PIO Toolkit User Guide
Everything you need to know to get the most out of your membership
Getting Started
Creating Your Account
- Visit piotoolkit.com and click Sign Up in the top navigation
- Enter your email address and create a password
- Check your email for a welcome message
- Complete your profile by adding your name and organization
Logging In
- Click Log In in the top navigation
- Enter your email and password
- You'll be directed to your Dashboard
Resetting Your Password
- Go to the login screen and click Forgot Password
- Enter your email address
- Check your inbox for a password reset link
- Click the link and create a new password
Membership Tiers
PIO Toolkit offers four membership levels. Here's what each includes:
Free (Registered User)
- ✓ Access to the AI Tools Directory
- ✓ Standard articles on the Articles page
- ✓ Browse the Job Board
- ✓ Newsletter archive
- ✓ Course pre-registration notifications
Monthly ($29/month)
Everything in Free, plus:
- ✓ Premium articles and insights
- ✓ 20% discount on individual course purchases
- ✓ 20% discount on downloadable resources
Annual ($259/year) - Best Value
Everything in Monthly, plus:
- ✓ All courses included
- ✓ All downloadable resources included
- ✓ Access to Live Learn-Along sessions
- ✓ Priority access to new content
Team ($749/year)
Everything in Annual, plus:
- ✓ 5 Annual membership seats for your team
- ✓ Team Management dashboard
- ✓ Dedicated support
- ✓ Perfect for communications teams
Ready to upgrade? Visit our Pricing page to compare plans.
Your Dashboard
After logging in, you'll land on your Dashboard — your home base for tracking progress and accessing content.
Dashboard Features
My Courses
Shows courses you've enrolled in or started. Progress bars indicate how far you've advanced through each course. Click any course to continue where you left off.
My Resources
Quick access to templates and resources you've downloaded. Click to download again or view details.
Recommended for You
Personalized suggestions based on your interests and activity on the site.
Membership Status
Shows your current tier, renewal date, and quick links to manage your subscription.
Editing Your Profile
From your Dashboard, you can update:
- First and last name
- Job title
- Organization
- Bio
- Areas of expertise
- Profile photo
- Social links (LinkedIn, Twitter, website)
- Profile visibility (public or private)
Click Edit Profile on your Dashboard to make changes.
Courses
Browsing Courses
- Click Courses in the main navigation or go to /Courses
- Browse all available courses
- Use the category filter to narrow results:
- AI & Misinformation
- AI & Technology
- Community Engagement
- Crisis Communications
- General PIO
- Media Relations
- Planning & Audit
Course Status Labels
Taking a Course
- Click on any course card to view details
- Review the course description, learning objectives, and lesson list
- Click Start Course (Annual/Team members) or Purchase (Free/Monthly members with 20% discount)
- Work through lessons at your own pace — your progress saves automatically
- Complete the quiz at the end of the course
- Download your certificate of completion
Course Certificates
After completing all lessons and passing the course quiz, you can download a personalized certificate of completion. Access certificates from:
- The course completion page
- Your Dashboard under completed courses
- The Certificate page
Certificates can be added to your resume, LinkedIn profile, or professional portfolio.
Resource Hub
The Resource Hub is your library of professional development tools, references, and curated content.
AI Tools Directory
A curated directory of 50+ AI tools relevant to government communications. Each tool includes a description, category, and notes on how it can support your PIO work. Filter by category: Writing, Research, Video, Image Generation, Audio, Productivity, and more.
Templates & Toolkits
Downloadable templates, checklists, and planning documents you can customize for your organization. Includes media release templates, crisis communication plans, social media calendars, and more.
- Annual/Team members: Unlimited downloads included
- Monthly members: 20% discount on purchases
- Free members: Full price
Books
Recommended reading for government communicators covering crisis management, media relations, leadership, strategic communications, and more.
Podcasts
Curated list of podcasts relevant to government communications, organized by topic: Crisis Communications, Media Relations, Leadership, Social Media, Government-Specific, and Storytelling.
Certification Pathways
Comprehensive guide to professional certifications including FEMA IS courses, Advanced PIO courses, APR (Accreditation in Public Relations), NENA, APCO, and other specialized credentials. Career stage recommendations included.
