April 21, 2015

Northside Community Fund

Tim Jeckering
513- 542-2500
P.O. Box 0128
Dear Tim and NCF Members,
We are very pleased to present you with our deliverables for the Northside Community Fund
which includes a website, social media plan, promotional poster, fundraising letter, and
fundraising event plans, along with a detailed report. This has been an exciting project for our
team to work on and we hope that you find our materials to be an essential foundation from
which the NCF can further their brand in the Northside community.
Included in the report is an Appendices which has PDF links to each deliverable. These items
are also on the attached USB.
We would like to thank the Northside Community Fund again for giving us the opportunity to
work on this exciting project.
If any other members of the NCF have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Matt Layton
at laytonma@mail.uc.edu.

Best regards,

Jackson Hills, Matthew Layton, Mason Maier, Hannah McGahee, Ben Pedigo, Ashley
Sandburg, and Courtney Todd

Created by
Jackson Hills, Matthew Layton, Mason Maier, Hannah McGahee, Ben Pedigo, Ashley
Sandburg, and Courtney Todd

Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Audience Analysis ................................................................................................................................. 4
Building the Northside Community Funds Identity .............................................................................. 5
Brand the NCF with a new logo .......................................................................................................... 5
Create a web presence ........................................................................................................................ 6
Communicate using a blog .................................................................................................................. 7
Make social media accounts ............................................................................................................... 7
Promoting the Northside Community Fund ........................................................................................... 8
Obtain donations with a letter campaign............................................................................................ 8
Connect with the Northside Farmers Market..................................................................................... 8
Gain awareness through Media Relations and Public Events........................................................ 9
Appendix A Personas ............................................................................................................................ 11
Appendix B Website & Branding Documentation Guide .................................................................. 16
Appendix C Blog Guidelines.................................................................................................................. 26
Appendix D Social Media Guidelines ................................................................................................... 28
Appendix E NCF Donation Letter................................ ..........................................................................32
Appendix F Promotional Poster ............................................................................................................ 34
Appendix G Press Releases for Fundraising Events ......................................................................... 36
Appendix H Fundraising Events FAQ .................................................................................................. 39
Appendix I NCF FAQ .............................................................................................................................. 42

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Introduction
Since it was first created, The Northside Community Fund has played an active part in making
Northside Cincinnati a great place for residents and visitors alike. Over the years the NCF has
sponsored and funded various events and organizations within the community such as the
Porch Tour and the Northside Farmers Market. While the NCF plays an active part in the
community, it has largely operated from behind the scenes with little awareness. The NCF is a
non-profit organization so the amount it can do for the community is largely contingent on the
quantity of donations the organization receives as well as involvement from local volunteers.
In our preliminary meetings with members of the NCF they expressed their desire for a more
effective website and a campaign that would help to increase their funding. With these
objectives in mind we developed the following project goals

Give the NCF a stronger presence online.

Increase awareness of the NCF.
Establish consistent branding.
Motivate people to donate to the NCF.
Motivate people to participate in NCF sponsored events.
Plan and promote events that the NCF can sponsor.

In order to achieve these goals, we established a number of various methods and deliverables
that we felt would prove effective. The following deliverables were developed in an effort to
reach our project goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

New website
New Logo
Social media accounts
Fundraising letter
Promotional poster
Fundraising events

Audience Analysis
We obtained demographic information to understand Northsides community before we began
creating materials for the Northside Community Fund as residents of Northside are the primary
audience. Our demographic research indicated Northside has about 8,000 residents with a
median age of 30.4. The majority of residents are either low or middle income (split about evenly
between the two). An average household includes 2.4 people. The percentage of married
couples is 21.7 and the percentage of households with children are 20.3. These are important
statistics as they show it is a family-oriented community which will likely help increase the NCFs
donations so they can continue funding family-friendly organizations and events such as the
Porch Tour and the Northside Farmers Market.
Northside is a racially and socioeconomically diverse population. It is popular amongst college
students, professors, artists, and young professionals; its a progressive neighborhood. These

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are important statistics as many young liberals want to get involved with community events and
will likely donate to the NCF in support of NCF funded organizations.
Sources: http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Northside-Cincinnati-OH.html,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northside,_Cincinnati

In regards to the mentioned statistics, our analysis indicates that the audience for the NCF
branding and promotional materials are broad and consists of the following
Northside residents and people involved with the Northside community who visit
northside.net and will see the new Northside Community Fund site linked once its up.
Local residents who enjoy community events.
People who view Northside social media, such as residents and Cincinnati locals.
Northwest Cincinnati residents who regularly spend time in Northside and might see the
Northside Community Fund promotions.
Northside Farmers Market patrons.
In addition to the mentioned audience, we created three personas that represent someone who
will use and/or see materials we created to brand and promote the NCF. These personas can
be viewed in the Appendices.

