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An InFocus PR Proposal

Opportunity for Community


a strategic PR plan for The Opportunity Council

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction... 3
Action Plan 5
Project Narrative
6
Situation Analysis
11
Research
12
Objectives
15
Plan of Action
16
Evaluation
19
Timeline 20
Budget.... 23
Related PR Materials... 26
Mailer flyer
27
Bus poster
28
Registration raffle graphic flyer
29
Registration workshop press release
30
Ice cream social press release
31
PSA radio script
33
Video PSA
24
Pitch letter
30
Personnel 35
Appendices 37
Research paper
38
Survey
45
Contact list
47
Intern description, application
48
Social media engagement plan
50
Budget breakdown
53

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction.. 4
Action Plan. 5
Project Narrative
6
Situation Analysis
11
Research
12
Objectives
15
Plan of Action
16
Evaluation
19
Timeline 20
Budget.... 23
Related PR Materials... 26
Mailer flyer
27
Bus poster
28
Registration raffle graphic flyer
29
Registration workshop press release
30
Ice cream social press release
31
PSA radio script
33
Video PSA
24
Pitch letter
30
Personnel 35
Appendices 37
Research paper
38
Survey
45
Contact list
47
Intern description, application
48
Social media engagement plan
50
Budget breakdown
53

INTRODUCTION

InFocus PR Mission Statement


InFocus PR is a local PR firm dedicated to community based work.
InFocus is dedicated to engaging in meaningful work that benefits
everyone involved and maximizing client experience through focused,
grassroots campaigning that is guaranteed to make any client a vital
force in their community.

Opportunity Council Mission Statement


The Opportunity Council is a private, nonprofit human service
organization that acts as a catalyst for positive change, both in the
community and in the lives of the people it serves.

Action
Plan

PROJECT NARRATIVE
InFocus PR is dedicated to meaningful betterment of the community through
intentional research and planning. We are excited to work with the Opportunity
Council to accomplish their primary objective of filling Head Start and ECEAP
programs by June. InFocus conducted community research to understand why
registration was weak and in order to determine additional objectives.
InFocus discovered that less than two-thirds of the community view preschool
education as very important. Of parents who chose not to enroll their child in
preschool, nearly one-fifth believed preschool wasnt important and more than onefifth said the cost was too high. We believe that this means the Opportunity Council
should focus their campaign around increasing the percent of the population who
view preschool as worthwhile and increasing awareness of their organization and
the no-cost preschool programs they offer.
In order to accomplish this, InFocus established four objectives that are supported
by a variety of tactics. These objectives include reaching full enrollment in both
ECEAP and Head Start by June 30, 2016, having 30 or more students on waitlist by
September 1, increasing overall opinion that preschool is extremely important to 72
percent, and increase overall awareness of Opportunity Council in ages 18 to 25 to
20 percent.
InFocus PR looks forward to sharing the follows strategies and tactics that will
successfully meet these objectives.

Special Events
Preschool Registration Workshop
InFocus PR recommends establishing an annual Preschool Registration Workshop
that will guide parents through the lengthy registration process, guaranteeing a
strong, complete application. The workshop will include a pizza dinner in order to
incentivize the event and incorporate the workshop into the busy day that families
face. While parents are engaged in the workshop, preschool teachers from the
program will lead the kids in fun brain games and reading sessions while
simultaneously offering childcare and preparing the kids for preschool. This event
will be advertised through all available means, including PSAs, press releases, social
media events and reminders, and mailer flyers.

PROJECT NARRATIVE
Facebook Raffle Online Event
InFocus Public Relations suggests the Opportunity Council creates a Facebook raffle
online event to promote the community and currently enrolled families to share and
invite friends to the Preschool Registration Workshop. Anyone who invites their
friends to the Facebook event will be entered into a raffle to win a $75 gift card. A
raffle will create a strong incentive for people to actually take the time to invite their
Facebook friends to the event page. This will also be an additional form of overall
community advertisement for the event and the OC as a whole. If someone selects
they are interested in or going to the Preschool Registration Workshop event it
will show up on their news feed and be re-distributed to all of their Facebook
friends as well. Social media is a free way to promote the registration event and also
advertise the preschool services the Opportunity Council has to offer.
Ice Cream Social - Optional Event
InFocus proposes using any excess event budget to hold an ice cream social the
week before classes commence. This event would increase the overall opinion of the
Opportunity Council and give kids, parents and teachers an opportunity to form
connections and enjoy one of the last days of summer. The event would be dubbed
Pre-Preschool Ice Cream Park Day. With affordable park shelter rental rates
coupled with affordable blow-up structure rates, this all around fun day will help
families start to think of Opportunity Council as an active and engaging part of their
lives.

Social Media
Increased Usage of Facebook and Twitter
Facebook and Twitter are essential tools for increasing awareness of the
Opportunity Council and are low budget resources for reaching a large audience.
These two media platforms can be used to promote our registration workshop and
other promotions in the campaign. Almost half (46.94%) of those who responded to
our survey said they got their information from social media, second to word of
mouth.
Yearlong promotion on Facebook and Twitter should be an active part of the
Opportunity Council operations. Daily postings will increase followers and
knowledge of the council, potentially leading to increased action. Facebook and
Twitter will be frequently used from March through June to promote the importance
of preschool and to share ways to register before June 30, including the registration
workshop.

