New York – Fenton has earned the #1 spot in O'Dwyer's annual ranking of PR firms serving the nonprofit sector, solidifying its position as a top PR firm in one of the industry's most demanding and fast-growing categories.

The ranking, based on net fees from nonprofit clients reported in O'Dwyer's annual survey of PR firms, places Fenton ahead of a competitive field that includes some of the largest agencies in the country. It marks a significant milestone for the firm, which was founded over 40 years ago as the nation's first communications agency dedicated exclusively to social impact work.

A Legacy in Nonprofit Communications

Fenton's top ranking reflects a long track record in the nonprofit and advocacy space. The agency works across a wide range of issue areas, including public health, education, climate, racial justice, democracy, and economic equity, providing strategic communications, digital strategy, advertising, creative services, and crisis communications to a national client base of nonprofits, foundations, and mission-driven organizations.

Unlike generalist agencies that maintain nonprofit divisions alongside corporate portfolios, Fenton has operated as a purpose-built social impact firm since its founding. That specialization has allowed the agency to develop deep institutional knowledge of the nonprofit sector's unique communications challenges, from resource constraints and coalition dynamics to the complexities of advocacy and public interest campaigns.

The agency's client roster spans some of the most prominent foundations, advocacy groups, and public interest organizations in the country, though Fenton has historically worked with organizations of all sizes, including emerging nonprofits building their communications capacity for the first time.

CEO Cites Team and Client Partnerships

Fenton CEO Valarie De La Garza pointed to the agency's team and client relationships as the driving forces behind the recognition.

"Communications is part of an essential infrastructure for organizations doing critical work in the world," De La Garza said. "This ranking reflects the talent and dedication of our team, and the trust that our clients place in us to help advance their missions. We take that responsibility seriously."

De La Garza noted that the firm is continuing to expand its service offerings and invest in digital and creative capabilities as the communications landscape evolves for nonprofit organizations. She emphasized that the agency's growth has been guided by a consistent focus on measurable impact for clients rather than expansion for its own sake.

A Competitive and Evolving Category

The nonprofit PR category has grown increasingly competitive in recent years as more agencies pursue mission-driven clients and organizations invest more heavily in communications strategy. Nonprofits face a challenging media environment marked by the fragmentation of legacy outlets, shifting digital platforms, and growing competition for public attention.

Agencies serving this space are expected to bring not only traditional media relations expertise but also fluency in digital campaigning, paid media strategy, creative production, and rapid-response crisis communications. The organizations that hire them often operate under tighter budgets and greater public scrutiny than their corporate counterparts, placing a premium on agencies that can deliver strategic clarity alongside tactical execution. Fenton's ability to deliver across all of these disciplines contributed to its top ranking.

Industry observers note that the nonprofit communications sector is likely to continue growing as philanthropic organizations, advocacy coalitions, and public interest groups face an increasingly complex information environment that demands more sophisticated and integrated communications strategies.

O'Dwyer's rankings are compiled annually from fee data submitted directly by PR firms and are considered one of the industry's most widely referenced independent benchmarks. The full rankings of top PR firms across all categories are available on odwyerpr.com.

Fenton is a national social impact communications agency with offices across New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. More information is available at fenton.com.