Building the Northside Community Funds Identity

Despite being an active contributor to many Northside events and organizations, the Northside
Community Fund has largely remained a behind the scenes organization. One of the core
goals of our project is to make residents and visitors of Northside aware of the NCF and the role
it plays in actively contributing to the community. While many Northside residents are familiar
with the the events and organizations the NCF has hosted, far fewer are aware of the
organization itself. Getting people to associate these various events and organizations with the
NCF is key to increasing awareness of the NCFs contributions to Northside. In turn, this will
likely increase the amount of donations the NCF receives.
One key aspect to build the NCFs identity is to establish a recognizable brand that Northside
residents will associate with the organization. Establishing a new, recognizable logo and
increasing their web presence is an essential part of building to the NCFs identity. Creating a
new website was our primary deliverable as it serves as a source of information for those who
are interested in learning about the NCF. In addition to the website, we created a blog and
various social media accounts to contribute to the NCFs web presence and overall community
awareness.

Brand the NCF with a new logo

In our initial meeting with the Northside Community Fund we were asked to create a new logo to
represent the NCF. Creating a new logo was a core part of our project as it is used in all of our
deliverables. Our main objectives in developing the new logo were to create a graphic that
represents the core values of the NCF and looks aesthetically pleasing in both printed and
digital formats.
In the preliminary stages of our project we worked as a group to come up with various design
concepts for the new logo. Then we narrowed our ideas and worked on polishing them into a

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finished product. Everyone in the group voted on their favorite design. In addition to voting as a
group, we sent out a survey asking people what their favorite NCF logo was. The results of both
the group vote and the survey were overwhelmingly in favor of the NCF logo with block lettering
and silhouettes in the middle. The silhouettes inside the letters serve as a representation of both
community and the future, two of the core values of the NCF.
Figure 1: Northside Community Fund Logo in color and grayscale

The new logo is structured so that it displays well in both large and small formats. It is detailed
enough to grab attention, but not overwhelming to where it could be unreadable in small print.
Creating a logo that accomplishes this was important as it will be used on the NCF promotional
poster (see Connect with the Northside Farmers Market) and the NCF letter (see Obtain
donations with a letter campaign). The new logo will be displayed with the of the Greater
Cincinnati Foundation as well as the NCFs tagline.
The logo is represented on the new NCF website and will also display on the NCFs social
media accounts. Putting the new logo at the forefront of these deliverables will help establish
consistency with the NCFs new brand. We recommend incorporating the logo on anything the
NCF is associated with to create brand awareness in the Northside community.

Create a web presence

The Northside Community Fund brought up their need for a website to replace their current
page on the northside.net website. After discussions with our client, the following goals were
established for the new site:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Establish a home base presence for the NCF on the internet.

Build greater awareness of the NCF, and its contributions to the community.
Establish branding continuity with logo design and website.
Promote NCF funded projects, and act as an archive for past projects and events.
Motivate visitors to donate to the NCF.
Inform the community of upcoming events and news from NCF through a blog.

Our primary deliverable, and the one most requested, was a new website. This will be a large
part of the online presences of the NCF. The website needed to be eye catching, action
inducing, and functional.
We began researching other foundation and funds, and found inspiration from several websites
including, the FindlayHancock County Community Foundation, Lorain County Community
Foundation, Herkimer and Oneida County Community Foundation, and the Marvin Lewis
Community Fund. These websites had similar goals of encouraging community involvement and

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driving donations. All of these websites had two more features in common, an image carousel
on the homepage and a blog to bring news to their donors.
Keeping these things in mind, we decided on the Unite theme in WordPress, which is an opensource content management system. WordPress will enable the NCF, or its volunteers, to easily
update and maintain the site. Instructions on how to do this and other tasks are included in the
Website and Branding Documentation Guide in the Appendices of this report.
The theme was free to use and from there we modified the templates and styles using CSS. Our
research showed that the slider was useful for providing news, events, and messages to
encourage donations and community investment. A list of recent blog posts are also located at
the bottom of the homepage for quick reference. The gallery feature displayed candid photos
and flyers from past events. These images showing community members in action help to
humanize the NCF and promote their values.
During our initial meetings, a concern about the difficulty to donate from the Great Cincinnati
Foundations website was voiced. To ensure a smoother donation process we worked with the
GCF to create a direct link to an NCF funding page. The donor is only required to input their
payment information. Donors can now pledge their support to the NCF with greater ease.
Occasionally, WordPress themes are updated with new features and styles; to prevent the site
from being disrupted by these updates a child theme was created. A child theme, also a best
practice for WordPress website design, overwrites specific styles and functions from the original
theme and continues to work with new updates.
We recommend passing the website via the given thumb drive to your contact Bruce Demske at
ellanet to get the site online and appropriately link it from northside.net. Our recommendation is
that the NCF try to convince ellanet to add a button linking directly to the NCF site on the
northside.net main navigation bar. If the link to the NCF content is buried like it currently is, it will
not likely generate much traffic to the new site.

Communicate using a blog

The Northside Community Fund can create a connection with Northside residents by
maintaining the Blog portion of the proposed Northside Community Fund website. Posts could
feature neighborhood leaders and local organizations as well as update the community on the
NCFs activities. Visitors to the blog can learn more about the NCF and be motivated to fund the
future of Northside with the NCF. We have included a preliminary post on the proposed blog
describing Three Reasons to Fund the Future with the NCF in a fun, informal style. In the
Appendices, youll find suggested guidelines for the blog including category explanations and
suggested structure of blogs. We recommend using the blog and accompanying guidelines to
maintain a consistent relationship with potential donors in Northside.

