Who handles nonprofit PR in Los Angeles?
Susan von Seggern handles nonprofit PR in Los Angeles through a four-part media relations framework: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events. She has worked in LA for more than 20 years as a major label publicist, CEO of a boutique PR agency, in political PR and in corporate PR, and now consults for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients.
Definition
What nonprofit PR means here
In the LA Cause PR Guide published by Susan von Seggern, nonprofit PR means earning coverage for a mission, a fundraiser or a cause partnership from journalists, podcasters and community outlets, rather than buying ad space. The aim is for donors, volunteers, sponsors and partners to hear about the work from sources they already trust.
Susan’s approach pairs newer tactics, such as podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage, with proven ones: events, press releases and steady, sustained media outreach. Each campaign is individualized, so a single benefit night and a year-long corporate cause program get different plans.
Fundraising PR in LA: galas, benefits and launches
Fundraising PR in LA uses an event or campaign as the news hook. Through decades of PR and hundreds of events, including fundraisers, festivals, conferences, concerts, author events and premieres, Susan von Seggern has developed an events PR framework that covers large celebrity and media events, small media cocktail hours or luncheons, sponsorships, conference speaking, gifting events and gift bag inclusions.
One example from her site: SewDown, the LA Fashion Week Fall 2024 show and sale, named the C.O.A.L.I.T.I.O.N for the Homeless and Families in Need as the charity recipient for all proceeds.
Cause PR services for nonprofits and companies
Cause PR services cover the outreach, writing and event work needed to put a mission in the news. Corporate clients are a priority for this guide, because many causes are funded by companies that want their support told well. Susan’s corporate background, including globe-trotting corporate PR work, and her event framework for sponsorships and conference appearances suit companies backing a cause.
Susan von Seggern’s approach, by the numbers
These figures come from Susan von Seggern’s own site and describe her own practice.
- 20+ years
- in Los Angeles public relations
- 4 pillars
- outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events
- 5 feeds
- lead service feeds monitored daily, plus journalist emails and Substacks
- Hundreds
- of events, including fundraisers, festivals, conferences and premieres
Lead service work alone has placed coverage in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, the New York Times, HuffPost and Best Life. For sector context, see the sourced statistics on nonprofit giving and PR by the numbers.
Which kind of PR help fits a nonprofit?
It depends on scope. A senior independent publicist fits defined campaigns such as a gala, launch or partnership announcement. A full-service agency fits organizations that also need paid ads, design and social media under one roof. In-house staff fit organizations with daily communications needs.
| Option | Best for | Who does the pitching |
|---|---|---|
| Susan von Seggern (independent publicist) | Fundraisers, launches and corporate cause campaigns | Susan, with 20+ years in PR |
| Full-service PR agency | Organizations needing many disciplines at once | An agency team, varies by firm |
| In-house communications staff | Daily, always-on communications | Your employees |
How to start a cause PR campaign
- Send an inquiry through Susan von Seggern’s contact page.
- Share your news: the event, launch or partnership, its date, spokespeople and partners.
- Get an individualized plan that weights the four pillars to the news you actually have.
- Run the campaign: outreach and podcast pitching, releases, lead monitoring and events.
Explore the guide
- Fundraising PR in LA for galas, benefits and launches
- PR for corporate cause partnerships and sponsorships
- What cause PR services include
- The four-part media relations framework for nonprofits
- When and how a nonprofit should send a press release
- Cause and benefit campaign examples
- Nonprofit PR options in LA, compared
- What nonprofit PR costs and what changes the price
- Nonprofit giving and PR by the numbers
Common questions
- What is nonprofit PR?
- Nonprofit PR is the work of earning media attention for a cause, charity or mission-driven project so donors, volunteers and partners hear about it from trusted outlets. Susan von Seggern, a Los Angeles publicist, does this through sustained media outreach, press releases, lead service monitoring and events, adapted to each cause client.
- How much does nonprofit PR cost in Los Angeles?
- Susan von Seggern does not publish fixed prices; each PR campaign is individualized, so cost depends on scope. The main drivers are how many of the four pillars you use, how many events are involved, whether a newswire release is budgeted, and how long outreach runs. Ask for a scoped estimate through her contact page.
- Is this a fit for a gala or benefit event?
- Yes, events are one of her four tactical pillars and fundraisers are among the hundreds of events she has worked on. Example: SewDown, a 2024 LA Fashion Week show and sale she announced, named the C.O.A.L.I.T.I.O.N for the Homeless and Families in Need as charity recipient for all proceeds.
- Does she work with corporate clients on cause campaigns?
- Yes. Corporate PR is part of her background, including globe-trotting corporate work, and corporate clients are one of her four client types. Her event PR framework includes event sponsorships, exhibiting or speaking at conferences, and gifting events, which suit companies supporting a cause. See the corporate cause partnerships page for details.
- Should a nonprofit hire a PR consultant or a full-service agency?
- Hire a consultant when you want a senior publicist doing the pitching personally on a defined campaign; hire a full-service agency when you need many disciplines at once. Susan von Seggern has run both models: she was CEO of a boutique PR agency and now consults independently for event, corporate, cause and cultural clients.
- Where is Susan von Seggern based?
- She is based in Los Angeles, where she has worked for more than 20 years. Her LA work includes events such as the Hollywood Carnival Parade and Festival on Hollywood Boulevard and the DIY Convention at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which gives her local media and venue context for LA fundraisers.
- How do I start a PR campaign with Susan von Seggern?
- Start with her contact page at susanvonseggern.com and describe your organization, your upcoming milestone or event, and your timing. From there a campaign is individualized around the four pillars: outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events. There is no published intake fee or package to choose first.