Donovan Group

What Donovan Group does

Donovan Group is a privately-held, for-profit communications, marketing, and public relations firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company focuses exclusively on the K-12 public education vertical, serving school district leaders, superintendents, and communication professionals across the United States through 18 office locations and partnerships with 12 state educational organizations.

The firm's core offering is a portfolio of professional, creative, and professional development services rather than a software platform. Professional services include crisis communication assistance with 24/7 hotline availability, comprehensive ongoing communications counsel, ballot measure and referendum campaign support, audits and strategic planning, communication and marketing campaigns, surveys, media tracking, and media relations training. Creative services span graphic design and branding, social media content creation, and video production. Professional development is delivered through keynote speaking, online learning modules, and the annual Communications Academy program.

Donovan Group generates revenue through subscription-style retainers and project-based professional services fees, supplemented by freemium content (the annual Social Media Topics Planner, crisis templates, webinars) that drives top-of-funnel lead generation. Its go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct engagement with district leaders and a channel model in which state administrator associations provide branded crisis hotlines and email support at no additional cost to member districts. The firm has no disclosed external funding, operates as an independent LLC, and is recognized through multiple NSPRA national awards and a Florida Supernova Award.

Name

Donovan Group

Legal name

Donovan Group

Website

https://donovan-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Donovan Group is a privately-held K-12 education communications and public relations firm, founded in 2004 in Milwaukee, serving public school districts nationwide through professional, creative, and professional development services delivered directly and via 12 state association partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Communications Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Turnaround, Restructuring & Crisis Management Consulting (BPAHACAO)

Keywords

• School public relations
• Crisis communication services
• K-12 education communications
• School district marketing
• Referendum campaign consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices18 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services: Comprehensive ongoing communication, marketing, and public relations services for K-12 school districts. Includes crisis communication assistance, ballot measure campaign support, audits and strategic planning, communication campaigns, surveys, media tracking, and media relations training.
2. Creative Services: Graphic design and branding, social media content creation, and video production services for school districts.
3. Professional Learning Programs: Communications Academy: The Roadmap to Success - a professional learning program for school superintendents, district leaders, and communication professionals. Features live expert-led sessions, on-demand access, and one-on-one strategy consultations. Also includes online modules for crisis communication and referendum communication.
4. Free Resources and Content: Free resources including the Social Media Topics Planner, webinars, templates, and guides distributed to build brand awareness and generate leads among school communicators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Donovan Group is a communication, marketing, and public relations consultancy that exclusively serves K-12 public school districts. The firm delivers professional services (crisis communication, comprehensive ongoing communications, ballot measure campaign support, audits and strategic planning, surveys, media tracking, and media relations training), creative services (graphic design and branding, social media content creation, and video production), and professional development programs including the Communications Academy. Services are delivered directly to districts and through statewide partnerships with state educational organizations across 12 states.

Product overview

Donovan Group is an award-winning communication, marketing, and public relations firm serving K-12 public schools nationwide. The company operates as a service-based consultancy rather than a software platform, offering professional services (crisis communication, strategic planning, campaigns), creative services (graphic design, video production, social media content), and professional development (keynote speaking, online learning modules, and the Communications Academy program). Services are delivered through direct partnerships with school districts and state educational organizations, with crisis support provided via dedicated hotlines and around-the-clock availability. The portfolio centers on helping districts strengthen connections with families, staff, students, and community members through strategic communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Crisis Communication Assistance Around-the-clock crisis communication guidance for school leaders facing urgent situations, delivered via dedicated hotlines, email support, and coordination with senior writers and communication strategists. Provided at no additional cost to member districts of partnering state educational organizations.
• Comprehensive Ongoing Services Full-service communication partnership providing ongoing strategic counsel, campaign development, and support for day-to-day district communications needs.
• Ballot Measure Campaign Support Strategic support for school districts navigating referendums, bond elections, and other ballot measures, including campaign planning and communication strategy (also listed on the website as Referendum Campaign & Consulting).
• Audits & Strategic Planning Communication assessments and strategic planning services to help districts evaluate current practices and develop comprehensive communication roadmaps.
• Communication & Marketing Campaigns Strategic communication campaigns including marketing materials, multi-channel rollout strategies, and coordinated print, digital, broadcast, and video assets.
• Surveys Survey design and implementation services to gather community feedback and inform district communication strategies.
• Media Tracking Monitoring services to track media coverage and public sentiment about the district.
• Media Relations & Training Training for school leaders on media interaction and strategic media engagement support.
• Graphic Design & Branding Visual identity development and design services including logo creation, brand identity systems, fact sheets, flyers, and marketing materials.
• Social Media Content Creation Social media graphics, posts, and content strategy for school districts across multiple platforms.
• Video Production Professional video production including promotional videos, event highlights, branding videos, and broadcast-quality content for districts.
• Keynote Speaking & Presentations Presentation and keynote services by Donovan Group experts for conferences, workshops, and district events.
• Professional Learning Online learning modules and training programs covering crisis communication and referendum communication topics for school superintendents, district leaders, and communication professionals.
• Communications Academy: The Roadmap to Success A comprehensive annual professional learning program for school superintendents, district leaders, and communication professionals. Features nine live expert-led sessions, one-on-one strategy consultations, and full on-demand access to course materials. Fourth-year program opens enrollment on June 16, 2026 for the 2026-27 cohort.