Make social media accounts

Since the Northside Community Fund values community involvement, we created social media
accounts with social media plans. A social media presence will enable more residents to learn
about the NCF as well as Northside events. Mark Christol has volunteered to act as an
administrator and maintain NCFs social media accounts and several local businesses have

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agreed to promote the NCF to their established online audiences. Included is a detailed social
media plan in the Appendices with information including contact and account information,
account goals, and suggested guidelines for post content. We recommended that Mark, or any
future social media volunteers, use the research compiled in the plan to build a strong NCF
online community to fund future Northside activities.

Promoting the Northside Community Fund

Promoting the Northside Community Fund is essential to increasing the amount of donations the
organization receives. The new website and social media accounts will be the primary
deliverables used to promote the NCF on a consistent basis, but their impact will be limited if
steps are not taken to direct traffic towards them.
In addition to developing a web presence, we have produced other deliverables to promote the
NCF. These include revising a previous fundraising letter campaign, creating a promotional
poster to connect with locally funded organizations, and planning several events that promote
the NCF. These deliverables will help familiarize Northside residents and visitors of Northside
with the NCF which will increase donations.

Obtain donations with a letter campaign

In previous years, the NCF has had great success with a campaign letter to yield donations for
the organization. One of the deliverables we developed is a revised campaign letter. This
revision was aimed to bolster the rhetorical appeal of the original letter and ultimately, ensure
the NCF receives greater donations for future campaigns.
The revision of the NCF campaign letter was founded on three goals.
1. To incorporate a new logothereby, distinguishing the NCF.
2. To employ a sleek, professional layout that matched the logo.
3. To edit the language to be more direct and rhetorically appealing.
Before carrying out this revision, we researched the effectiveness of traditional letter vs. tri- fold
brochures in regards to yielding donations. Our research determined that the traditional letter
format was more effective. We recommend using the revised letter in the same manner of
previous years to obtain greater donations and create brand awareness for the NCF. View the
NCF letter in the Appendices of this report.

Connect with the Northside Farmers Market

The Northside Community has little connection with their funded organizations. The purpose of
the promotional poster is to obtain donations for the NCF, create the NCFs presence at a
popular Northside attraction, and connect with an NCF funded organization. The Northside
Farmers Market is a popular attraction in Northside as it is open year round. After speaking with
Ana Bird, the Northside Farmers Market Manager, we obtained zip code captures detailing
patrons of the farmers market. Our research concluded that 75% of farmers market consumers
are Northside residents, while 25% are from surrounding areas. However, many residents of
Northside do not know the farmers market is a Northside Community Funded organization. The
promotional poster, displayed at the farmers market, will increase the NCFs brand and in turn,
will promote donations to the NCF. View the poster in the Appendices of this report.

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Design of the Promotional Poster

The poster has a farmers market appeal as it is geared towards farmers market patrons.
Title
The title Donate to the Northside Community Fund and watch your farmers market grow,
explains the importance the Northside Community Fund is to the Northside Farmers Market.
Picture
The picture is a hand-drawn sunflower to grab patrons attention. It has a farmers market appeal
as vendors sell flowers. It also represents growth, tying the picture into the posters title, and the
overall theme of the NCF as a growing organization.
QR Code
People who view the poster can scan the QR code via their cellphone which will direct them to
the Northside Community Funds website which includes donation information.
NCF Logo
The NCF logo is included on this poster to raise brand awareness.
Northside Farmers Market Logo
The farmers market logo is included on this poster because it represents a connection between
the NCF and the Northside Farmers Market.

Gain awareness through Media Relations and Public Events

In our preliminary meetings, the NCF told us that they wish to fund a skate park in Northside.
Without donations, the skate park cannot exist. We have created plans for fundraising events to
raise donations for the Northside Skatepark. One of the events is a pub crawl in Northside and a
fundraiser including the Game of S.K.A.T.E. All of the materials and information needed to
organize a successful pub crawl and inform Cincinnatians about the Northside Skatepark have
been included in the Appendices of this report.
Materials include three news releases, one promoting the Northside Down South Pub Crawl,
another providing information about the Northside Skatepark Project, and the last about a
skateboarding contest and fundraiser. Two frequently asked question sheets have been
provided to answer any basic questions about the aforementioned events and press materials.
Additionally, a FAQ sheet informing journalists about the NCF has been included with the
intention of being sent out along with the news releases. Contact Mason Maier at
maierjm@mail.uc.edu to have the materials distributed.
Media attention will increase awareness of the NCF and its mission, all for free.
Suggested media outlets include

Urban Cincy
The Northsider
Citybeat

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Urban Cincy and Citybeat both cater to the young, liberal professional who want to be actively
involved in their community while The Northsider reaches a predictable and reliable audience.
Those who are already invested and interested in the Northside area will likely join the event
and donate.
Employing public relations tactics is advantageous for the NCF for three reasons:
1. Gaining media attention has zero to no cost
2. When employed correctly they increase awareness and provide positive attention for an
organization
3. Reaching the media through traditional means alleviates the burden of managing social
media from the NCF to the media outlets and readers who want to share the story. In
this way, the NCF will have social media presence without having to post information on
their own behalf.