PROJECT NARRATIVE
Intern
In order to enact the social media plan and have it be as effective as possible,
InFocus proposes hiring a communications intern who will run social media
accounts, design and enact social media and traditional media campaigns, and assist
with other promotional tactics in the organization. InFocus has included an intern
description and application. A student intern will help spread awareness of
Opportunity Council to all involved, but particularly the 18 to 25 demographic
where it currently lacks.

Public Service Announcements


Radio PSA
InFocus PR suggests the Opportunity Council creates a radio PSA to increase overall
awareness of the importance of preschool. We have created a radio PSA script that
promotes the importance of preschool and also advertises the Opportunity Councils
preschool services. This can be recorded via SoundCloud and sent to local radio
stations. In our research, we found that more than 20 percent of respondents wrote
radio as a source for obtaining information about nonprofits and community
happenings. A radio PSA is a cost effective way to reach a wide range of
demographics throughout Whatcom County.
Video PSA
InFocus PR also recommends creating a promotional video PSA. This is a way to
increase the communitys opinion about the importance of preschool and increase
overall awareness of the Opportunity Council. Through photos of preschool
students, facts, and a list of the benefits of attending preschool, InFocus PR created a
preschool promo video. In our survey research, 46 percent of respondents chose
social media as a source for obtaining information about nonprofits, therefore
sharing this video via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will be an effective way to
reach people of all ages and income levels.

PROJECT NARRATIVE
Bus Poster
Bus posters are an effective means to increase awareness of the importance of
preschool among our target audience. Kim Walbeck, of the Opportunity Council,
pointed out that low-income parents are often too busy working long hours to lend
time to the importance of getting their children registered for preschool. By the time
they see school busses starting to hit the roads for fall quarter it is too late to
register their child in ECEAP or Head Start. By posting ads related to the preschool
programs at the Opportunity Council, we will bring attention to the registration
dates and deadlines, as well as increase the understanding of the importance of
preschool in the community.
Mailer Flyer
We determined that social media is the best way to reach many of our target
audiences, but since the Opportunity Council doesnt have a well-established media
page, InFocus PR determined that a flyer would reach at least 30 percent of the
audience and 57 percent by word-of-mouth. A flyer was designed to advertise the
Preschool Registration Workshop event by being distributed in lower income
neighborhoods and in preschools where Head Start and ECEAP students are already
enrolled.

Press Releases
In order to increase overall awareness of the Opportunity Council, their events and
their services, two press releases were written to advertise the Preschool
Registration Workshop and another proposed event. Press releases can reach local
newspapers and radio stations, as well as get events posted on city calendars.
InFocus also wrote a pitch letter to distribute to local papers and magazines
suggesting an in-depth look at what the Opportunity Council offers, using the
registration workshop as a timely lead-in.

PROJECT NARRATIVE
Feature Pitch Letter
InFocus also wrote a pitch letter to distribute to local papers and magazines
suggesting an in-depth look at what the Opportunity Council offers, using the
registration workshop as a timely lead-in. This will hopefully increase media
coverage for the event, as well as get the event published on Bellingham event
calendars throughout the city and Whatcom County as a whole.

Timeline
The timeline presented in this campaign reflects a feasible set of goals to be
implemented immediately with success. Dates can be altered to repeat the campaign
in following years. The timeline is organized by type of tactic, including events,
social media revamp and PSAs.

Budget
The budget was created with flexibility and affordability in mind and was designed
to maximize the impact made with funds available. Three different budget options
(Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade) reflect several price points as well as
different distributions of funds across mediums (event budget, food budget, print
budget). In addition to the packages offered, InFocus has included an item-by-item
breakdown in the Appendices of each individual expense so that the client may
tailor their budget exactly as they see fit. InFocus guarantees that the businesses
offer the best quality for price in Bellingham.

10

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
The Opportunity Council is a private, nonprofit human service
organization striving for positive change both in the community and in
the lives of the people it serves. Opening in 1965, the OC started as a
group of volunteers and staff working out of a small corner of the
Whatcom County Courthouse.
The OC wants to create a campaign to improve recruiting practices to
enroll families in low-income preschool programs including Head Start
and ECEAP (Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program). The
goal is to have all classrooms fully enrolled by the beginning of the
school year and a waiting list in case families move or leave the
program.
In order to determine the opinions and overall awareness of the
community, InFocus PR conducted a convenience survey of 102 people
in Bellingham.
The survey showed that nearly one-third of the Bellingham community
has never heard of the OC and about 60 percent of the community
believes that preschool is extremely important for children. The survey
also showed that while most people receive information about
nonprofits and community happenings by word of mouth, the next most
popular source of information is through social media, followed by
flyers and handouts.

