Connect the Dots Leveraging Community Partnerships & Media - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Connect the Dots… Leveraging Community Partnerships & Media Relations www.laura-bishop.com

WHO WE ARE WHO WE ARE Laura Bishop, Managing Principal Laura Bishop, Managing Principal  35 years of experience in public relations field  Launched Laura Bishop Communications in 2011  Named to the 2014 Top 40 Women in Business by SNJ Business People  Former member of PDE Board of Directors  President of the Rancocas Conservancy Karen F Karen Forst, De t, Develo lopment/G pment/Grants C ants Consultant nsultant  20+ years experience in environmental issues and community involvement  Including 10+ years experience in grant writing, grant administration, fundraising event planning, donor communication and engagement and corporate partnerships  Former NJDEP employee and former Development Director at PDE

CONNECTING THE DO CONNECTING THE DOTS WHAT BRINGS WHA BRINGS YOU HERE? OU HERE?  You are lik u are likely on the staf ely on the staff, f, board or a v board or a volunt lunteer with eer with a nonpr a nonprofit seeking t t seeking to:  Expand y Expand your ne ur netw twor ork  Raise y Raise your visibility ur visibility  Bolst Bolster suppor r support (financial and other (financial and otherwise) ise)  Build y Build your v ur volunt lunteer base eer base …..But where t …..But where to star start? t?

CONNECTING THE DOTS – WHY? There is strength in number There is strength in numbers The right par The right partner tnerships can impr ships can improve visibility visibility, public per public perception, staf eption, staff morale, f morale, and e and even lead t en lead to funding! funding!

WHA WHAT IS CONNECTING THE DO IS CONNECTING THE DOTS? ? Connecting with others is the lifeblood of nonprofits and organizations that serve the public Connecting with:  Members, donors, •Environmental Nonprofit supporters, parents, •Social Services Organizations •Education teachers, current and prospective board members, other nonprofits, potential •School Districts funders, business and Other •Local government industry, regulators, Organizations •State government lawmakers, academic that serve •Federal institutions the public government

CONNECTING THE DOTS = NETWORKING!  It means connecting what at fir It means connecting what at first ma t may appear y appear to be be disparat disparate individuals and organ e individuals and organizations zations to creat create oppor opportunities and results that unities and results that benef benefit tw it two, se o, several or man ral or many individuals individuals and organizations. and organizations.

WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?  En Envir vironmental nonpr nmental nonprofit t teaming up with aming up with a a …  Heal Health relat h related nonpr d nonprofit - t - suppor upport f for pr r program ograms that encourage that encourage kids t ds to b be activ active, p , promo omote o e outdoor activity tdoor activity, c , combat c mbat childhood ildhood obesity esity, c connect k nnect kids t ds to nature nature  Yout uth ser services organ organization - - suppo upport f for pr r progra ograms tha that giv give under underser erved y d youth the c h the chance t ance to e experience science and nature perience science and nature  Local b cal business w siness with c th commu mmunity vo nity volunt lunteerism g ism goals  Finding local Finding local c cham ampion f pion for y r your ca ur cause t that w will h help c connect yo you t to other a other availabl ailable resour e resources in their ne ces in their netw twor ork It’s not It’s not about pu about pulling y lling you awa away from from y your m mission. ssion. It’s It’s about f about finding common gr nding common ground t ound to help help your organizations ac ur organizations achie hieve their goals e their goals and and work t toward their missi rd their missions more ef ons more effecti ctivel ely.

According t ccording to St Steve Jobs: e Jobs: From his 2005 om his 2005 Commencement Address at Commencement Address at Stanf Stanford Univ rd Univer ersity sity

WE RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE, MR. JOBS!  Connecting the Dots in Connecting the Dots involv lves not only looking bac es not only looking backwards, rds, but also looking at what’s happening but also looking at what’s happening to today and and in the future in the future ! !  It is critical f It is critical for nonpr r nonprofits t ts to Connect the Dots t nnect the Dots toda day, t to create boundless oppor creat boundless opportunities unities organizational gro growth th fo for o and success success going f and going forwards. ards. La Lay the gr y the groundw oundwork f for y r your future success! ur future success!