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Appendix A
Personas

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The Farmers Market Enthusiast

Autumn Campbell
Age: 36
Preschool teacher

I love going to the farmers market for fresh, organic products. Northside
is my home and the farmers market is a huge part of our neighborhood. It
is nice to see it busy!
Background and Motivations
As a preschool teacher, Autumn is very active. She enjoys spending her time outdoors and
loves to bring in snacks for the kids from the local market. She was born and raised in the
Northside neighborhood and has no plans of leaving. She goes to the farmers market once a
week, but wishes they were open more during the winter months. Every season, Autumn hopes
to see more vendors at the market and a rise in business.

User Needs
As a frequent visitor, Autumn needs to learn how the Northside Farmers Market is
funded. Since she wants to see their business progress, she needs quick information on
how to donate and where to donate. Autumn needs a basic idea of who the NCF is
and how they are associated with the farmers market. The poster needs to be
aesthetically pleasing with a farmers market feel, as she is interested in the farmers
market appeal.
Scenarios

Poster features
Farmers market appeal/appearance

Shopping at the farmers market,

encounters the poster.

Donation link and website info.

NCF logo
GCF logo

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The New Northside Resident and Musician Seeking Community Involvement

Timothy Wilson
Age: 37
Violinist with the Cincinnati Symphony
Im new to the area and would like to work with CCM, but I need to build my community involvement.
Background and Motivations
Timothy Wilson is the Cincinnati Symphonys newest violinist from the Chicago area. He admires
Catharine Carrolls management of the string department at CCM and would like to teach in her
program, but needs to build his Cincinnati online network. He chose to live in Northsides !merican Can
Lofts for its security, proximity to I-75, and the walkable atmosphere of Northside. Tim maintains a
regular presence on social media and wants to use his accounts to connect with Northside events and
community leaders, as well as find volunteer and donating opportunities.
User Needs
Reliable stream of information from the Northside Community Fund (NCF) social media where
individuals or organizations can respond, ask questions, and promote their involvement digitally. NCFs
Social Media Administrator, Mark Christol, would provide timely and accurate responses to strengthen
community relationships and NCFs reputation as Northsides essential funding organization.
Scenarios
Looking to increase involvement with the
Northside neighborhood

Hannah McGahee
Photo from SplitShire, Inc

Social Media Posts

Notifications of Events and Opportunities
Links to NCF website resources

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The Young Professional

Sara Wong
Age: 29
Assistant Professor
I love keeping up with the community news on
northside.net. It would be nice to have more
opportunities to help out in the neighborhood.
Background and Motivations
A recent hire as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Cincinnati. She moved
to Northside in the fall and fell in love with the all the cool spots and new developments in the
neighborhood as it increasingly gentrifies. Sara is hoping to find more ways to engage in this
ongoing revival.

User Needs
Upon discovering the site, she needs to quickly get a basic idea of what the NCF about,
what it is currently doing, and what it would like to do, with enough appeal to pique her
interest in donating, volunteering, or participating in NCF-funded events. T o fully
accomplish this, the site needs to be both visually attractive and motivating.
Scenarios

Website Features
Mission Statement

Browsing northside.net, encounters the

new NCF site

Upcoming NCF events

List of volunteer opportunities
Donation link

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Appendix B
Website & Branding Documentation Guide

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Website & Branding

Documentation Guide

UPDATED APRIL 2015

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Table of Contents
Maintaining the NCF Website
Logging in to the Website
Adding or Updating Page Content
Updating Special Pages
Creating a Blog Post
Uploading Files to the Media Library
Linking to Videos in the Media Library
Adding to the Gallery
Updating the Image Carousel on the Homepage

NCF Style Guide

Using the Logo
Matching the Colors and Font

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Maintaining the NCF Website

Logging in to the Website
The screen will look like this:

Adding or Updating Page Content

After signing in you will see this panel on the left hand side.
Go to Dashboard a Pages a Select the page that you would like to
edit.
You will see this at the top of your page:

In the lower right hand corner there are two tabs: Visual and Text.
Make sure to click on the Text tab before you begin editing.
The page beneath the toolbars will look very similar to a Word

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document and you may enter text as you normally would.

Tip: Be sure to use the styling options in your toolbar to achieve the
same size header and look of the page (ex. use the Paragraph and
Heading styles to format text, and use the indent button on the
toolbar instead of hitting the tab key on your keyboard).
Make sure to click the Update button in the upper right hand panel to ensure that
changes are saved.

Updating Special Pages

The project pages and the About Us page of the site have different formatting for
the images and text. Below are examples for each one. To update the pages, copy
and paste this text into the page (the orange text should be replaced). Make sure
you are looking at the Text panel before you begin editing.
Funded Projects Page
<hr class="full-width-break" />
<h3>Project Title</h3>

fThis creates the break between projects.

fH3 is the heading style.

