Leatherstocking AEA program presentation by Tara Collins, Communications Director, Watershed Agricultural Council, on Fund Development and Marketing Partnership: Increasing Your Nonprofit's Success.

1. New York Council of Nonprofits Fund Development and Marketing Partnership: Increasing Your Nonprofit's SuccessApril 20, 2011Oneonta, NYTara Collins, Communications Director Watershed Agricultural Council Looking south from Route 10, Stamford, Delaware County

2. Who is the Watershed Agricultural Council? Incorporated in 1993 following the success of a 10-pilot farm initiative in 1991 2010 Annual Budget ~ $18M Often called “WAC” or “The Council” Concerned with farmland protection through land conservation best practices, improving economic viability of watershed farm and forest industries, and water quality protection

4. PES: Payment for EcoServices model recognized worldwide

5. Collaboration with agency and third-party business contractors that comprise a watershed management industry

6. 3 offices: Hamden, Walton, Yorktown Heights

7. Staff of 50Neversink Reservoir @JoshDickPhoto.com

8. Council’s 7 Core Programs Agriculture Forestry Conservation Easements East of Hudson Farm to Market Farmer Education Outreach Neversink Reservoir , Sullivan County

9. The Watershed Agricultural Council is funded in part by: along with other federal, foundation and private sources. The WAC is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

11. Locally controlled

12. Fully funded by the City of New YorkMission: Support the economic viability of agriculture and forestry through protection of water quality and promotion of land conservation in the New York City Watershed region. Nutshell:We’re all about farmland protection through land conservation practices; we look to protect farms, forests and their natural resources by keeping them in a working landscape: Watershed, Viewshed, Foodshed. Pepacton Reservoir, Delaware County

13. NYCON’s theme for the year: Entrepreneurial Strategies for Running a Nonprofit Fund Development and Marketing Partnership: Increasing Your Nonprofit's Success Define the role of marketing and fund development Discuss what defines success in these areas Discuss how these two are connected/work together Discuss overlap/partnership between the two areas. Share tips, experience, and resources

14. How many of you consider yourself…? The Face of the Organization Public relations professionalCommunications specialist Outreach personnel Executive DirectorSpokespersonFundraiserEducator…any Marketers?

15. You’re ALL Marketers!You’re “selling” your organization’s experience, benefits and investment to volunteers, participants and donors.

16. What’s this thing we call Marketing & Communications? Sharing your organization’s message through a variety of mediums, media and messengers in order to meet your organization’s goals and deliver a benefit to an audience.

17. Moving marketing from support function to Board of Director Governance Mission statement Organization & Staff Buy-in Strategic Plan A strategic planning tool

18. Our Marketing Strategy Dictates How, Why and Why How Much Executive Director Budget Negotiations Justified Web Designer Expense Supporting Document for Marketing Choices Going Forward Work Plan Guided by a Marketing Strategy in Organization’s Best Interest Identifies Unfunded Liability: Easement Stewardship Endowment Fund Inevitable Fundraising & Donor Relationships

19. What Makes Good Marketing/Communications? Sharing your successes through personal stories Building relationships Helping people WANT to support your cause Because they know you Because they believe you’re delivering good results Creating a high-value investment scenario Offering a giving experience that’s easy to engage Asking in a variety of ways that allow people to GIVE in a variety of ways (doesn’t this sound like Fund Development???)

20. Multi-pronged Approach Traditional: Press releases Calendars Interviews Pitches Media kit HARO.com NewsBasis Flyers Internal: Email signature PayCheck News Public speaking Conferences LinkedIn

21. How many of you…? Have a written marketing strategy Have one in your head Are you kidding? time? strategy? sit down? A marketing strategy helps you Reach audiences more effectively Spend your time more efficiently Save money in the long run

22. Sample Marketing Strategy 10/19/10 Total Focus Marketing Workshop http://nancyandkivi.com/

23. Evaluate your current marketing strategy Who’s your audience? What do you want them to know? How are you going to reach them? What action do you want them to take? Who’s going to do it? How much will it cost (staff time & hard dollars)? Don’t confuse a marketing strategy for a list of tactics/outreach tools

24. WAC Organizational GoalsDraft 10/19/10

25. Sample Marketing Strategy 10/19/10 Total Focus Marketing Workshop http://nancyandkivi.com/

26. WAC Marketing GoalsDraft 10/19/10 Total Focus Marketing Workshop http://nancyandkivi.com/

27. Gather up your marketing materials Conduct a communications audit What works? What doesn’t? If not, why not? If not, test another approach? If not, get rid of it.

