LINK Strategic Partners
LINK Strategic Partners is a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm founded in 2012, serving government, nonprofit, corporate, education, and sports clients via nine integrated service lines from offices across the US and Manchester, UK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What LINK Strategic Partners does
LINK Strategic Partners is a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm founded in 2012 by Michael Akin. The firm serves government (federal, state, and local agencies), nonprofit, corporate, education, and sports/hospitality clients with nine integrated core service areas: Community Relations & Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Communications & Planning, Creative Development, Digital Strategy, Media Relations, Organizational Development, Facilitation, Strategic Planning, and Sports & Hospitality. Service delivery is built around a 'hyperlocal' methodology that pairs national-scale strategic know-how with on-the-ground community relationships, supported by an in-house creative, digital, video, and web production team that uses off-the-shelf collaboration platforms (Mural, Miro, Mentimeter, Sli.do).
The firm operates from a headquarters in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. and additional offices in Phoenix, St. Louis, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Austin (launched June 2022), and Manchester, England (UK branch launched 2019). The business runs on a professional services model with quote-based, project-and-contract engagement directly with clients; revenue, contract values, and rates are not publicly disclosed. Notable client work spans DC Department of Employment Services Paid Family Leave, DC Department of Health, My School DC, City of Brownsville COVID-19 crisis communications, National Cherry Blossom Festival 2024, and a 5-year Blood Cancer United/Leukemia Ball partnership.
LINK also operates the Changemakers Series, a virtual panel program featuring global changemakers on social impact themes, and has accumulated 200+ industry awards (including 58 Hermes Creative Awards) and three Inc. 5000 listings tied to three-year revenue growth exceeding 97%. The firm is privately held, founder-led, and self-funded with no disclosed external institutional investors or funding rounds.
LINK Strategic Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LINK Strategic Partners
- Legal name
- LINK Strategic Partners
- Website
- https://linksp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LINK Strategic Partners is a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm founded in 2012, serving government, nonprofit, corporate, education, and sports clients via nine integrated service lines from offices across the US and Manchester, UK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LINK Strategic Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Consulting
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Public Relations Agencies (54182)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting (BPAHACAA)
Keywords
Where LINK Strategic Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
LINK Strategic Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Strategic Communications Consulting: Professional consulting services for strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact work for government, nonprofit, and corporate clients
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
LINK Strategic Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LINK Strategic Partners is a strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm that sells nine core service modules — community relations, strategic communications and planning, creative development, digital strategy, media relations, organizational development, facilitation, strategic planning, and sports/hospitality marketing — to government, nonprofit, corporate, and education clients through project-based engagements and contracts. The firm also operates the Changemakers Series, a virtual panel program featuring global changemakers.
Product overview
LINK Strategic Partners is a strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm offering a comprehensive suite of service modules. The firm operates nine core service areas: Community Relations & Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Communications & Planning, Creative Development, Digital Strategy, Media Relations, Organizational Development, Facilitation, Strategic Planning, and Sports & Hospitality. These services are delivered through a hyperlocal approach combining local insight with national know-how. Additionally, the firm operates the Changemakers Series, a virtual panel program featuring global changemakers discussing social impact issues. The portfolio does not follow a platform-plus-modules architecture but rather represents an integrated consulting service offering where capabilities are combined and customized for each client engagement across government, nonprofit, and private sector clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Community Relations & Stakeholder Engagement Core consulting service for government, nonprofit, corporate, and association clients that delivers community, government, and corporate communications and engagement; local partnership development and management; civic involvement and public service initiatives; media relations and crisis communications planning; event management; and public speaking support.
- Strategic Communications & Planning Strategic consulting service for organizations seeking market research and audience segmentation, materials auditing and landscape analysis, message development and channel selection, internal assessment and change management, marketing and brand development, and advertising strategy and buying.
- Creative Development Design and production service for clients needing logo, branding, and identity design; advertising and collateral materials; promotional products; video concepting, production, and dissemination; and conference presentation and exhibit design.
- Digital Strategy Digital marketing and technology service covering website design, development, and maintenance; social networking and blog strategy and implementation; search engine marketing and optimization; organic and paid social media strategy; and targeted digital marketing campaigns.
- Media Relations Media engagement service covering media pitching and monitoring, relationship building with journalists and outlets, press release and media kit development, press event management, and media training for client spokespeople.
- Organizational Development Management consulting service providing organizational assessment, change implementation support, employee engagement and development programs, executive coaching, and succession and transition planning.
- Facilitation Meeting and event facilitation service offering virtual, in-person, and hybrid meeting facilitation; dynamic interactive meeting format design; retreats, workshops, and trainings for boards and staff; and integration of collaborative platforms such as Mural, Miro, Mentimeter, and Sli.do.
- Strategic Planning Planning consulting service providing stakeholder-driven and collaborative process design, in-depth background research and peer analysis, audience needs assessments, flexible custom-designed planning workshops, and in-house report writing, design, and production capabilities.
- Sports & Hospitality Communications Specialized communications service for sports and hospitality clients offering strategic development and implementation, community relations, partnership development, sponsorship engagement, and event management and logistics.
- Changemakers Series Virtual panel discussion series featuring global changemakers for deep and action-oriented discussions on contemporary issues, regularly attracting thousands of views from around the world on topics such as equity, healthcare, and economic renewal.