<a href="http://www.ashleysandburg.com/northside/wp-content/uploads/
farmersmarketwhitelogo.jpg"><img class="projects-space alignleft wp-image-366
size-medium" src="http://www.ashleysandburg.com/northside/wp-content/
uploads/farmersmarketwhitelogo-150x150.jpg" alt="farmersmarketwhitelogo"
width="200" height="200" /></a> fAll of this text represents the image.
Wordpress will format these automatically. Make sure to select the left align button,
and using the edit panel for the image enter projects-break in the CSS Class
Attribute category.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras nec nunc sagittis,
ornare ipsum vitae, tristique felis. Duis ipsum ante, aliquam id lectus quis, convallis

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placerat elit. Mauris felis eros, venenatis eget consequat vel, porttitor vitae nisl.
Suspendisse suscipit libero vitae sem ultricies malesuada. Fusce dictum tincidunt
condimentum.
f Write the body text here.
About Us Page
The Meet Our Board Members section on this page uses column shortcodes.
What is shortcode? A shortcode is a WordPress shortcut (button) used to set
up a multiple column layout on each page.
To update this section place the new text and image in between one of these
sections.
1st half of the column g
[one_half padding="20px 20px 20px 20px]





Insert photos and text here for the second column
End of the 1st column g [/one_half]
2nd half of the column g





End of the 2nd column g

[one_half_last padding="20px 20px 20px 20px]

Insert photos and text here for the second column
[/one_half_last]

At the end of each bio insert the following text <hr class="column_split" /> Make
sure to delete the gray descriptions before saving the page (use the Update button).

Creating a Blog Post

Go to Dashboard a Click on Posts
This process is similar to the page content. To add a new post click on the new post
button. Then add content the way you would for a regular page.
When creating a post make sure to set a featured image as this is what will appear
on the on the homepage.

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Additionally, it might be helpful to put your posts into categories, such as Events,
Fundraisers, or News.

Uploading Files to the Media Library

Go to Dashboard aClick on Media aClick Add New aDrag & drop or click to
select files
After clicking the Add New button, the upload new media menu will load. On this
page you can drag and drop media les, or you can click the select button to
browse your computer for a specic le. This works for video and photos. Once you
have selected the les that you wish to upload they will upload automatically.
All les uploaded to Wordpress must be less than 50mb. Wordpress will display
MP4 videos, as well as PNG and JPEG photos.

Linking to Videos in the Media Library

Go to Dashboard a Click on Video Player a Click on the Videos
Click on Add Video at the top of the page. Title your video, then make sure that the
type is listed as http. Choose Browse next to URI. Select the le from the Media
Library. Make sure to add a genre and year.
This process makes sure that the le will play with the appropriate player. You can
also add links to videos hosted on other sites.

Adding to the Gallery

Go to Dashboard a Click on Pages a Click on the Gallery page
To add new images the gallery page, click on the images (make sure youre in Visual
view). An edit icon (pencil) will appear, click on it to open the Edit Gallery menu.

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From this menu, you can add to the gallery (the same way you add new photos to
the Media Library). To remove images from the gallery click on the X over each
photo.

Updating the Image Carousel on the Homepage

Go to Dashboard a Click on Carousel a Click on Carousel again
If you are adding a new slide, select Add New at the top of the page. You can also
delete the current slides by hovering over the title and selecting Trash.
To add a new image, select Featured Image from the
bottom right menu. From this menu, you can
choose to add an image from previously uploaded
les (Media Library) or to upload a new le. To
upload a new le, select Upload Files and then drop and drag the images you want
on the site into the box.
Click on the image in the Attachment Details panel.
Here you can edit the image, add a title, caption,
description.
In the Edit Image menu, the image can be cropped
and rotated.
Then choose the size and the left or right alignment.
You should also add alternative text for screen readers
in this dialogue box.
Tip: The under Advanced Settings you can
change the size of the images. The slider is set
for images to be 900 wide by 400 tall.

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NCF Style Guide

Using the Logo
In anticipation of multiple purposes, the NCF logo les contain four versions. The
colored version is available with and without the tagline. Both of these les have
matching grayscale les. All of the les are high resolution and can be resized
without losing quality and image clarity.

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Matching the Colors and Font

To maintain a consistent style across NCF platforms, the following colors and fonts
are listed to help match current branding. The six digit codes below the color
blocks are hexadecimal (or HEX) codes. They can be entered into most
applications to specify the desired color.
The rst three colors are used in the logo, while the last shade of green is used on
the website.

#656C99

#DE5B60

#7CAD41

#99CB5B

To ensure that the fonts would be available to anyone working with the NCF, we
selected two open-source fonts for the website and print copy. The headings are in
PT Sans and the body text is in Muli. These preset fonts can be accessed through
the toolbar inside any text entry box.

Heading 1
Heading 2
Heading 3
Heading 4
Heading 5
Paragraph

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Included Files
The following les are included with the nal materials.
1.

2.