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day or agreed-upon turnaround for all crisis-related content
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Arizona School Administrators (AZSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership providing Arizona school administrators unlimited access to crisis and urgent communication services through dedicated hotline.
• Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for CAPSS member districts.
• Delaware School Board Association (DSBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for DSBA member districts.
• Central Indiana Educational Service Center (CIESC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for CIESC member districts.
• School Administrators of Iowa (SAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for SAI member districts.
• United School Administrators of Kansas (USA Kansas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for USA Kansas member districts - 12th state partnership.
• Marquette Alger RESA (MARESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for MARESA member districts in Michigan.
• Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for MASA member districts.
• Missouri Association of School Administrators (MASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for MASA member districts.
• Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for TOSS member districts.
• Virginia Association of School Superintendents (VASS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for VASS member districts.
• Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (WASDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide crisis communication services partnership for WASDA member districts - headquartered state partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• J. Walcher Communications: San Diego-based PR and communications agency specializing in K-12 and higher education clients. Most directly comparable to Donovan Group in vertical focus, service mix (crisis comms, campaigns, media relations), and public-sector school district customer base.
• Tier One Marketing: K-12 education marketing and communications agency providing branding, recruitment campaigns, and strategic communications to public school districts. Closely mirrors Donovan Group's school choice marketing, referendum, and branding service lines.
• Lewis Communications: Full-service marketing and PR agency with a dedicated education practice serving K-12 and higher education institutions. Comparable in offering integrated PR, creative, and campaign work to school districts and educational organizations.
• Susan M. Graham & Associates: School communications consultancy led by a former NSPRA leader, focused on strategic communications, crisis response, and training for K-12 districts. Comparable in niche K-12 specialization, training offerings, and association relationships.
• MGH (MGH Advertising): Mid-size full-service agency with a strong K-12 and education practice offering marketing, creative, and PR services to school districts and education organizations. Comparable client base and integrated service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Global communications firm with an education practice serving K-12, higher ed, and edtech clients. Overlaps with Donovan Group on reputation management, policy communications, and crisis response, but at much larger scale and without K-12 exclusivity.
• Weber Shandwick: Global PR network with education and public sector practices serving school districts and education associations. Comparable on public affairs, media relations, and campaign execution, though not exclusively K-12.
• Ketchum: Major global communications agency with education and public-sector experience. Comparable on integrated campaign and crisis work for educational clients, but lacks Donovan Group's dedicated K-12-only positioning.
• Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K): Global communications consultancy with public affairs and education capabilities. Overlaps with Donovan Group on crisis communications and stakeholder engagement for public-sector clients.

Emerging players

• SchoolMessenger: K-12 communication and mass-notification platform used by school districts for parent outreach and crisis alerts. Adjacent rather than directly competitive — Donovan Group handles the strategy/content while SchoolMessenger handles the delivery infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/donovangroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/donovan-group-llc
• Xx.com/donovangroup

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Donovan Group