Quantifiable outcome
- Three-year revenue growth of over 97 percent
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LINK Strategic Partners
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LINK Strategic Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature1 record
LINK Strategic Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- National Cherry Blossom FestivalmajorHired to manage 2024 media and public relations for the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
- Imbeleko FoundationcoreSouth African foundation featured in LINK Changemakers Series panel on hyperlocal innovation and global impact. Student-led panel spotlighting remarkable school and foundation work.
- University of ManchestercoreUK higher education institution partnered with LINK since 2014. LINK contributes to national conversations through ITGA and UKTGA.
- Manchester Metropolitan UniversitycoreUK university partnered with LINK for town-gown relations work and community engagement initiatives.
- International Town and Gown Association (ITGA)coreGlobal association for town-gown practitioners. LINK has engaged for nearly 20 years, with President Michaela serving on the board.
- United Kingdom Town and Gown Association (UKTGA)coreUK knowledge-exchange forum co-founded by LINK's Poppy Humphrey. Provides support to network of over 400 town-gown practitioners.
- Georgetown University Pivot ProgramcoreJustice-focused program providing formerly incarcerated individuals with leadership and professional development through business and entrepreneurship. LINK team members (Justin Moore, Tariq Gaston) are fellows.
- Martha's TableminorAwarded Community Champion Award to LINK's Joe Houston Jr. (Mr. WeFit) for DC community work.
- Blood Cancer Unitedmajor5-year partnership as VIP Reception Partner for The Leukemia Ball. LINK supports blood cancer awareness and fundraising events.
- Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP)coreSupporting WDCEP activation at ICSC in Las Vegas, spotlighting DC as premier place to invest, grow, live, work, and play.
- DC Chamber of CommercemajorSponsoring and supporting 2026 Small Business Summit & Showcase celebrating DC innovation and entrepreneurship.
- RAMW (Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington)minorSupporting RAMMYS Honors Cocktail Reception at Watergate Hotel celebrating DC hospitality industry visionaries.
- ITGAcoreNearly 20-year partnership as partner, presenter, and board service. Conference presentation at Texas A&M.
- TCMAminorPartnership with TCMA for Reagan Institute supporting District of Columbia International Trade Dinner with 130+ leaders.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LINK Strategic Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GMMB: Public affairs, advertising, and communications agency with a strong social impact and public health practice. Comparable to LINK in serving federal agencies, health-focused government clients, and mission-driven organizations.
- Burness: Communications firm serving nonprofits, foundations, and social impact organizations with strategic communications, media relations, and public affairs. Comparable in mission orientation and nonprofit/government client profile to LINK.
- Fenton Communications: Mission-driven social change communications agency serving nonprofits, foundations, and government. Closely comparable in size, values-based positioning, and government/nonprofit client mix to LINK Strategic Partners.
- Spitfire Strategies: Public interest communications firm focused on helping nonprofits and foundations move audiences to action. Similar in size and values-based strategic communications focus to LINK.
- Capitol Counsel: DC-based strategic communications and public affairs firm serving corporations, nonprofits, and government entities. Comparable in stakeholder engagement and DC-centric positioning to LINK.
- Blue State: Digital-first communications, marketing, and fundraising agency serving nonprofits, campaigns, and causes. Comparable to LINK in mission-driven client base and integrated digital strategy offering.
- SKDK: Public affairs and strategic communications firm with strong DC presence serving political campaigns, government, nonprofits, and corporations. Directly comparable to LINK on government/public affairs focus and stakeholder engagement.
- The Hatcher Group: Public affairs, strategic communications, and digital agency serving nonprofits, associations, and government agencies. Comparable in services, client segments, and DC-area footprint to LINK.
Broad incumbents
- Edelman: Global public relations and communications firm with a dedicated social impact practice. Operates at vastly larger scale than LINK but competes for overlapping government, nonprofit, and corporate social impact engagements.
- Weber Shandwick: Global communications and public affairs firm with public sector and social impact capabilities. Larger, broader portfolio than LINK but overlaps on government, healthcare, and nonprofit clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LINK Strategic Partners social profiles
Digital presenceLINK Strategic Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LINK Strategic Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
LINK Strategic Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LINK Strategic Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LINK Strategic Partners
What does LINK Strategic Partners do?
LINK Strategic Partners is a strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and social impact consulting firm that sells nine core service modules — community relations, strategic communications and planning, creative development, digital strategy, media relations, organizational development, facilitation, strategic planning, and sports/hospitality marketing — to government, nonprofit, corporate, and education clients through project-based engagements and contracts. The firm also operates the Changemakers Series, a virtual panel program featuring global changemakers.
Is LINK Strategic Partners a public or private company?
LINK Strategic Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was LINK Strategic Partners founded?
LINK Strategic Partners was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LINK Strategic Partners based?
LINK Strategic Partners is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does LINK Strategic Partners make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Communications Consulting.
Who are LINK Strategic Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GMMB, Burness, Fenton Communications, Spitfire Strategies, Capitol Counsel, Blue State, SKDK and The Hatcher Group. Broad incumbents are Edelman and Weber Shandwick.
Does LINK Strategic Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for LINK Strategic Partners.
What industry is LINK Strategic Partners in?
LINK Strategic Partners's product category is Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHACAN, Public Sector & Policy Consulting, with a secondary code of BPAHACAA, Strategy & Corporate Development Consulting. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.