Logo Files
NCF_logo_color.png
NCF_logo_color_no-tag.png
NCF_logo_gray.png
NCF_logo_gray_no-tag.png
Font Files
Muli
PT Sans

25

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Appendix C
Blog Guidelines

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Blog Guidelines for the Northside Community Fund

Defining Purpose of the NCF Blog
The Northside Community Fund seeks to foster an emotional connection with the community.
To achieve this goal the NCF blog should feature Northside events and activities, and blog posts
written by local volunteers and community members.
Maximizing Content
An ideal blog post is between 300 and 500 words. Visuals are also an important method to
engage readers and each post should have an uploaded feature image. We recommend using
embed links within the posts to encourage donations. Links can also be used to encourage
readers to visit other pages on the NCF website.
Organizing the Posts
Categories can be added to each blog post in Wordpress. The site will then create links at the
bottom of each post for readers to use if the would like to see similar posts. Four categories
have already been created for future use. The Community Events category can feature
supported events in Northside through guest blogs or original posts. The Funding the Future
category can include updates on ongoing NCF projects. The News Release category can
feature NCF activities and media outreach in a news release format. The Guest Blogs category
can features volunteers events and personal stories connected to the NCF and serve as an
incentive for a larger donation.
Guest blogs can answer the following questions:
How long have you been involved with your organization and how did you get started?
What is your favorite part of your organization?
What will the future look like for your organization?
How is the NCF important to your organization?
Using Social Media Promotion
Social media should be used to promote the blog. Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ posts can
include links to the NCF blog and encourage traffic to the NCF website. NCF accounts, as well
as partner account information, is located in the Social Media Plan in the appendices.

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Appendix D
Social Media Guidelines

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Social Media Plan for Northside Community Fund

Defining the Purpose of Social Media

Creating and maintaining social media accounts will allow the Northside Community Fund to engage the
community and raise awareness for the NCF. These accounts will direct the audience to the new website.
Social media accounts will make the NCF more accessible and approachable for their target audience. It
will also provide an opportunity for free advertising of events and speedy delivery of news. We recommend
that the NCF leverage their existing relationships to build their online community. Based on the audience
analysis, we recommend Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ are social media platforms.
Using the Existing Audience
The following individuals and organizations have robust social media followings and have expressed
interest in promoting the NCF on their accounts.
UrbanCincy Randy Sims randy.sims@urbancincy.com
Mary Kroner mkroner@fuse.net
Ruths Caf David Tape davidtape@juno.com
Chris Nascimenoto cmnase@yahoo.com
Cincinnati Northside Facebook
Northside Littlefield Matt Distel matt.distel@gmail.com
Northside Farmers Market Ana Bird northsidefarmersmarket@gmail.com
Understanding the NCF Audience
The persona of Timothy located in the Appendices represents the potential audience for the NCF social
media accounts. The actual audience can be determined through analyzing the individuals engaging with
NCF content after the accounts are live.
Establishing Account Goals
Research suggests that posts to Facebook are more successful on Thursdays and Fridays from 1-4 pm
with at least 10% reach1 and 5% engagement2 of total followers3. Use the like or share features to follow
relevant posts or comments on the NCF Facebook page at least twice a week. Most Facebook followers
anticipate a response via comment or private message within three days of their post or share. This can
include liking their page, their comment, or their shared comment. We recommend that the NCF try to gain
three new likes on the page each week.
We recommend that the Twitter administratorWZHHWthree times a month between 10am -12pm. Analyses
have shown that this time frame will have at least 10% reach and 2% engagement of total following. Like

1

The number of people who saw your post

Number of likes, shares, and comments on your post

People who have "liked" the NCF page and can see your posts in their news feed

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and retweet4 relevant followers material at least twice a week. Twitter followers also anticipate a response
via like or retweet within three days. We recommend that the NCF increase their number of followers by
following three new groups, organizations, or individuals each week.
We recommend that the Google+ administrators post once a week during normal business hours. Monitor
for engagement and responses. The primary goal of this page is to maintain a relevant presence in
Google for Search Engine Optimization5 (SEO) and provide professional opportunities for contacts in
Circles.
Maximizing the Post Content
We recommend the administrator(s) follow the following guidelines for Facebook
1. Include pictures as often as possible
2. Use keywords: comment, when, should, tell us, post, would, take, amuses, submit
3. Tag relevant organizations and individuals in posts
4. Use the #NCFund and other relevant, trending hashtags6
5. Recommended goal of posting three to five times a month
We recommend the administrator(s) follow the following guidelines for Twitter
1. When retweeting format the tweet: Your comment RT @OriginalTwitter original
content
2. Use vertical pictures whenever possible
3. Credit any outside source material using their twitter handle7
4. Recommended goal of posting three to five times per month
5. Use these keywords for greater response: check out, follow, please, retweet, blog, top,
media, great
We recommend the administrator(s) follow the following guidelines for Google+
1. Posts should be professional and brief, and include NCF news or partner events
2. Volunteer and board member opportunities should be detailed with further contact
information
We recommend the administrator(s) follow the following guidelines for all general content
1. Always include a call to action8 with posts
2. One third of the content should promote the NCF, one third should be sharing partner
activities, and one third should engagement with the audience by liking their comments,
and sharing their stories
Evaluating the Plan and Audience
We recommend the NCF adjust the goals and content of the social media plan based on the answers to
these questions.

