Visibility Support for Local Leaders

Visibility support for local leaders

Supporting community leaders around the world to be visible to donors, partners, and the global stage, on their own terms.

Across the international development sector, we hear calls to shift power, fund local leadership, and centre community-led solutions. But too often, the people doing the most impactful work on the ground remain unseen by funders and decision-makers.

That’s where The School of Visibility® comes in.

We work alongside local leaders to build visibility strategies that honour their voice, culture, and vision - so they can connect with aligned funders, grow their organisations, and influence systems.

Why visibility matters:

Visibility is about equity. When local leaders are excluded from the rooms where decisions are made, or when their work isn’t clearly understood by funders, important opportunities are missed.

In a sector that still privileges certain voices, supporting visibility is a powerful way to shift dynamics, open pathways, and support long-term change led by the people closest to the work.

What we offer

We offer tailored visibility support that builds confidence, clarity, and communication skills - always with deep respect for the leader’s own voice and pace.

Whether it’s preparing for a donor meeting, articulating a funding pitch, or navigating the emotional labour of being more visible, we meet each leader where they are.

Our services include:

Strategic visibility planning

for local leaders and organisations ready to expand their presence

Visibility coaching

for local leaders including confidence-building practices rooted in embodiment and self-trust

Training sessions and group coaching

for cohorts of local leaders working together on expanding their reach, improving their messaging, and being sustainably visible

Who we work with

Local NGOs and community-based organisations
Women-led grassroots initiatives
Regional intermediaries seeking capacity-building partners
Funders committed to equity and local leadership

We work in partnership with philanthropic organisations and INGOs to deliver visibility support directly to their grantees or leadership teams.

“We love partnering with The School of Visibility.”

Samantha's work on visibility has been so impactful for our local leaders. We couldn't be happier with our decision to incorporate this life changing work into our approach to eliminating global poverty.

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Partnership Models

We offer flexible engagement models depending on your needs:

Direct coaching with individual leaders

Embedded visibility support as part of grant programs

Group training or cohort-based visibility programs

Short-term visibility intensives for specific events, presentations, or donor meetings

If you're a funder or intermediary, Samantha can work alongside your team to strengthen your investment in local leadership by supporting grantees to step into greater visibility with confidence and clarity.

What happens when leaders are supported to be visible

When local leaders are offered the tools, space, and support to step into visibility on their own terms, the transformation is both immediate and lasting. Here’s what one cohort of fellows experienced after participating in visibility coaching:

Confidence in visibility

Before the fellowship: 87.5% felt either optimistic or excited about personal visibility.

After the fellowship: 100% report increased confidence in speaking up and embracing leadership opportunities and voicing opinions in new spaces (e.g., conferences, meetings, panels).

Visibility strategy

Before the fellowship: 50% of fellows felt their visibility approach was somewhat effective, with others unsure about the right combination of strategies.

After the fellowship: 87.5% felt confident or very confident about using their strategy.

Voicing opinions

Before the fellowship: there were mixed comfort levels with being visible and sharing opinions. Some fellows were more cautious about voicing their opinions or expertise publicly.

After the fellowship: 100% voiced opinions/expertise in at least one recent instance they previously would have avoided.

"After working with Samantha, I'm more strategic with my visibility efforts. I'm focusing more on quality over quantity."

I’ve realised that investing in high-quality work attracts demand and fosters growth, rather than chasing visibility or attending numerous events. This shift allows for deeper investment in myself, my team, and my community.

LEA KILENGA MASAMO
AFRICA SICKLE CELL ORGANISATION

Hi! I’m Samantha Nolan-Smith, founder and CEO of The School of Visibility®

I bring decades of experience working with changemakers, not-for-profits, and community leaders globally. At the heart of it all is a simple belief: people doing powerful work deserve to be seen and supported, without having to change who they are to be heard.

My approach is grounded in:

Deep listening and relational trust
Cultural sensitivity and contextual awareness
A commitment to long-term systems change
Feminist and trauma-informed principles