Digital Storytelling and Public Education for Nuclear Disarmament

Support from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will help Back from the Brink (BftB) expand our public education and communications work to meet a growing need for informed public engagement on nuclear weapons policy. This funding will directly support our communications consultants and creative partners, whose work includes designing, producing, and promoting accessible digital content—short videos, infographics, podcasts, and social media campaigns—that make nuclear issues understandable, relevant, and actionable for the public.

This project will primarily benefit civically engaged and concerned citizens—people who follow national issues but are not yet active on nuclear policy—as well as the “nuclear-curious” public seeking credible, hopeful ways to understand and engage. In particular, this project seeks to reach younger generations, educators, faith communities, elected officials, and civic leaders seeking credible, hopeful information and pathways for action. By translating complex policy issues into motivating stories, BftB helps people see their role in shaping U.S. nuclear weapons policy and in demanding a safer, more just world.

What we will do:

• Produce and share new educational content across digital platforms, including short-form videos, explainers, and infographics highlighting BftB’s five policy solutions and the humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons.
  

• Collaborate with Gen Z creators, Students for Nuclear Disarmament, and faith-based partners to co-create content that links nuclear abolition to issues like climate justice, democracy, and other social justice issues.
  

• Expand BftB’s social media reach and engagement across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X, launching creative, shareable campaigns that meet people where they are and invite them into deeper civic action.
  

• Develop and distribute digital toolkits, like our Beginners Guide to Nuclear Weapons, for educators, community groups, and activists to foster local action.
  

• Coordinate national storytelling initiatives around key moments—such as anniversaries, international treaties, and the 2026 elections—to make nuclear policy a visible public issue.

Outcomes:

• Reach 50,000–100,000 people through digital education and social media engagement in 2025–2026.
  

• Produce 8–10 new pieces of multimedia educational content co-created with youth and partner organizations.
  

• Grow BftB’s combined engagement across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X by at least 25%, expanding beyond traditional peace audiences.
  

• Secure new partnerships and endorsements from youth-led, climate, and social justice organizations.
  

• Inspire and equip thousands of individuals to take informed civic action to advance disarmament policy through the Back from the Brink campaign. 

Why Now

Public awareness of nuclear threats remains low, even as risks rise. Calls to resume nuclear testing, global tensions, and political polarization threaten what fragile stability remains. Yet these moments also open a door: when people understand the stakes, they act.

Through a major grant that expires in June 2026, Back from the Brink has been working with a talented team of content creators and communications partners to expand our reach and engage new audiences in the movement to prevent nuclear war. This small but strategic investment from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation will help sustain that creative capacity throughout 2026, ensuring that our proven communications work continues to educate, mobilize, and inspire civic action. Together, we can keep this movement visible, connected, and growing—and build the power and vision needed for a world free from nuclear weapons.