11

RESEARCH
In order to determine the best tactics for the Opportunity Council campaign, InFocus
PR conducted a convenience survey to determine the communitys existing opinions
and overall awareness of the Opportunity Council.
InFocus PR conducted a convenience survey of 102 people in Bellingham. The
survey locations were Grocery Outlet and Big Lots.
Best Ways to Reach the Bellingham Community

12

RESEARCH
Overall Community Opinions on the Importance of Preschool

Overall Community Awareness of the Opportunity Council

13

RESEARCH
Ages of the Current Users of the Opportunity Council Services

14

OBJECTIVES
Reach full enrollment in both ECEAP and
Head Start by June 30, 2016
Have 30 or more students on waitlist by
September 1, 2016
Increase overall opinion that preschool is
extremely important to 72 percent
Increase overall awareness of Opportunity
Council in ages 18 to 25 to 20 percent

15

PLAN OF ACTION
Target Audiences
o
o
o
o

Low income families with preschool aged children


College students and potential interns
Community members aged 18 to 25
Local, young families currently unenrolled in a preschool program

Strategies
o Design a variety of promotional materials for use throughout the
campaign
o Hire a college intern to run social media and form meaningful,
individual connections with the community
o Hold special events that will assist parents in registration and offer
kids connections with others and preschool teachers

Tactics
o Preschool Registration Workshop
Hold a registration event where parents can have internet access
and guidance on what documents are needed for approval into the
program
The event will be strategically planned for the beginning of June,
while parents are still thinking about school as opposed to
summer
Have pizza and other snacks and beverages at the event as an
incentive for parents to attend with their children
Have preschool teachers and volunteers at the event to lead kids in
fun games or story time, allowing parents to be focused and
engaged in their registration

16

PLAN OF ACTION
o Revamp Social Media Presence and Internship Program
Make active use of pre-existing social media platforms
Activate Donate feature on Facebook to bring in donations
Use Facebook to create events and illicit RSVPs and remind
followers of deadlines and registration requirements
Hire a college intern to run social media sites and create strategic
plans and campaigns that tie social media to bus posters
Use #myopportunity hashtag online and in bus posters to
communicate the various benefits of preschool using real
Whatcom families
Contact journalism and communication departments at Western
Washington University to reach potential interns
o Press Releases and PSAs
Pre-written press releases will help increase awareness of the two
events that InFocus has planned and will increase the frequency
that Opportunity Council is heard in the community
Press releases will be distributed to newspapers, online
publications and radio stations throughout the county
PSAs will emphasize the values of preschool and the offerings and
mission of the Opportunity Council
Radio PSA will be distributed to local stations, including KUGS at
WWU
Video PSA will be available to run online through social media.
website

17

PLAN OF ACTION
o Bus Poster Campaign
WTA transit offers ad space both inside and outside the bus at
affordable rates for outside advertising, free for inside
Inside bus poster space will be available in June and represent a
venue to work on long-term awareness of the value of preschool
and what the Opportunity Council can do for families
Intern will interview families and use photos and quotes to
establish #myopportunity campaign, which will run on inside bus
posters and online, emphasizing values of preschool and how the
program has benefitted their family
Outside bus posters run for four weeks at a time and are available
immediately to advertise the Preschool Registration Workshop
Outside bus posters will include a link and QR code directing them
to a Facebook event page, where they can respond to the invite
and learn about the two programs and what materials they need to
bring
o Mailer Flyer
Include promotional information about Head Start and ECEAP and
details about the Preschool Registration Workshop
Have three full-time staff spend one spring day passing out flyers
to front doors in communities with low enrollment rates and high
poverty levels
Mail flyer to currently enrolled families and the current DSHS
mailer list
o Registration Raffle
Hold online registration raffle to encourage families to
apply/register
Intern will handle tracking of applicants
Selection can be made in-office or during an event
Different budgets allow for different gift card amounts
Visa prepaid card will allow the winning family to spend award on
necessities or treats- whichever they need most

18

EVALUATION
Track preschool registration in June and
record the date that all classrooms are
fully enrolled, whether before or after the
goal of June 30 in order to
measure the success of objective one.
Track the waitlist registration numbers
into September. Record the date at which
the waitlist reaches 30 students in order
to measure success of objective two.
Conduct an identical survey to the one
conducted by InFocus PR during the
winter of 2017. The survey results will
allow for measuring of objectives three
and four.

19

Timeline

20

TIMELINE
Timeline key
Registration event
Social media revamp
Bus poster campaign
Media campaign
Ice cream social event
March
Advertise for college intern online through WWU
Reserve venue for registration event
Contact event sponsors and preschool teachers
Select organization members to record radio, TV PSAs

April
Interview and select intern applicants
Distribute event mini-flyer in low-income neighbors and through
preschool programs
Advertise event on Facebook, Twitter
Distribute press release to local media
Record radio, TV PSAs
Reserve late summer bus space for poster campaign

May
Intern begins takeover of social media rebranding
Intern outreach to families for photos, quotes
Solicit RSVPs for registration event
Place final requests for sponsors
Distribute radio PSAs to local stations

21

TIMELINE
June
Intern launches #myopportunity campaign using
real families from preschool
Send event press release to Bellingham Herald
Hold registration event

July
Work with intern to establish #myopportunity summer campaign
Social media final registration push
Begin #myopportunity values of preschool bus poster campaign
Contact potential sponsors for ice cream social meet-and-greet
Reserve park space for ice cream social meet-and-greet

August
Shift social media focus to school preparedness
Plan and promote outdoor ice cream social meet-and-greet event