CONNECTING THE DOT PATH TO SUCCESS Think of the “Connect the Dot” Think of the “Connect the Dot” puzzles of puzzles of our c our childhood. ildhood. The do The dots are numbered and when ts are numbered and when a a line is dra line is drawn betw n between the do een the dots ts sequentiall sequentially, the outline of , the outline of an an obje object, animal or ct, animal or per person is re on is revealed. aled. For a child t r a child to successfully successfully comple complete the puzzle, the puzzle, the they f first mus t must s study and under udy and understan tand their number their numbers or s or le lett tter ers. s.

CONNECTING THE DOTS - DO YOUR HOMEWORK!  To successfully Connect the Dots f successfully Connect the Dots for y r your organization, ur organization, you t u too must study and under oo must study and understand y tand your organization’s: ur organization’s: Mission and Goals Strengths Challenges

CONNECTING THE DOTS ALIGNING PRIORITIES Ho How do y w do your mission, goals, strengths & ur mission, goals, strengths & challenges relat challenges relate t to: Those you ser Those y u serve – e – member embers and constituents and constituents Your colleagues in the nonpr ur colleagues in the nonprofit and f t and for-pr r-prof ofit w it world rld Current and prospectiv Current and prospective suppor e supporter ers in y s in your ur community and be community and beyond nd

CONNECTING THE DOTS – UNCOVERING OPPORTUNITIES  Capitalize on Oppor Capitalize on Opportunities t unities to Connect! Connect!  Gather staf Gather staff t f to think about par think about partner nership oppor hip opportunities unities Think of: Think of: Locally cally owned owned small b small businesses sinesses • • Public, priv Public, privat ate and e and char arter schools in y r schools in your areas ur areas • Colleges and Colleges and Univ Univer ersi sities ties • Nonp nprofits in y rofits in your field field • Nonpr Nonprofits fits in other fields – in other fields – Education Education, Health Health Care, Care, Social Social Servic Ser ices es, Animal Pro Animal Protection ection, Disast , Disaster R Relief lief/Aid Organ /Aid Organization tions, Youth uth Ser Servic ices es • Business and Industr Business and Industry – – large arge emplo employer ers in s in the area the area • Companies with lo mpanies with local b cal branc anches/of es/offices ices - Banks with Banks with community community giving programs, giving programs, lo local companies cal companies with with emplo employee ee vo volunt nteer eer p programs Go be Go beyond y your typical list of ur typical list of par partners and allie and allies! s!

CONNECTING THE DOTS CONNECTING THE DO MEASURING SUCCESS MEASURING SUCCESS Scientists like measurable and Scientists lik e measurable and quantifiable results quantifiable results success is not alwa not always easily easily However, This type of Ho This type of success is measured ! measured ! Don’t le Don’t let that discourage y t that discourage you! u!

CONNECTING THE DO CONNECTING THE DOTS Establishing, re Establishing, revitalizing or c vitalizing or changing an organization’s anging an organization’s reputation/public perception tak reputation/public perception takes time. s time. r anecdotal e anecdotal evidence idence  Look f Look for of pr of progress ogress and success: and success:  Positiv sitive c comments f mments from p people le outs outside y e your ur organ organization  Increas Increase in media co in media coverage f rage for r pr progra ograms and e and events ents  Positiv sitive c change in ange in staf staff/p f/partner ner attitud titudes  Expa Expanded par nded partnership p oppo opportun unities  Increas Increased funding d funding

SUCCESS STORIES SUCCESS STORIES RANCOCAS CONSER RANCOC AS CONSERVANCY ANCY  Mission - Mission - To preser o preserve, pr , protect and ect and enhance enhance the the ecological and ecological and cultural int cultural integrity of the Rancocas Creek grity of the Rancocas Creek and its en and its envir virons. ns.