4

Reposting or sharing someone elses tweet

SEO is a process that tells the search engine to put the site higher on the results list

A word or phrase proceeded by the # symbol to tie multiple posts together and relate them to a topic

A twitter username that appears with the @ symbol in front of it

An instruction to the audience tell them to do something

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Evaluating the NCF audience

1. Who is following the different accounts?
2. Who is engaging with the different accounts?
3. Who is visiting the website?
Evaluating the NCF content
1. What types of posts are getting the largest reach?
2. What types of posts are getting the most engagement?
3. Are we giving away hits? Or, how can we direct external links to blog posts?
Accessing the NCF Accounts
Mark Christol has volunteered to manage the social media accounts for the NCF. He can be contacted at
christol@fuse.net to be given account information.
Gmail
Username:
NCFSocialMediaVolunteer@gmail.com
Password:
NCFVolunteer448
* This account was used to set up the Facebook and Google+ accounts. It will be the username and
password for those accounts as well.
Facebook (unpublished)
http://facebook.com/NCFund
Google+
northside-commu-0244@pages.plusgoogle.com
Twitter (currently set to private and cannot be viewed by anyone)
Username:
@NsideCFund
Password:
NCFVolunteer448
Recommended Accounts
LinkedIn
If This Then That
Find More Information
The following links are for the Greater Cincinnati Foundations social media accounts. They can be used
as inspiration or for guidance on what types of content to post.
http://facebook.com/gcfdn
http://twitter.com/fdncenter
http://linkedin.com/company/the-greater-cincinnati-foundation
The following links are the original sources for this plan
http://bit.ly/1hy0KGr
http://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-rule-of-thirds/
http://trib.in/1Lb5Bs7
http://bit.ly/1sFsdfU
http://bit.ly/1DzWhh1
http://bit.ly/1ys3zUp
http://entm.ag/1ry8uwj

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Appendix E
NCF Donation Letter

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Neighbors,
The Northside Community Fund has been fostering the activities of Northside
nonprofits since its foundation in 2004. The Northside Farmers Market is made
possible by the continual funding of the NCF as are numerous other community
events including NCC Porch Tour and the 4th of July Parade. The NCFs funding
of events like these has totalled over $50,000 in the last seven years
To advance this tradition of community involvement, the NCF is eager to fund
new projects in Northside while continuing to fund events like the Farmers
Market. The NCF is interested in investing in community events with Happen,
Inc. and the MoBo Bicycle Cooperative and perhaps even undertaking the construction of a community skate park in Northside. But to actualize these projects
and expand as an organization, the NCF needs your support.
If we can grow the fund to $100,000, the NCF will be able to invest in bigger
projects with the annual interest and ultimately, make a bigger impact on the
Northside community. In short, Northside is already buying locally and we
encourage you to give locally; every dollar you donate will directly benefit a
Northside nonprofit or community event. You can go to >web address< to
donate online or mail a check using the enclosed envelope.
Together we can fund the future of Northside.
Tim Jeckering

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Appendix F
Promotional Poster

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Appendix G
Press Releases for Fundraising Events

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Mason Maier
University of Cincinnati
maierjm@mail.uc.edu
(513) 520-2830
Northside Community Fund
Tim Jeckering
(513) 542-2500
P.O. Box 0128
Zach Kincaid
Galaxie Skateshop
galaxieskateshop@hotmail.com
513-542-3400
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Northside Community Fund Hosts Game of S.K.A.T.E.
The Northside skatepark project reflects the growing D.I.Y. movement in Cincinnati
NEWPORT, KYSkaters across the greater Cincinnati area are gathering to help
fund the city of Cincinnatis first official skatepark. The Northside Community Fund
is hosting a Game of S.K.A.T.E to help raise money for the new park . The event will
be held at Bridge Skatepark located under the I-71 bridge in Newport. Entrance into
the event costs $5 and Instrument Skateboards will be offering a collection of
skateboard decks as a reward to the winner.
A game of skate is best described like a game of horse in ba sketball. One player
determines what trick both skateboarders will attempt. If the opposing player does
not land the trick they get a letter. The first person to spell the word skate loses.
Bridge Skatepark has been built by a number of Cincinnati based skaters with the
permission of the local Newport government. Poured: a lesson in DIY chronicles the
building process and the growing D.I.Y. culture in Cincinnati and the skateboarding
community. A facebook group dedicated to the movement has over 4,000 members.
The city of Cincinnati has officially reserved the land, known as Sector A, to build the
park. Sector A sits between Jerome Avenue, Beeker Street and Virginia Avenue near
the West Fork Mill Creek. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission will manage the
area after the park is built.
With the intial paperwork completed, the last major hurdle is funding.
The Northside Community Fund, a partner of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, is a
non-profit group comprised of Northside residents that seek to build and grow the
Northside area by investing in local projects and organizations.

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Mason Maier
University of Cincinnati
maierjm@mail.uc.edu
(513) 520-2830
Northside Farmers Market
Ana Bird, NFM Market Manager
513-614-3671
email
Northside Community Fund
Tim Jeckering
(513) 542-2500
P.O. Box 0128
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fans of Northside are Heading South Down Hamilton Ave
The Northside Community Joins Together to Fund the Farmers Market
NORTHSIDE -- June 15, 2015 Every year the Northside Farmers Market pays
$2,500 in rent to occupy Jacob Hoffner Park. As a way of helping grow and maintain
the Northside community, the Northside Community Fund will be hosting the
Northside Down South Pub Crawl. The event will take place on Friday May 13
starting at 9:00 p.m. at the Northside Tavern. The crawl will continue down
Hamilton Avenue, stopping at every bar along the way and ending at the Littlefield.
Custom bracelets will be available for $3 and t-shirts for $20. All proceeds from the
event will go to the Northside Community Fund.
The Northside Community Fund provides funding for local organizations and nonprofits that undertake projects to enrich the already diverse area of Northside.
Northside Farmers Market sells fresh produce, pastries and crafted goods from
more than 20 local vendors and includes . The next outdoor season begins
Wednesday, May 17 from 4 p.m. through 7p.m. at Jacob Hoffner park.
More information about the NCF can be found at ashleysandburg.ncf.com and
Northside Farmers Market at northsidefm.com.