September
Hold ice cream social meet-and-greet first week of school

22

Budget

23

BUDGET
Expense key
Event space rental
Food, when not donated
Print and ad space

Package 1: Pre-K

Total print cost: $440


Total event cost: $113.6/40 attendees
Total cost: $553.60
Central library, holds up to 106: $25/hour
Pizza: $5/four attendees ($25/20 people)
Drinks: $2/eight attendees ($5/20 people)
Plates: $5 for 200 (.50/20 people)
Cups: $18 for 200 ($1.80/20 people)
Mailer flyer: $105/500 laminated postcards
Bus outside poster: $35/queen, $300 space(4 weeks)
Package 2: Kindergarten
Total print cost: $1,100 ($600 without inside bus posters)
Total event cost: $292
Total cost: $1,392 ($732 without inside bus posters)
Bloedel pavilion, holds 40, $36/hour
Pizza: $5/four attendees ($25/20 people)
Drinks: $2/eight attendees ($5/20 people)
Fruit: $7/ 20 attendees ($7/20 people)
Plates: $5 for 200 (.50/20 people)
Cups: $18 for 200 ($1.80/20 people)
Inside bus posters: $500/60 at UPS
Mouse pads: $160/40 at Costco
Bus outside poster: $35/queen, $300 space (4 weeks)
Mailer flyer: $105/500 laminated postcards at UPS
Park space rental: $21-$25/hour, various locations
Ice cream: $100/ice cream, toppings, cones or bowls
24

BUDGET
Package 3: First grade
Total print cost: $1,285 ($745 without inside bus posters)
Total event cost: $380
Total cost: $1,665 ($1,165 without inside bus posters)
Rainier conference room, holds 35-40, $50/hour, free hot
beverages
Pizza: $5/four attendees ($25/20 people)
Drinks: $2/eight attendees ($5/20 people)
Fruit: $7/ 20 attendees ($7/20 people)
Plates: $5 for 200 (.50/20 people)
Cups: $18 for 200 ($1.80/20 people)
Napkins: $3 for 200 (.30/20 people)
Inside bus posters: $500/60 at UPS
Mouse pads: $160/40 at Costco
Outside bus posters: $45 king, $475 space
Mailer flyer: $105/500 laminated postcards at UPS
Park space rental: $21-$25/hour, various locations

25

PR
Materials

26

PRINT MATERIALS
Mailer Flyer

27

PRINT MATERIALS
Bus Poster- Interior

28

PRINT MATERIALS
Facebook Raffle Online Event Poster

29

PSAs
Registration Workshop Press Release

30

PSAs
Ice Cream Social Press Release

31

PSAs
Radio PSA

32

PSAs
Video PSA

33

PSAs
Pitch Letter

34

Personnel

35

PERSONNEL
Courtney is a senior at Western pursuing a degree in
journalism with an emphasis in public relations and a
minor in sociology. While attending Western she has been
published in The Western Front and Klipsun Magazine.
Over the summer, Courtney spent three months interning
for the communications director at the Snohomish County
Sheriffs Office where she was able to combine her love for
public relations and law enforcement. Upon graduating
this quarter, Courtney plans to search for a public affairs
career in the Seattle area.

Sierra is a senior at Western pursuing a degree in journalism


with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in Spanish
language. Throughout her journalism career shes been
published in various outlets and earned national recognition
in feature writing, which is her passion. Sierra has been the
Communications Coordinator for the Associated Students at
WWU since September, where she implemented the Ask the
AS visibility and image campaign. Upon graduating this
December, Sierra plans to begin a career in public relations
in the San Francisco area. Outside of her work, Sierra
international travel, community service projects and baking
excessive amounts of cookies.

36

Erik Swanson is a journalism senior in the public relations


track with a Spanish concentration at Western Washington
University. His coursework has given him opportunities to
practice excellent public relations techniques including
forming campaigns and accompanying materials for the
Boys and Girls Club, the Associated Students Acts of
Kindness Club and the Opportunity Council. His writing has
been published in the Western Front Newspaper, Planet
Magazine and Klipsun Magazine. Erik implemented his
skills in an internship for The Jansen Art Center, which
pushed him to be creative and thorough. Outside of his
practice Erik enjoys camping, traveling and pursuing new
experiences.

Appendices
In-depth Research

37

RESEARCH PAPER
Executive Summary
striving for positive change both in the community and in the lives of the
people it serves. Opening in 1965, the OC started as a group of volunteers and staff
working out of a small corner of the Whatcom County Courthouse. The OC wants to
create a campaign to improve recruiting practices to enroll families in low-income
preschool programs including Head Start and ECEAP (Early Childhood Education
and Assistance Program). The goal is to have all classrooms fully enrolled by the
beginning of the school year and a waiting list in case families move or leave the
program.
In order to determine the opinions and overall awareness of the community,
InFocus PR conducted a convenience survey of 102 people in Bellingham.
The survey showed that nearly one-third of the Bellingham community has
never heard of the OC and about 60 percent of the community believes that
preschool is extremely important for children. The survey also showed that while
most people receive information about nonprofits and community happenings by
word of mouth, the next most popular source of information is through social media,
followed by flyers and handouts.
Methodology
In order to determine the best tactics for InFocus PR, we conducted a
convenience survey of 102 people at two locations in Bellingham.
On Saturday, Jan. 30, Erik Swanson of InFocus PR surveyed at Big Lots on
Birchwood Avenue from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. He asked 46 people and 34
responded for a 74 percent response rate. This location was chosen because it is a
discount store, so we predicted it would be a good place to locate people within a
low-income demographic. This time was chosen because InFocus PR predicted that
more of the working-class may be shopping on the weekend.
On Saturday, Jan. 30, Sierra Tyron of InFocus PR surveyed at Grocery Outlet
on Ellis Street from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. She asked 47 people and 33 responded for a
70 percent response rate. This location was chosen because it is a discount store
and most likely has a higher population of low-income shoppers. This time was
chosen because of InFocus PRs prediction that more of the working-class may be
shopping on the weekend.

