Campaigns: Explore Our Work
Building a Community-Led Social Norms Campaign to Strengthen Youth and Families
Cornerstone Resource Center + Prowers County
One of the key priorities was ensuring the campaign felt authentic to the community itself.
This meant designing materials that reflected the people, values, and experiences of Southeast Colorado rather than relying on generic public health messaging.
The work combined:
The messaging intentionally focused on what was already working in the community.
Instead of asking people to identify with problems, the campaign invited them to identify with positive behaviors and shared values.
That shift matters.
Research shows that people are heavily influenced by perceived social norms. When communities repeatedly see messages that reinforce care, connection, and healthy behaviors as common and expected, those behaviors become more visible, more socially reinforced, and more likely to spread.
This meant designing materials that reflected the people, values, and experiences of Southeast Colorado rather than relying on generic public health messaging.
The work combined:
- Behavioral science
- Positive Community Norming methodologies
- Community-informed storytelling
- Visual communication best practices
- Trust-building through repeated exposure and consistency
The messaging intentionally focused on what was already working in the community.
Instead of asking people to identify with problems, the campaign invited them to identify with positive behaviors and shared values.
That shift matters.
Research shows that people are heavily influenced by perceived social norms. When communities repeatedly see messages that reinforce care, connection, and healthy behaviors as common and expected, those behaviors become more visible, more socially reinforced, and more likely to spread.
the strategy
Sage Messaging partnered with Cornerstone Resource Center and community stakeholders to develop a multi-channel social norms campaign rooted in the Science of the Positive and evidence-based behavior change strategies.
Rather than relying on shame or scare tactics, the campaign focused on amplifying accurate, positive norms already present within the community.
The strategy centered around a simple but powerful idea:
When people see that healthy, supportive behaviors are normal and valued, they are more likely to engage in them themselves.
Using local survey data, audience insights, and community collaboration, we developed messaging designed to:
The campaign included:
Rather than relying on shame or scare tactics, the campaign focused on amplifying accurate, positive norms already present within the community.
The strategy centered around a simple but powerful idea:
When people see that healthy, supportive behaviors are normal and valued, they are more likely to engage in them themselves.
Using local survey data, audience insights, and community collaboration, we developed messaging designed to:
- Increase protective behaviors among youth and families
- Strengthen trust and connection within the community
- Correct misperceptions around peer behavior
- Create more visible narratives of support, safety, and belonging
- Reach people consistently across both digital and physical environments
The campaign included:
- Postcards and direct mail pieces
- Community event materials
- Posters and visual campaigns
- Social media content
- Murals and public-facing visuals
- Video storytelling assets
- Strategic dissemination planning across multiple touchpoints
the approach
In many rural communities, conversations around youth substance use, mental health, and family support are often shaped by fear-based messaging or negative assumptions about what “everyone else” is doing.
But research consistently shows something important:
People tend to overestimate risky behaviors and underestimate the positive actions happening around them.
When communities are constantly exposed to narratives focused only on problems, it can unintentionally normalize the very behaviors organizations are trying to prevent.
In Cornerstone Resource Center and across Prowers County, local leaders wanted to take a different approach. One grounded in community strengths, local data, and the belief that positive behaviors already exist and deserve to be made visible.
That’s where Sage Messaging came in.
But research consistently shows something important:
People tend to overestimate risky behaviors and underestimate the positive actions happening around them.
When communities are constantly exposed to narratives focused only on problems, it can unintentionally normalize the very behaviors organizations are trying to prevent.
In Cornerstone Resource Center and across Prowers County, local leaders wanted to take a different approach. One grounded in community strengths, local data, and the belief that positive behaviors already exist and deserve to be made visible.
That’s where Sage Messaging came in.
The Challenge
Project Synopsis
Behavior change does not happen through information alone.
People are influenced by what they believe others around them value, expect, and do.
Strategic communications can either reinforce fear and disconnection or strengthen trust, belonging, and positive action.
The Cornerstone project is an example of what becomes possible when outreach is grounded in behavioral science, community voice, and a genuine belief in people’s capacity to support one another.
At Sage Messaging, we help organizations bridge the gap between important work and meaningful community connection through evidence-based messaging, storytelling, and strategic outreach.
People are influenced by what they believe others around them value, expect, and do.
Strategic communications can either reinforce fear and disconnection or strengthen trust, belonging, and positive action.
The Cornerstone project is an example of what becomes possible when outreach is grounded in behavioral science, community voice, and a genuine belief in people’s capacity to support one another.