Conferences & Events
Annual conferences and events for government communicators with dates, locations, and registration links. Includes NAGC, GSMCON, IACP, NENA, APCO, ICMA, NLC, and more.
Professional Associations
Directory of professional organizations supporting government communicators, including NAGC, PRSA, NENA, APCO, and state-level PIO associations.
Webinars
Access to upcoming live webinars and recordings of past sessions. Annual and Team members have full access to the archive.
Articles
Browsing Articles
Click Articles in the main navigation or go to /Articles to browse all published content. Articles are organized by topic and tagged for easy discovery.
Free vs. Premium Articles
- Standard articles — Available to all registered users
- Premium articles — Marked with a badge; available to Monthly, Annual, and Team members only
Bookmarking Articles
Click the bookmark icon on any article to save it for later. Access your bookmarks from your Dashboard.
Sharing Articles
Use the share buttons on any article to share via email, LinkedIn, Twitter, or copy the link.
Job Board
Browsing Jobs
Click Jobs in the main navigation or go to /Jobs to view current PIO and communications positions.
Job Listings Include:
- Position title and organization
- Location (including remote options)
- Salary range (when provided)
- Application deadline
- Direct link to apply
Posting a Job
Organizations can post positions to reach the PIO Toolkit community. Go to /PostJob for posting information and rates.
Training & Live Sessions
Training Page
Visit the Training page to see upcoming live training sessions and webinars.
Live Learn-Alongs
Live Learn-Along sessions are interactive training events. Annual and Team members have full access included. Monthly and Free members can purchase individual sessions at a discount.
Search
Global Search
Press ⌘+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows) from anywhere on the site to open the global search. This is available to logged-in users.
Search across:
- Courses
- Articles
- Resources
- AI Tools
- Jobs
Filtering Results
Use the category tabs in search results to narrow down to specific content types.
Account & Settings
Accessing Your Account
Click your profile icon in the top-right navigation to access:
Updating Profile Information
From your Dashboard, click Edit Profile to update:
- Name and contact information
- Organization and job title
- Bio and expertise areas
- Profile photo
- Social links
- Profile visibility settings
Managing Your Subscription
For Monthly/Annual members:
- View your current plan and renewal date on your Dashboard
- To upgrade, visit Pricing
- To cancel, visit Contact and submit a cancellation request
For Team owners:
- Access Team Management from your Dashboard
- View seats used and available
- Share invitation link with team members
- Remove team members as needed
Email Preferences
Visit Notification Settings to control which emails you receive:
- Newsletter updates
- Course announcements
- New content alerts
- Product updates
Viewing Order History
Go to My Orders to see your purchase history including:
- Course purchases
- Resource downloads
- Subscription payments
Team Management
If you have a Team subscription, you can manage your 5 seats from the Team Management page.
As a Team Owner
Adding Team Members:
- Go to Team Management
- Copy your unique invitation link
- Share the link with your team members (up to 4)
- They click the link to create their account and join your team
Removing Team Members:
- Go to Team Management
- Find the member in the list
- Click the menu (⋮) and select "Remove from Team"
- The seat becomes available for a new member
As a Team Member
Team members receive full Annual membership benefits. Your team owner manages the subscription and seat assignments.
Community Apps
Visit Community Apps to see specialized resource pages created for partner organizations and communities.
Additional Pages
Quick Reference
| Action | Where to Go |
|---|---|
| Start a course | Courses → Select course → Start Course |
| Download a template | Resources → Templates → Download |
| Search the site | Press ⌘+K or Ctrl+K |
| View your progress | Dashboard → My Courses |
| Upgrade your plan | Pricing → Select plan |
| Get a certificate | Complete course + quiz → Download Certificate |
| Bookmark an article | Click bookmark icon on any article |
| Browse AI tools | AI Tools |
| Find a job | Jobs |
| Update your profile | Dashboard → Edit Profile |
| Manage team members | Team Management (Team owners only) |
| Contact support | Contact |
Getting Help
Self-Service Resources
- This User Guide (bookmark it!)
- FAQ — Answers to common questions
- Search (⌘+K) to find content quickly
Contact Support
For questions not answered here, use our Contact page. Response time is typically within 1 business day.
Feedback
We're always improving PIO Toolkit based on member feedback. If you have suggestions, questions, or ideas, use the Contact page to reach us!