Thursday, April 22, 2010

Butterfly is Now... - Colorado Library Marketing by Debbi MacCleod and Sharon Morris

This marketing push is NOT to encourage more people to come to the library - it is to increase awareness and support of libraries, so that when voting time comes, voters make the correct choices come voting time.

What's Next ?!

1600 small businesses launch every month in Colorado. Many of those get their start at the library.
Business? Libraries!
(other text: Business planning books. Market research articles. Rules and Regulations websites. Sources of funding and loans. Information experts available to assist.)

With 7.3% of Coloradans unemployed, many of those are searching for their next at the Library. Jobs? Libraries!

This year, more than 26% of Colorado's high school seniors failed to graduate. Many of the ones who succeeded had an advantage: a quality Library.
Literacy? Libraries!
(They had a photo of four children - one of which failed to graduate)

This year, __% percentage of Coloradoans travel every year. Audiobooks, Chilton Auto Manuals, Travel Guides, etc.
Travel? Libraries!

In the OCLC study (from awareness to funding), it was shown that there is no difference between people that use the library, and don't use the library - also, there is no difference between the people that vote or don't vote for libraries.

This campaign is trying to shift people's perceptions of libraries. "Whatever is next for you, libraries help get you there!"

Campaign Rollout
The first year will be spent rolling out to the internal affiliated audience - getting the word out to Library staff, our volunteers, advocates, so that we all understand what the campaign is all about.

Next year, we can take the work that BHAG has done, and focus on rolling this out to external audiences.

4 Different Audiences

Internal/Affiliated
  • generate awareness and understanding of the campaign,
  • ensure consistent messaging delivery,
  • inspire to become ambassadors
Influencers (these are community 'influencers')
  • Strengthen perception of libraries,
  • build interest and engagement in campaign,
  • promote advocacy of libraries.
Decision/Policy Makers and General Public
  • Increase 'top-of-mind' awareness and relevancy of libraries,
  • shift perceptions,
  • prompt increased support and funding of libraries
Campaign Funding - have done initial contacting with the Colorado Foundation to let them aware of this. With the economy, this has not been greeted with enthusiasm. They would like to create a task force of people that can write grants for this funding. They will start writing in the next couple of months. Plan B, if no success with state-wide funding, that they will start regionally - a more of a 'grass roots' effort.

Campaign Website: http://www.whats-next-libraries.org/ (Not up now, hopefully this summer.)

This is a public awareness campaign, so when money is obtained, they will use different treatments of the main message. (Wyoming message was Libraries Bring the World to You. Their treatments were the mudflap girl, the windmill, etc.)

At this point the What's Next ?! is just a skeleton, they may fool around with the font, colors, etc. Tomorrow is the deadline for graphic designers to submit their design of the What's Next ?!


Libraries now can start using the What's Next ?! text right now! Use it in everyday speech, make a display in your library, etc.

Eventual success of this campaign is to have more pro-library measures be passed. Over time, improving people's perception of libraries, more donations, etc.

The logo formats will all be on the website - jpg, eps, etc, for libraries to use in many different ways.

CLiC 2010, Dan Lawrence on 'Grant Writing: Tips, Tricks, and the Deep Six'


Goals of this Workshop:

  • Identify key people, processes, and structures to have in place before starting to write (or not write) a grant;
  • examine key sections of a grant app, w/an emphasis on SMART objectives;

http://preventioncolorado.org/clic10/

Some General Funding Trends
  • Moving from funder to investment approach
  • fewer, but larger grants
  • continuing to fund current grantees
  • not as many grants to small organizations, but more to consotria of small organizations
  • suggesting diverse funding sources (e.g. matching or fund raising requirements)

Before you commit: Read, read, read!
  1. Read for guideleings, check due dates, # of awards, average size of grants, eligibility.
  2. Reread: for any technical requirements of application, preapproval guidelines, needs for letters of support, etc.
  3. Reread: for narrative content.

Tips for Getting Started

Impose a structure on the process early
organize a planning group, layout some tasks and get volunteers
work backward from due date to rough out timeline of deadlines (wyou will be behind)

Sample Scoring Guide - 100 pts.

Minimum Responsiveness Criteria (required)
Narrative (30 pts)
Capacity 5 pts
Action Plan 30 pts
Evaluation Plan 10 pts
Budget 25 pts

B. Narrative
Summary: Get attention and state your case
Needs Statement: define the problem (data)
Gaps: current lack of services or programs in area
Program Description: must match funder priorities, address your problem, be directly related to action plan

C. Capacity
  • aka: why you can trust us with your money
  • who we are
  • how we're qualified - e.g. history, governing structure, mission, primary activities, relevant partners, audiences, and services.

D. Action Plan
  • Use language of the strategies endorsed by funder (logic models?)
  • goals and objectives reflect those of funder
  • create a timeline that makes sense
  • activities should be specific and in chronological order
  • all activities relate to objectives
Goals vs. Objectives

Goals: Objectives
Broad Narrow
General intentions precise
intangible tangible
Abstract Concrete
Can't be validated as is Can be validated

Goal: Community members understand the value of libraries to their lives.

Objective: by june 30, 2010, 50% of the community will be able to name 3 primary library services

Objectives
Describe the steps toward accomplishing a goal
show priorities
provide targets for progress and accountability


SMART Objectives
S=Specific (who? What?)
M=Measurable: It tells you How Much change is expected
A=Achievable: It can be realisticall accomplished given current resources and constraints
R=Realistic: It addresses the scope of the plan and proposes reasonable action steps
T=Time-Phased: it provides a timeline indicating when the objective will be met.

Activites
Things you're going to do to make sure you accomplish the objective
Examples:
Convene advisory committee to discuss community perceptions of the library
(Example: Activity -- Implementation Timeframe -- Measure of accomplishment -- job title of person responsible)

E. Evaluation Plan
How will you asses what you're

F. Budget
  • Complete budget sheet if provided
  • Budget Narrative
  1. Personnel
  2. Direct Operating
  3. Contractual
  4. Travel
  5. Indirect (if allowed)
  • Double-, triple-, quadruple-check numbers match between budget sheet and narrative!
The Four P's of Preplanning
  • Processes
  • Permission
  • Planning
  • People
Processes
  • Read up on Grants and writing process
  • Grants for libraries; neal-schuman, 2006
  • The only grant-writing book you'll ever need, 3rd ed.; basic, 2009
  • grant writing for dummies, 3rd ed.; Wiley, 2009

Permissions: Know people, processes and rules for grants for your library
  • Who is allowed to work on grants?
  • How can you recommend a new project?
  • What are your board/municipal/etc. processes for approving or receiving funds?
Planning
  • 'Evergreen' file (documents and boilerplate)
  • Concept Paper
  • Funding Development Plan
People
  • Library Director / Leadership
  • Staff and Board representatives
  • Grant Coordinator
  • Community Advisers
  • Researcher
  • Writiers, editors, proofers
  • Implementation team
  • Subject matter experts
  • partners
Researching Grant Opportunities
See Locating Grand and Funding Opportunities on pg. 6 of handout
Free basics training and access to databases at Foundation Center Cooperating Collections. See: http://foundationcenter.org/collections/ccco.html

Questions? danl@rmc.org