At Sage Messaging, we help organizations bridge the gap between important work and meaningful community connection through evidence-based messaging, storytelling, and strategic outreach.
why this work matters
the outcome
The Cornerstone campaign helped create a more coordinated and strengths-based communications effort across the community.
By combining strategic messaging with visible community engagement, the project increased opportunities for residents to encounter positive, locally grounded messages in everyday life.
The campaign also helped:
Most importantly, the work demonstrated that rural communities already hold many of the strengths needed for prevention and resilience. Sometimes those strengths simply need to be made more visible.
By combining strategic messaging with visible community engagement, the project increased opportunities for residents to encounter positive, locally grounded messages in everyday life.
The campaign also helped:
- Strengthen collaboration between organizations and community partners
- Increase visibility of prevention and support efforts
- Create tools and assets that could be reused across initiatives
- Build local momentum around positive youth development and family support
Most importantly, the work demonstrated that rural communities already hold many of the strengths needed for prevention and resilience. Sometimes those strengths simply need to be made more visible.
Destigmatizing Resource Utilization Through Social Norms Messaging and Community-Led Outreach
Montezuma County Campaign
Behavioral science shows that people are heavily influenced by perceived social norms.
When individuals believe they are alone in needing support, stigma increases and engagement decreases.
But when communities visibly communicate:
“People here support one another,”
help-seeking becomes more socially acceptable and emotionally accessible.
The campaign intentionally focused on:
Normalizing resource utilization
Making positive community values more visible
Using strengths-based messaging rather than deficit framing
Increasing repeated exposure to supportive narratives
Creating opportunities for public participation and ownership
One of the most visible components of the project was a community mural centered around connection, support, and belonging.
Community members and local leaders were invited to physically place their painted handprints onto the mural wall as a symbol of collective care and shared responsibility.
The mural became more than a public art piece.
It became a visible demonstration of social norms in action:
a reminder that support, connection, and community participation already exist here.
By involving both leadership and residents directly in the project, the campaign helped reinforce the idea that utilizing and supporting resources is something embraced across the community, not hidden from it.
When individuals believe they are alone in needing support, stigma increases and engagement decreases.
But when communities visibly communicate:
“People here support one another,”
help-seeking becomes more socially acceptable and emotionally accessible.
The campaign intentionally focused on:
Normalizing resource utilization
Making positive community values more visible
Using strengths-based messaging rather than deficit framing
Increasing repeated exposure to supportive narratives
Creating opportunities for public participation and ownership
One of the most visible components of the project was a community mural centered around connection, support, and belonging.
Community members and local leaders were invited to physically place their painted handprints onto the mural wall as a symbol of collective care and shared responsibility.
The mural became more than a public art piece.
It became a visible demonstration of social norms in action:
a reminder that support, connection, and community participation already exist here.
By involving both leadership and residents directly in the project, the campaign helped reinforce the idea that utilizing and supporting resources is something embraced across the community, not hidden from it.
the strategy
The campaign combined social norms messaging, storytelling, visual outreach, and community engagement to create repeated positive touchpoints across the county.
Rather than focusing on crisis-based or fear-driven messaging, the strategy centered around visibility, normalization, and community care.
The campaign worked to reinforce the idea that:
Using social norms principles, the messaging intentionally highlighted positive community behaviors and values rather than reinforcing isolation or stigma.
The campaign included:
Rather than focusing on crisis-based or fear-driven messaging, the strategy centered around visibility, normalization, and community care.
The campaign worked to reinforce the idea that:
- Many people utilize support services at different points in life
- Seeking help is healthy and proactive
- Communities become stronger when people feel supported
- Resource utilization is more common and accepted than many people perceive
Using social norms principles, the messaging intentionally highlighted positive community behaviors and values rather than reinforcing isolation or stigma.
The campaign included:
- Social media and print messaging
- Community-facing visuals
- Strategic dissemination planning
- Storytelling and narrative framing
- Event outreach materials
- Public engagement activities
- A collaborative community mural project
the approach
In many communities, people do not avoid resources because they do not need support.
They avoid them because of stigma.
Fear of judgment, misconceptions about who services are “for,” and concerns about how others may perceive them can all become barriers to seeking help, even when resources are available and accessible.
In Montezuma County, local partners recognized that increasing awareness alone was not enough.
The challenge was cultural as much as informational.
The campaign needed to help normalize resource utilization and communicate a simple but powerful message:
Seeking support is common, community-supported, and a positive step, not something to hide.
Sage Messaging partnered with community organizations and stakeholders to develop a campaign rooted in Positive Community Norming and behavior change science to help shift perceptions around support, belonging, and help-seeking behaviors.
They avoid them because of stigma.