38

RESEARCH PAPER
On Sunday, Jan. 31, Courtney OKeefe of InFocus PR surveyed at Grocery
Outlet on Ellis Street from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. She asked 20 people and 12 responded
for a response rate of 60 percent. On Monday, Feb. 1, OKeefe surveyed again at
Grocery Outlet from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. She asked 30 people and 22 responded for a
response rate of 73.3 percent. This location was chosen because it is a discount
store and most likely has a higher population of low-income shoppers. This time
was chosen because of InFocus PRs prediction that more of the working-class may
be shopping on the weekends and weekday evenings.
In total, 143 people were asked to take the survey and 102 responded, for a
response rate of 71.3 percent.
Respondents to the survey were fairly even between women (53%) and men
(47%). Approximately one-fourth were aged 61+ (24%), followed by 41-50 (23%),
51-60 (20%), 18-25 (15%), 31-40 (14%) and 26-30 (5%). Nearly half of
respondents were married (45%), followed by single (34%), previously married
(13%) and committed, but unmarried (8%).
More than one-fourth of respondents had an income of $20,000 or less
(28%), followed by $76,000 or higher (23%), $51,000- $75,000 (19%), $36,000$50,000 (14%), $21,000- $35,000 (13%) and 3 percent preferred not to answer.
More than one-third dont have children (37%), while 39 percent have children aged
18 or older. Twenty-one percent have children between the ages 0-4, followed by
children ages 10-13 (9%), 14- 17 (8%) and 5-9 (7%).
One survey creator source of error was for RQ7. This survey question asked
respondents to select their primary motivation for enrolling their child in preschool.
Many of the respondents selected two answers: It prepares them for school and Is
a source of childcare. Therefore, by our surveys we know that these were the two
most popular answers, but its not possible to identify which answer was the most
popular because we had to select only one answer to enter into qualtrics.
Another possible source of error was our age demographic group 26-30.
Since only 5 percent of respondents fell into this category, that demographic is not
statistically valid and was not analyzed for any of the research questions.
Findings
RQ1: Do you use the services of any Whatcom County nonprofits? List all that
apply:
More than three-fourths of respondents answered No- I dont use any (77%),
while nearly one-fifth fell into the Yes- Other category (18%), followed by Yes- Food
Bank (6%), Yes- Opportunity Council (4%) and Yes- Church services (1%).
omen (83%) were more likely to say they dont use any then men (69.5%). Older
adults use nonprofits more with about one-third of 61+ (34.8%), followed by 51-60
(25%), 41-50 (21.7%), 31-40 (21.4%) and zero percent 18-25.
39

RESEARCH PAPER
More than one-third of respondents with an income of $20,000 or less
(30.8%), 51,000- $75,000 (22.2%), $36,000- $50,000 (21.4%). While less than onetenth of respondents with an income of $76,000 or higher (8.7%) said they use a
Whatcom County nonprofit.
The most popular nonprofit listed for those with an income of $20,000 or less
was the food bank.
RQ2: Do you volunteer or donate to any nonprofits in Whatcom County? List all
that apply:
More than half of respondents answered No- I dont donate or volunteer
(56%), while nearly one-fourth fell into the Yes- Other category (24%), followed by
Yes- Goodwill, Value Village, ARC or Salvation Army (15%), Yes- Church (7%), YesYMCA (2%), Yes- Animals as Natural Therapy (2%), Yes- Literary Council (1.01%),
Yes- Humane Society (1.01%) and Yes- Food Bank (0%).
More than half of those with an income of $76,000 or higher (60.87%)
reported yes they volunteer or donate to a nonprofit in Whatcom County. The
percentage of those who donate or volunteer gradually decreases with each lower
income demographic.
Half of women (50%) reported they donate or volunteer at a nonprofit in
Whatcom County, while only about one-third (36.9%) of male respondents said they
do. Women were two times more likely to say church.
Older adults were more likely to volunteer or donate to a nonprofit. Age 5160 had the most with 60 percent, followed by 41-50 (52.2%) and 61+ (43.48%). The
age category 31-40 had just over one-fourth (28.56%) say they volunteer or donate,
followed by 18-25 (13.33%).
More than half of those who are married (61.26%) reported they volunteer
or donate compared to those who are single (20.59%).
RQ3: If you answered yes to question 2, what was your primary motivation for
contributing?
More than half of respondents who answered yes to RQ2 stated their primary
motivation for contributing was giving back to the community (55.88%), followed
by I was raised to help others (20.59%), its the right thing to do (14.71%), karma
(5.88%) and Im involved (2.94%). This was true across most demographics.
Respondents who were single all said giving back to the community as their
primary motivation for contributing, while most of those who were married said
they were raised to help others.