28. Communications Audit Primary Audience: Who are we hoping to reach through this channel? Primary Uses: For what purpose are we communicating through this channel? Frequency: How often are we communicating through this channel? Content Mix: How do we vary the content? Is it user-focused? What are our primary messages in this channel? What are our calls to action? Writing Style and Tone: What voice do we use in this channel? What's our personality? What's the overall tone and approach to the communications? Writing Mechanics: Are we using good grammar and is the content free of typos? Is the length of the content appropriate for the channel? Micro-content: Do we make our content skimmable with strong headlines and subheads, email subject lines, linked text, etc.? Design: Is layout simple and clean? Do we use consistent colors and typography? Visuals: Do we use photos, info, graphics and/or video effectively? Branding: Is this channel aligned with our overall brand? Integration: Is this channel connected to other channels? is the messaging in this channel integrated across other channels? Download Communications Audit Template from nonprofitmarketingguide.com/resources/strategy/do-it-yourself-communications-audit-for-your-nonprofit/

29. Look at your communications pile, Kivi says answer these questions: Do our communications present a unified brand to our supporters across channels? Do our communications present consistent messages and calls to action to our supporters across channels? What needs to change in the short-term (next three months) in the long-term (within a year)?

30. Ashokan Reservoir, Ulster CountyIn service since 1915 122.9 billion gallon capacity @JoshDickPhoto.com

31. What We Found Council web visitors wanted Program information Educational information Resources, data, grants, assistance Branding/identity issues to solve Materials to look more like one organization

32. Website = primary marketing tool Drive traffic to the website for information

34. eNews sends readers back to website for more information

35. Show, Tell, Like, & Share!

37. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Make time to plan Create a Marketing Strategy Write it down Review it quarterly Remember that it is a “Work in Progress” Plan Is fluid: make changes, corrections, additions, deletions as needed

38. Organizational Message = Marketing Mediums/Media In person: public speaking workshops & conferences presentations & interviews Electronic: audio/video website &eNews social media/Facebook/LinkedIn Print: annual report newsletters press releases 3rd party coverage Messengers Staff Board Volunteers Participants Donors Vendors Contractors Partners Collaborators Reporters

39. Pepacton Reservoir, Delaware County In service since 1955 140.2 billion gallon capacity @JoshDickPhoto.com

40. You Don’t Have to Go It Alone Find support in unlikely places Use Your Board as ambassadors for your cause/organization Provide them with guidelines, training and tools so they can represent you correctly Wallet card with key talking points Elevator pitch Letter to Editor guidelines List of ways they can help (see handout)

41. Staff = Ambassadors, Too Provide staff with tools so they can CONFIDENTLY represent your organization Wallet card with key talking points (see handout) Elevator pitch (organization & their program area) Training public speaking social media use/help set up profiles Ask for a favor; empower staff to contribute content, photos, stories & video for the eNews, blog, website & newsletters

42. Schoharie Creek, Greene County @JoshDickPhoto.com

43. More Tools Policies, Guidelines and SOPs (aka the Marketing Bank) Social Media Policy Letter to Editor guidelines SOPs: email signatures PowerPoint Templates Style Guide (editorial, logo usage & graphic design) Position statements Calendars Editorial Event

44. Story & Messaging Tips Clear Concise Compelling Lose the jargon Tell the story about someone; Remember: it’s all about THEM Use photos, videos Go to where your audience is.