Fear of judgment, misconceptions about who services are “for,” and concerns about how others may perceive them can all become barriers to seeking help, even when resources are available and accessible.
In Montezuma County, local partners recognized that increasing awareness alone was not enough.
The challenge was cultural as much as informational.
The campaign needed to help normalize resource utilization and communicate a simple but powerful message:
Seeking support is common, community-supported, and a positive step, not something to hide.
Sage Messaging partnered with community organizations and stakeholders to develop a campaign rooted in Positive Community Norming and behavior change science to help shift perceptions around support, belonging, and help-seeking behaviors.
The Challenge
Project Synopsis
Stigma changes behavior.
But so does visibility.
When people repeatedly see support modeled, normalized, and embraced by those around them, it becomes easier to seek help without shame or isolation.
Social norms campaigns are powerful because they do not just tell people what to do.
They help reshape what people believe is normal, accepted, and valued within their community.
The Montezuma County campaign reflects Sage Messaging’s belief that strategic communications, authentic storytelling, and community participation can help create cultures where people feel safer asking for help and more connected to the people around them.
But so does visibility.
When people repeatedly see support modeled, normalized, and embraced by those around them, it becomes easier to seek help without shame or isolation.
Social norms campaigns are powerful because they do not just tell people what to do.
They help reshape what people believe is normal, accepted, and valued within their community.
The Montezuma County campaign reflects Sage Messaging’s belief that strategic communications, authentic storytelling, and community participation can help create cultures where people feel safer asking for help and more connected to the people around them.
why this work matters
the outcome
The campaign helped create a more approachable and community-centered narrative around support and resource utilization in Montezuma County.
Through consistent messaging, visual visibility, and public participation, the project increased opportunities for residents to encounter positive, non-stigmatizing representations of help-seeking and community care in everyday life.
The mural project in particular created a tangible symbol of collective investment and belonging while helping community members literally leave their mark on the campaign itself.
The work also demonstrated how social norms strategies can move beyond traditional messaging and become something communities actively participate in shaping together.
Through consistent messaging, visual visibility, and public participation, the project increased opportunities for residents to encounter positive, non-stigmatizing representations of help-seeking and community care in everyday life.
The mural project in particular created a tangible symbol of collective investment and belonging while helping community members literally leave their mark on the campaign itself.
The work also demonstrated how social norms strategies can move beyond traditional messaging and become something communities actively participate in shaping together.
Strengthening Statewide Family Support Through Social Norms Strategy and Collaborative Communications
Illuminate Colorado + Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families
A major component of the work involved helping multiple organizations align around shared communication principles while still allowing flexibility for local context and community voice.
Sage Messaging supported:
Trainings focused on helping teams understand:
This collaborative structure helped create shared learning across counties while also building local capacity for long-term implementation.
Sage Messaging supported:
- Cross-county collaboration and planning
- Social norms strategy development
- Campaign brainstorming and refinement
- Message testing and dissemination planning
- Training sessions on behavior change and social norms science
- Technical assistance for implementation challenges
- Office hours and ongoing consultation support
Trainings focused on helping teams understand:
- How social norms influence behavior
- Why fear-based messaging can unintentionally reinforce harmful perceptions
- The importance of repetition and visibility in trust-building
- How to frame messages around shared values and existing strengths
- Practical strategies for community-centered dissemination
This collaborative structure helped create shared learning across counties while also building local capacity for long-term implementation.
the strategy
Over two years, Sage Messaging supported multiple counties and partner organizations across Colorado through a combination of:
The work focused on helping organizations move beyond awareness-based communications toward strategies designed to influence perceptions, reinforce protective behaviors, and strengthen community belonging.
Rather than centering deficit-based narratives, the initiative emphasized accurate, positive norms already present within communities.
This included messaging around:
- Strategic communications consulting
- Social norms campaign development
- Community-specific messaging guidance
- Multi-partner coordination support
- Dissemination strategy development
- Training and technical assistance
- Collaborative learning sessions and office hours
The work focused on helping organizations move beyond awareness-based communications toward strategies designed to influence perceptions, reinforce protective behaviors, and strengthen community belonging.
Rather than centering deficit-based narratives, the initiative emphasized accurate, positive norms already present within communities.
This included messaging around:
- Family support and connection
- Community care and belonging
- Help-seeking behaviors
- Protective factors
- Positive parenting norms
- Youth and community resilience
the approach
Across Colorado, organizations working to strengthen families and prevent child maltreatment often face a shared challenge:
How do you create meaningful behavior and culture change across multiple communities, systems, and organizations at the same time?