40

RESEARCH PAPER
Q4: Where do you get information about nonprofits and community
happenings? Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc); City of Bellingham website;
The Bellingham Herald; Word of mouth; Flyer or other handout; Other: _________
(Check all that apply)
A majority of respondents said they get their information by word of mouth
(57%) social media (47%), flyer or handout (30%), other (22%), the Bellingham
Herald (19%) and the City of Bellingham website (10%). The other (fill in the blank)
category was primarily radio responses. This was true across most demographics.
Word of mouth was most popular from those with an income of $76,000 or
higher (81.82%). That percentage gradually decreases with each lower income
down to $20,000 or less (42.86%).
The Bellingham Herald was a response primarily from those age 61+
(30.43%) and 51-60 (30%), and decreased by more than half with the younger
adults. Social media was the most popular answer for those age 18-25 (64.29%),
followed by 41-50 (54.55%), 51-60 (50%) and 31-40 (28.57%).
More females (51.92%) said they get their information from social media
compared to males (41.30%). More females (23.08%) also listed The Bellingham
Herald as a source of information compared to males (15.22%).
RQ5: How important is it for children to attend preschool?
Extremely important; Somewhat important; Neutral; Unimportant; Extremely
unimportant.
More than half of respondents said it is extremely important for children to
attend preschool (62.63%), followed by somewhat important (22.22%), neutral
(12.12%), somewhat unimportant (2.02%) and extremely unimportant (1.01%).
This was true across most demographics.
Younger respondents were more likely to say neutral (20%) and less likely to
say extremely important (46%). Men (77%) were more neutral, compared to
women (7%).
RQ6: How did/do you care for children who arent in school yet?
Daycare; Nanny; Relative or friend (unpaid); Preschool; Stay at home parent;
Does not apply; Other: _______

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RESEARCH PAPER
Does not apply was the most popular response (70.45%). Followed by stay at
home parent (13.64%), preschool (7.95%), relative or friend- unpaid (4.55%),
daycare (2.27%), nanny (1.14%) and other (0%).
RQ7: If you plan to, currently enroll, or have enrolled your child in preschool,
what were motivating factors? It prepares them for school; Is a source of
childcare; Relative cost to other options; Healthcare; Other: ________
Of those who plan to, are currently or previously enrolled their child in
preschool, the most popular motivating factor was because it prepares them for
school (74.6%), followed by other (12.7%), it is a source of childcare (7.94%),
blank) category was primarily socializing responses. This was true across all
demographics.
Many of the respondents selected two answers; It prepares them for school
and Is a source of childcare. Therefore, by our surveys we know that these were
the two most popular answers, but its not possible to identify which answer was
the most popular because we had a survey creator error that caused use to select
only one answer to enter into qualtrics.
RQ8: If you didnt enroll you child in preschool and/or dont plan to do so, why
not? Check all that apply: I dont think preschool is important; Lack of
transportation; Cost is too high; Timing conflicts; Other: _________
Of those respondents who didnt and/or dont plan to enroll their child in
preschool, the most popular reason why was other (44%), followed by cost is too
high (22.22%), I dont think preschool is important (16.67%), timing conflicts
(11.11%) and lack of transportation (5.56%). The other (fill in the blank) category
was primarily homeschool. This was true across most demographics.
Men (42%) were more likely to list cost as a reason, compared to women
(9%).
RQ9: How much do you know about The Opportunity Council? I use their
services; I am familiar with their organization; I have not heard of The
Opportunity Council

42

RESEARCH PAPER
More than half of respondents said they are familiar with their organization
(56.12%). More than one-fourth said they have not heard of the OC (28.57%) and
about 15 percent said they use their services (15.31%). This was true for most
demographics.
A majority of younger adults 18-25 (93.33%) have not heard of the OC.
Those without children had a higher percentage who had not heard of the OC
(48.65%). More than one-fourth of adults 61+ (27.27%) use the OC services,
followed by 51-60 (20%), 41-50 (13.04%), 31-40 (7.14%) and 18-25 (0%). Zero
percent of respondents with an income of $76,000 or higher use their services.
RQ10: How did you learn about The Opportunity Council? I havent heard of
them; Website; Social media; Through another organization; Flyer or other
handout; Other: _____
More than one-third of respondents said they learned about the OC by other
(35.05%), followed by I havent heard of them (27.84%), through another
organization (18.56%), social media (17.53%), flyer or other handout (13.4%),
website (6.19%), knew an employee (4.12%). The other (fill in the blank) category
was primarily word of mouth. This was true for most demographics.
More than one-fourth of those with an income of $76,000 or higher (26.09%)
learned about the OC through social media, compared to those with an income of
$20,000 or less (11.11%).
Concluding Interpretations
Based on the survey results, InFocus PR needs to design a campaign that
increases the communitys overall awareness about the Opportunity Council, as well
as educate the community to increase overall opinions on the importance of
preschool.
With nearly one-third of the Bellingham community having never heard of
the OC, the campaign needs to develop tactics that will specifically target the
demographics of the audience who have not heard of the OC; this is largely people
under the age of 31. People heard about the organization primarily through word of
mouth, another organization, social media and flyers or other handouts. But this
specific target audience, those under the age of 31, primarily received their
information about nonprofits and community happenings through social media.
Therefore, the OC may be able to benefit from planning and creating social media
campaigns. Hiring a communications or public relations intern could be very
beneficial for the OC to increase their social media presence.

