The Buffett Early Childhood Institute’s Communications team won five awards from the Nebraska chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in December 2025.
The PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards program is a statewide, annual competition that recognizes programs and projects demonstrating excellence in the public relations profession.
Outreach and engagement are major priorities at the Buffett Institute.
The Institute deploys strategic communications to raise awareness, change attitudes, and motivate people to act on behalf of young children and their families based on the science of early childhood development and education. That means using digital channels, public events, media relations, publications, and partnerships to share the Institute’s work and the benefits of quality early childhood education.
The Buffett Institute won in the following categories:
- An Award of Excellence in the Internal Communications category (highest score)
The team created a communications resource for staff and launched a revamped internal newsletter. - An Award of Merit in the Marketing Consumer Products category
The Institute developed a new email template for reports and targeted email distribution lists, allowing the Institute’s policy and research publications to reach more people across the state and nation. - An Award of Merit in the Marketing Consumer Services category
The Institute launched a new Superintendents’ Early Childhood Plan newsletter for its school and community partners to better communicate the plan’s work and impact in the Omaha metro. - An Award of Merit in the Blogs category
The Institute was recognized for its Early Years Matter blog, which covers early childhood issues in Nebraska and throughout the country, including thought leadership and guest blogs from the Institute’s experts. - An Award of Merit in the Social Media category The Institute promotes events, research, and the benefits of early childhood education to more than 15,500 followers on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, where the Institute grows its state and national digital reach.
“Our work is about elevating the Institute’s impact—across Nebraska, the University of Nebraska, and on a national stage. Every day, we’re inspired to share the stories and people behind the Institute’s efforts to strengthen early childhood development and education,” said Ally Freeman, the Institute’s director of communications. “Thank you to PRSA for the recognition. We appreciate everyone who engages and partners in this important work.”
Erin Duffy is the managing editor at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska and writes about early childhood issues that affect children, families, educators, and communities. Previously, she spent more than a decade covering education stories and more for daily newspapers.