The answer is rarely a single campaign or one-time outreach effort.
Real change requires coordinated strategy, trusted partnerships, and messaging approaches that reflect how people actually make decisions.
Illuminate Colorado and the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families recognized the opportunity to approach prevention differently by investing in social norms strategies that strengthen connection, trust, and protective behaviors across communities.
Sage Messaging partnered with Illuminate Colorado, Axiom of Purpose, and participating counties to support the development and implementation of a statewide, strengths-based communications approach rooted in Positive Community Norming and behavior change science.
How do you create meaningful behavior and culture change across multiple communities, systems, and organizations at the same time?
The answer is rarely a single campaign or one-time outreach effort.
Real change requires coordinated strategy, trusted partnerships, and messaging approaches that reflect how people actually make decisions.
Illuminate Colorado and the Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families recognized the opportunity to approach prevention differently by investing in social norms strategies that strengthen connection, trust, and protective behaviors across communities.
Sage Messaging partnered with Illuminate Colorado, Axiom of Purpose, and participating counties to support the development and implementation of a statewide, strengths-based communications approach rooted in Positive Community Norming and behavior change science.
The Challenge
Project Synopsis
Communications shape culture.
The messages people repeatedly see influence what they believe is normal, expected, and possible within their communities.
When prevention efforts focus only on problems, communities can begin to identify with deficit narratives rather than their existing strengths.
But when organizations strategically amplify connection, support, and positive norms, they create conditions that help healthy behaviors spread.
The Illuminate Colorado and Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families collaboration demonstrates what is possible when statewide initiatives invest not only in programs, but also in the systems, partnerships, and communications strategies that help communities thrive.
The messages people repeatedly see influence what they believe is normal, expected, and possible within their communities.
When prevention efforts focus only on problems, communities can begin to identify with deficit narratives rather than their existing strengths.
But when organizations strategically amplify connection, support, and positive norms, they create conditions that help healthy behaviors spread.
The Illuminate Colorado and Colorado Partnership for Thriving Families collaboration demonstrates what is possible when statewide initiatives invest not only in programs, but also in the systems, partnerships, and communications strategies that help communities thrive.
why this work matters
Multi-Partner Collaboration
One of the defining strengths of this project was the level of collaboration involved.
The initiative brought together:
Rather than operating in silos, partners were able to share strategies, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another in real time.
This created stronger alignment across messaging efforts while still honoring the unique identities and needs of individual communities.
The work reinforced an important reality:
Effective prevention communications are not just about creating materials. They are about building systems and relationships that support consistent, trusted, community-informed engagement over time.
The initiative brought together:
- Public health agencies
- Family resource centers
- Prevention professionals
- Community-based organizations
- Statewide leadership teams
- Communications staff and coordinators
Rather than operating in silos, partners were able to share strategies, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another in real time.
This created stronger alignment across messaging efforts while still honoring the unique identities and needs of individual communities.
The work reinforced an important reality:
Effective prevention communications are not just about creating materials. They are about building systems and relationships that support consistent, trusted, community-informed engagement over time.
The partnership helped strengthen the capacity of organizations across Colorado to implement more strategic, evidence-informed communications efforts.
Outcomes included:
Most importantly, the work helped shift conversations toward a more strengths-based understanding of prevention and family well-being.
Outcomes included:
- Expanded understanding of Positive Community Norming approaches
- Increased collaboration between counties and partner organizations
- Development of community-informed messaging strategies
- Stronger alignment between communications and prevention goals
- Increased access to technical assistance and implementation support
- Creation of reusable tools, frameworks, and dissemination strategies
Most importantly, the work helped shift conversations toward a more strengths-based understanding of prevention and family well-being.
the outcome
Building a Strategic Planning and Evaluation Framework to Strengthen Public Health Systems
La Plata County Public Health
One of the defining goals of CP3 was helping staff move from reactive program implementation toward a more strategic and impact-oriented mindset.
The framework encouraged teams to ask:
Each team developed planning materials that articulated:
The process also identified broader organizational themes and cross-division opportunities that informed leadership discussions and future planning priorities.
The framework encouraged teams to ask:
- What problem are we actually trying to solve?
- What evidence supports this approach?
- What conditions influence behavior and outcomes?
- Where are there gaps between community needs and current capacity?
- How do our activities connect to broader public health goals?
- What partnerships are necessary for long-term success?
Each team developed planning materials that articulated:
- The public health issue being addressed
- Key populations and community needs
- Best practices and supporting research
- Current activities and funding structures
- Opportunities for growth or redesign
- Measures of success and evaluation considerations
The process also identified broader organizational themes and cross-division opportunities that informed leadership discussions and future planning priorities.
the strategy
As part of the Innovation Team at La Plata County Public Health, Emily supported the design and implementation of CP3 as a strategic planning and organizational learning framework.