43

RESEARCH PAPER
The next issue of increasing the communitys opinions regarding the
importance of preschool will be harder to tackle. The opinion that preschool is
extremely important is consistently about 60 percent throughout all demographics.
This means InFocus PR needs to use multiple outlets to communicate its message.
Social media, flyers, partner organizations, radio, the Bellingham Herald and the
OCs website will all be crucial to reaching various demographics. Creating a
campaign with preschool positive statistics, personal narratives, photos and videos
of children will draw the attention of our viewers. Using ethos, pathos and logos the
campaign needs to persuade and educate the Bellingham community.
In order to create a successful campaign on a low budget, the OC could
benefit from an increase in volunteers and donations. According to this survey, adult
women, age 51-60 with an income of $76,000 or higher are the most likely to
volunteer or donate. By reaching out to this community the OC could have more
volunteers to help distribute flyers, as well as create and plan preschool registration
events.
Lastly, because the OC is interested in targeting a specific income
demographic, InFocus PR needs to look at responses from people with an income of
$20,000 or less. Sixty-four percent of those with an income of $20,000 or less do not
use any Whatcom County nonprofits and about one-third have never heard of the
OC. This income demographic is consistent with the others in the ways they get
information about nonprofits and community happenings. It is also consistent with
the overall 60 percent of the community saying that preschool is very important.
Of those with an income of $20,000 or less who are familiar with the OC
primarily heard about them through another organization. Therefore, a way to
reach this specific target demographic and also increase overall awareness of the OC
throughout Bellingham is by partnering with other community nonprofits. The most
popular responses for nonprofits respondents use or donate to other than the OC
were the food bank, Department of Social and Health Services, Good Will, Value
Village, ARC, Salvation Army and church services. By partnering or advertising with
other nonprofits the OC can extend their entire community network and reach more
low-income people.
In conclusion, the survey results show that InFocus PR needs to create a
campaign to raise overall awareness of the OC, educate the community on the
importance of preschool, and partner with other community nonprofits to reach a
higher percentage of Bellinghams low-income demographic. More research on the
OCs previous outreach tactics and social media campaigns will help to assess and
create a new and successful campaign moving forward. After this campaign is
completed, doing a follow-up survey in the same locations can be a tool to measure
if the campaign was successful in increasing overall awareness of the OC and also
increasing the communitys opinion regarding the importance of children attending
preschool.

44

SURVEY
RQ1: Do you use the services of any Whatcom County nonprofits? List all that apply:
RQ2: Do you volunteer or donate to any nonprofits in Whatcom County? List all that
apply:
RQ3: If you answered yes to question 2, what was your primary motivation for
contributing?
RQ4: Where do you get information about nonprofits and community happenings?
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc)
City of Bellingham website
The Bellingham Herald
Word of mouth
Flyer or other handout
Other: __________________
RQ5: How important is it for children to attend preschool?
Extremely important
Somewhat important
Neutral
Unimportant
Extremely unimportant
RQ6: If you have children who arent in school yet, how are they cared for during the
day?
Daycare
Nanny
Relative or friend
Preschool
Stay at home parent
Does not apply
Other: ___________________

45

SURVEY
RQ7: If you plan to, currently enroll, or have enrolled your child in preschool, what
were motivating factors?
It prepares them for school
Is a source of childcare
Relative cost to other options
Healthcare
Other: ____________________
RQ8: If you didnt enroll your child in preschool and/or dont plan to do so, why not?
Check all that apply:
I dont think preschool is important
Lack of transportation
Cost is too high
Timing conflicts
Other: ___________________
RQ9: How much do you know about The Opportunity Council?
I use their services
I am familiar with their organization
I have not heard of The Opportunity Council
RQ10: How did you learn about The Opportunity Council?
I havent heard of them
Website
Social media
Through another organization
Flyer or other handout
Other: ____________________

46

MEDIA CONTACTS
Bellingham Herald- Mark Owings, President
(360) 715-2211
Western Front- Brenna Visser, Editor in Chief
(360) 650-3162
westernfrontonline@gmail.com
Cascadia Weekly- Tim Johnson, Editor and Publisher
(360) 647-8200
editor@cascadiaweekly.com
KGMI- Don Kurtis, General Manager
(360) 734-9790
kgmi@kgmi.com
Whatcom Watch- Jennifer Karchmer, Managing Editor
(360) 734-6007
editor@whatcomwatch.org
KUGS 89.3 fm- Jordan Van Hoozer, AS KUGS Program Director:
(360) 650-2995
kugs.program.director@wwu.edu
Northwest Public Radio- Business office
(509) 335-6500
kerry_swanson@wsu.edu

47

INTERN APPLICATION
Opportunity Council College Communication Intern
Position: Communications and Web Intern
Commitment: One to three quarters
Hours: 15-25/week
Pay: Unpaid
Description: Communications and web intern will be in charge of all social media and
web communications, including research and implementation of #myopportunity
social media and bus poster campaign. Intern will also monitor all online media
pertaining to The Opportunity Council, actively seek local media coverage, attend
weekly meetings, and use social media to establish and maintain personal connections
with followers. Other duties may include website maintenance, account establishment,
assisting with organization events and video creation, depending on skillset.
The Opportunity Council is willing to work with any student receiving college credit to
establish a schedule that fulfills requirements and is flexible. Applicants must be
receiving college credit to be considered for the internship.
Required skills:

Strong written and oral communication skills


Knowledge of social media content creation and engagement measurement
Basic photography and videography knowledge
Ability to write press releases, features stories, and other content
Experience with Word and Excel
Be a journalism, communications, or public relations major receiving credit

Application: Please deliver a cover letter, resume, application and three relevant
examples of work, and references to 1111 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham WA 98225.