The Northside Community Fund, a partner of the Greater Cincinnati

Foundation, is a non-profit group comprised of Northside residents that seek to
build and grow the Northside area by investing in local projects and organizations.

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Appendix H
Fundraising Events FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions: Game of S.K.A.T.E

!s a way of increas ing awarenes s about the NCFs larges t ongoing project, we sugges t hosting a
Game of S.K.A.T.E. with Galaxie Skateshop.
Co-owner of Galaxie Skateshop Zach Kincaid has volunteered to organize and host any
skateboarding related events that will raise money for the Norths ide Skatepark.
Where will the event take place?
The event will take place at Bridge Skatepark located under the I -471 bridge in Newport,
Kentucky.
How much will the event cost?
The event itself, including promotions , will cos t nothing for the NCF.
How will the event raise money?
The majority of money will be raised through the attendance fee, which will cos t $5.
Additionally, patrons will be encouraged to donate throughout the event.
How will the event be promoted?
In addition to the news release that has been included in this report, s ocial media and word -ofmouth will be used to promote the event.
Zach Kincaid has offered to promote any skateboarding related events through his own social
media channels . Additional promotions can be handled by Mark Chris tol as des cribed in the
social media s ection of this report.
Because the s kateboarding community within the city of Cincinnati is a small and tight -knit
group, word-of-mouth will be the mos t potent form of promotion for the event. This form of
promotion has been effective in the past for similar events and fundrais ers run by the owners
of Galaxie Skates hop.
What is a Game of S.K.A.T.E?
A game of SKATE is bes t described as the s kateboarding counterpart to a game of HORSE in
basketball. One s kateboarder s ets the first trick. If they do not land the trick the other
skateboarder has the opportunity to set the trick. Once the trick has been set by one s kater,
the other must land the trick or they will receive a letter. The game continues until one skater
has s pelled the word skate.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Northside Down South Pub Crawl

What are the Benefits?
A pub-crawl can connect people. It can lead to an exchange of ideas. It can lead to
action and investment in both time and money for those involved.
Greater media coverage will lead to greater awareness, which leads to a larger pool
of potential donors.
The cost of the events will be completely offset by donations due to the relatively
low cost of the items. With a willing volunteer and even a small number of
participants
News releases are one of the most common tools used within the public relations
field to gain publicity for an event. This deliverable will give journalists the tools
that they need to inform th e rest of the Cincinnati area about these events and the
Northside Community Fund.
What will it cost?
The cost per shirt is $12 and the cost for a customized wrist bracelet is an estimated
$0.70. Bracelets must be bought in bulk to receive these prices . A custom graphic or
imprint can be added. In this case we suggest a green bracelet with the words
Northside Community Fund imprinted into the band. We suggest that t -shirts be
given to those who donate $20 or greater at the bar crawl and wrist brace lets to
anyone who donates $3 or greater.
T-shirts can be ordered after the event
How Do I Order Event Materials?
Bracelets and t-shirts can be ordered through the following websites:
Bracelet service: reminderband.com
T-Shirt service: customink.com
How Do I Use Meetup.com?
The Northside Community Fund account has already been created, but has not been
made public. Please contact Mason Maier at maierjm@mail.uc.edu to make the
account public and to have any event details posted.

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Appendix I
NCF FAQ

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Contact:
Mason Maier
University of Cincinnati
maierjm@mail.uc.edu
(513) 520-2830
Contact:
Tim Jeckering
Tim Jeckering Architects
(513) 542-2500
P.O. Box 0128

Northside Community Fund FAQ

What is the Northside Community Fund (NCF)?
The NCF is a permanently endowed fund based in the Northside area of Cincinnati.
The NCF provides capital to local nonprofits as a way of bolstering and growing the
Northside community.
Who runs the NCF?
The NCF board is comprised of a number of local business owners and residents.
The NCF is led by local business owner and architect Tim Jeckering.
What is the NCFs relation to the Greater Cincinnati Foundation?
The NCF is professionally managed by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.
What projects does the NCF fund?
The NCF will provide support for any projects undertaken by non-profit
organizations in the following categories:
Community Events
Youth sports and activities
Social justice
Beautification projects
Safety
Physical improvements
Community needs
Leadership development
What projects has the NCF funded in the past?

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The NCF funds the House and Porch Tours that have introduced a new segment of
Cincinnati residents to Northside. Financial support is also given annually to the
Northside Farmers Market.
Are donations to the NCF tax deductible?
Yes, all donations given to the NCF are tax deductible.
Where can I go to find more information about the NCF?
More information about the NCF can be found on the organizations website
ashleysandburg.ncf.com.

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