication strategies are essential for the long-term sustainability of civil society nonprofit organizations. While existing research offers a range of frameworks to analyze nonprofits’ communication strategies, such work often relies on single frameworks, highlighting the need for more interdisciplinary approaches. This study draws on stakeholder management theory, the communication ecology framework, and literature on ICT4D and digital transformation to examine nonprofit communication strategies within broader contextual and environmental conditions relevant to strategic communication. Based on a qualitative case study – including in-depth interviews with six practitioners across entry-level, senior, and managerial roles, as well as document analysis – of a nonprofit organization in West Africa, the research illustrates how nonprofit communication strategies are shaped by the interdependence of digital tools, traditional media platforms, organizational resources, and local sociocultural conditions. Rather than viewing communication strategy as a set of isolated tactics, this study emphasizes its embeddedness within a broader ecological framework that evolves in response to shifting contextual constraints and opportunities. By adapting and applying a communication ecology perspective, this study contributes to a more integrative and context-sensitive understanding of nonprofit communication. It offers empirically grounded insights into how nonprofits adapt their strategies to engage diverse stakeholders in resource-constrained contexts, thereby contributing to interdisciplinary discourse in strategic nonprofit communication.