48

INTERN APPLICATION
The Opportunity Council College Communications and Web Intern
Personal information:
Full name: ________________________________________
DOB: ____/____/________
Address:
_________________________________________________________________________
_____________________
Email:
___________________________________________ Phone:_____________________
Education:
School: __________________________________________________________
Class standing: _________________
Major: ___________________________________ Minor:
__________________________ GPA: ___________
Relevant
coursework: ______________________________________________________________
_______________ _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
References:
Name:

Relation:

Phone:

Email:

Availability
9-11am

11-1pm

1-3pm

3-5pm

Monday
Tuesday
Wed.
Thur.
Friday
*note: occasional weekend work may be required

49

SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN

Three Tips for Success on Social Media


Facebook
1. Facebook is an amazing tool for sharing information, statistics and data. It is
dangerous to try to form a post that is more than a short paragraph long. In order to be
able to share information effectively, give the most relevant detail and provide a link to
more information

EX. This article by Education Leadership really made us here at the OC think
about how our education system can be improved.
Public preschools should be built the same way we constructed our highway
system: the same road available to all Americans, rich and poor.

2.People love visuals. If you include a photo or a video in your post people are more
likely to engage with your post or share it. Having visually grabbing images is effective
because people are likely to share it if they agree with whatever message it relays. If it is
a video, keep it short and sweet. Videos of kids in Head Start or ECEAP can be
particularly effective.

50

EX. Are you coming to our registration workshop on June 7? Come get your
child registered for preschool or simply come learn about our programs!

SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN


3. Invite people to participate and share. Engaging your audience on social media can
help you gain followers and involve people who may be passive followers. By
incentivizing them to share or like your post, you begin to form a relationship with your
audience. Asking questions, starting a discussion or offering a reward for action are
good ways to accomplish this.
EX. We love telling stories about our preschool students. They are always
surprising and inspiring us. Does your child surprise you sometimes?
Share a story about the way your child has taught you something about
yourself recently and you can be entered to win a $10 gift card to CreativiTea!

Twitter
1. Earn followers by following other people/organizations. Twitter is a great platform
for engaging other people directly. The way it is set up makes it very easy for users to
re-follow your profile and re-post material. If other businesses in Bellingham start to
repost the OCs material, they are likely gain a much larger scope and increase
exposure.
EX. Following the Bellingham Herald may lead them to re-follow the
Opportunity Council and thereby increasing the likelihood that they cover
something related to the OC in the future.
2. Use links. Since you only have 140 characters to grab someone browsing Twitter it is
extremely useful to include links to further information. By providing a snippet to a
larger issue you entice the reader to engage in it and potentially share or comment on
the link.
EX. This article by the Washington post states 2.5 million children go to sleep
without a home of their own, each year. We want to help.
3. Use Hashtags. The use of hashtags can be effective in helping people share posts
and find their way to your profile. Developing a hashtag, or a few hashtags, can help the
promotion of your event. You want it to be a memorable, catchy tag that comes to
other users minds when they are posting material that is similar or specific to your post.
Hashtags should be used to categorize daily posts. Those specific to events should be
promoted before, during and after the event to maximize its reach.
EX. Just one week until our ECEAP and Head Start workshop! Come get help
registering your preschooler. #familyOC #registerOC2016 #OCprek

51

BUDGET BREAKDOWN
$2,000- print

$300- event

$100- food for event

Registration event:
Central library, holds up to 106: $25/hour
Fairhaven library, holds 30-45: $20/hour
Rainier conference room, holds 35-40, $50/hour, free coffee/tea/cocoa
Bloedel pavilion, holds 40, $36/hour
Pizza: $5/four attendees ($25/20 people) (Little Caesars)
Drinks: $2/eight attendees ($5/20 people) (Winco)
Fruit: $7/ 20 attendees ($7/20 people) (Winco)
Plates: $5 for 200 (.50/20 people) (Walmart)
Cups: $18 for 200 ($1.80/20 people) (Costco)
Napkins: $3 for 200 (.30/20 people) (Walmart)
Printed applications: free if printed in-house
Mousepads: $4/family (Costco)
Food cost per 20 attendees: $39.60 when nothing is donated
If pizza is donated: $14.60/20 people
Bus posters: 60 laminated
Print: $500/60 (UPS)
Ad time: free
Outside bus rates:
Print: $35/queen $45/king (4 weeks)
Ad time: $300/queen $475/king (4 weeks)
Mini-flyers:
Print cost: $105/500 laminated postcards (UPS)
$295/500 page flyers (FedEx)
Registration raffle:
$50-$75 Visa prepaid card
Ice cream social meet-and-greet:
Park space rental: $21-$25/hour, various locations (Parks and Recreation)
Ice cream: $100/ice cream, toppings, cones or bowls (Fred Meyer)
Inflatable play equipment: $25/piece with park rental (Parks and Recreation)
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