The process guided teams through structured reflection and analysis around:
The work involved close collaboration across multiple divisions and program areas to help create a shared language and planning structure throughout the organization.
Rather than focusing only on outputs or compliance-based reporting, CP3 emphasized systems thinking and practical strategy development.
The process guided teams through structured reflection and analysis around:
- Public health priorities
- Existing programming and activities
- Evidence-based best practices
- Theory of change development
- Funding alignment
- Partnership mapping
- Service and systems gaps
- Evaluation opportunities
- Long-term strategic goals
The work involved close collaboration across multiple divisions and program areas to help create a shared language and planning structure throughout the organization.
Rather than focusing only on outputs or compliance-based reporting, CP3 emphasized systems thinking and practical strategy development.
the approach
Public health organizations are often asked to respond to increasingly complex community needs while managing limited time, funding, and staff capacity.
At the same time, many agencies struggle with a deeper operational challenge:
How do you create alignment across programs, improve decision-making, and ensure everyday work is connected to long-term impact?
Following the transition back to an independent public health agency, La Plata County Public Health Department recognized the need for a more coordinated framework that could support strategic planning, evaluation, quality improvement, and cross-division collaboration.
The goal was not simply to create another reporting process.
The goal was to build infrastructure that helps teams think more strategically about their work, understand how programs connect to broader community outcomes, and identify opportunities for improvement and innovation over time.
That framework became CP3: the Comprehensive Program Planning Process.
At the same time, many agencies struggle with a deeper operational challenge:
How do you create alignment across programs, improve decision-making, and ensure everyday work is connected to long-term impact?
Following the transition back to an independent public health agency, La Plata County Public Health Department recognized the need for a more coordinated framework that could support strategic planning, evaluation, quality improvement, and cross-division collaboration.
The goal was not simply to create another reporting process.
The goal was to build infrastructure that helps teams think more strategically about their work, understand how programs connect to broader community outcomes, and identify opportunities for improvement and innovation over time.
That framework became CP3: the Comprehensive Program Planning Process.
The Challenge
Project Synopsis
Public health systems are often stretched thin responding to urgent needs.
Without intentional planning structures, organizations can become reactive, fragmented, and disconnected from long-term strategy.
Frameworks like CP3 help create the conditions for more thoughtful, coordinated, and sustainable public health work.
They allow organizations to move beyond simply asking:
“What are we doing?”
And instead ask:
“Why are we doing it, how does it create impact, and how can we do it better together?”
The CP3 process demonstrates how strategic planning, evaluation, and systems thinking can strengthen not only individual programs, but the overall capacity of public health organizations to serve their communities effectively over time.
Without intentional planning structures, organizations can become reactive, fragmented, and disconnected from long-term strategy.
Frameworks like CP3 help create the conditions for more thoughtful, coordinated, and sustainable public health work.
They allow organizations to move beyond simply asking:
“What are we doing?”
And instead ask:
“Why are we doing it, how does it create impact, and how can we do it better together?”
The CP3 process demonstrates how strategic planning, evaluation, and systems thinking can strengthen not only individual programs, but the overall capacity of public health organizations to serve their communities effectively over time.
why this work matters
Cross-Division Collaboration
A major strength of the process was its ability to create stronger alignment across teams that often operate independently from one another.
CP3 helped staff:
The process reinforced the idea that effective public health work is not just about delivering services.
It is about creating systems that continuously learn, adapt, and improve.
CP3 helped staff:
- Better understand the work happening across the agency
- Identify overlapping goals and shared priorities
- Strengthen internal communication and coordination
- Surface gaps and duplication
- Create more consistent strategic thinking across programs
The process reinforced the idea that effective public health work is not just about delivering services.
It is about creating systems that continuously learn, adapt, and improve.
CP3 became a foundational strategic planning and evaluation tool that supported both program-level reflection and organization-wide learning.
The process helped:
Perhaps most importantly, it created space for staff to think more intentionally about the relationship between daily activities and long-term public health impact.
The process helped:
- Increase strategic alignment across divisions
- Strengthen organizational understanding of community needs
- Improve integration of evidence-based practices
- Support quality improvement and evaluation efforts
- Clarify theories of change and program goals
- Identify funding, service, and systems gaps
- Build stronger internal planning infrastructure
Perhaps most importantly, it created space for staff to think more intentionally about the relationship between daily activities and long-term public health impact.