45. Water & Land: Finite Natural Resources “Buy land, they're not making it anymore.” Mark Twain

46. I prefer: “Save land, they're not making it anymore.” Rondout Reservoir, Sullivan County @JoshDickPhoto.com

47. How many of you…? Have a Facebook Profile? Have a LinkedIn profile? Post to a blog? Started a Facebook Fan Page?

48. Things You Should Be Doing NOW Collecting emails Collecting mobile phone numbers Asking your supporters how THEY WANT you to communicate with them Applying for Google Nonprofits google.com/nonprofits and Google Grants www.google.com/grants/

49. Be Adventurous Start small Measure Experiment Think long-term Be aware of time Improve your skills & confidence Don’t freak out

50. Be Zen at Work Start your day with a project 20-20-20 Get away from your desk Eat lunch Identify 3 End-of-day items for tomorrow’s To Do List

51. Discounted software:TechSoup, Google, IdealwareWorkshop: Total Focus Marketing Workshop, 10/12/2011www.nancyandkivi.com $697 For Impact www.forimpact.orgWebinars: www.nonprofitmarketingguide.comwww.CharityHowTo.comJune 23, 2-3p Chronicle of Philanthropy hosts “The Art & Science of Marketing: How to Make a Big Impact on a Small Budget” I’ll be sharing the Watershed Agricultural Council as case study with Nancy Schwartz the marketing guru.http://philanthropy.com/page/Webinar-Listing/333/Teleconferences: Network For Good www.fundraising123.comBooks: Nonprofit Marketing Guide by KiviLeroux MillerNondesigner’s Design Handbook by Robin WilliamsBrandraisingby Sarah DurhamLet’s Have Lunch Together by Marshall Howard

52. ORGANIZATIONS: NTEN www.nten.orgFREE STUFFGood360 http://good360.org/Default.aspx opportunity to purchase close-out items at discount prices; items can be used for fundraisers, program needs and organization bottom line; free to sign up, fee for truckload deliveriesFREE COVERAGENewsBasis http://newsbasis.com/HARO www.helpareporter.com/Great Nonprofits (free directory listing supported by GuideStar info) http://greatnonprofits.org/GuideStar http://www2.guidestar.org/BLOG: Getting Attention, Duck CallVOCUS LIST:www.GreenMediaToolshed.orgVIDEOMovie Mondays www.501videos.com weekly fundraising video in 6 minutes or less; stay connected with fund development passion and board governance by hearing from peers and industry professionals. Free to sign up; free to view

53. ENEWSLETTERS -FREEPhilanthropy Journal http://www.philanthropyjournal.org/resources/marketingcommunications/nonsense-sensible-messagingFundraising Success http://www.fundraisingsuccessmag.comChronicle of Philanthropy http://philanthropy.com/section/Home/172/

54. For more information:Tara CollinsCommunications Director(607) 865-7090, ext. 226taracollins@nycwatershed.orgOr visit us online:Website: www.nycwatershed.orgSubscribe to our Blog: www.nycwatershed.blogspot.comwww.pure-catskills.blogspot.comBecome a “Fan” on FaceBook:Twitter: @WaterFarmForest@TaraCollinsNYAdditional websites:www.BuyPureCatskills.comwww.CatskillWoodNet.orgwww.YouandYourWatershed.org

55. Multi-pronged Approach Traditional: Press releases Calendars Interviews Pitches Media kit HARO.com NewsBasis Flyers Internal: Email signature PayCheck News Public speaking Conferences LinkedIn

56. Take a seat at the Board Table…Why? Marketing, along with Fund Development, must be part of a strategic planning process. Marketing is integral in the collection of your participant/donor data, demographics, addresses, emails. Marketing is in charge of your messaging. Marketing is the face of your organization.

57. Watershed, Foodshed, Viewshed Ashokan Reservoir In service since 1915122.9 billion gallon capacityJoshDickPhoto.com f2TUu7u6 Saving Farms and Forest Lands That Protect Water Quality

58. Next Steps for The Council Complete the 2011 Strategic Plan Continue supporting participants across all programs Diversify our funding stream Resolve our unfunded liability regarding conservation easement stewardship Intensify focus on economic development of agricultural and forestry industries Watershed Hayfields, Delaware County @JoshDickPhoto.com

59. To date, DEP has spent $1.5 Billion on watershed management programs, best management practices and landowner incentives.The Watershed Agricultural Council has spent ~$130 Million since 1991.To build a filtration plant today would cost ~$10 Billion to construct and ~$1 Million per day to run.We can pay for it at the end, or we can up front…