Out of the Blue worked with WaterRising Institute to redesign WaterWoman Project and then collaborate on bringing her to life. Out of the Blue’s founder continues to serve on the Board of Directors, including delivering a white paper, “Engendering a Modern Water Workforce.” WaterRising was selected for this subgrant by The Water Tower, which won a $2M+ water workforce development grant from the U.S. EPA.

Starting in 2018, Out of the Blue led efforts to update the organization’s theory of change, impact model, planning, brand development, content strategy, water sector leadership recruitment and sector partnerships. we also led integrated marketing including development of fundraising materials and pitches, digital and video assets, high-level strategic planning meetings, and management of multiple multichannel programs and events. Outcomes are numerous, starting with positioning WaterWoman Project for ESG-focused investment to attract its multi-year corporate founding partner, SUEZ.

Highlights include delivering the Gender & Youth Hub for the United Nations 2023 Water Conference, the first global convening on water strategy in almost 50 years. We also delivered a gender-DEI workforce development Explainer. We continue to support strategy and manage Water Woman Table, a thought leadership series, partner engagement, and the digital platform. Operationalizing the nonprofit startup for over 18 months, we’ve served in an advisory role for critical business development issues, fundraising, and marketing, in addition to program implementation.

Out of the Blue’s work with WaterRising and its fiscal agent, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, started in 2018 — developing the nonprofit startup’s original theory of change, partnership materials, and market intelligence. We helped hone mission and vision, and clarified the value proposition, helping WaterRising become the first woman-founded nonprofit focused on research and development into mobile water quality monitoring in real-time.