development plan - thinktank for nonprofits

7/28/2019 Development Plan - ThinkTank for Nonprofits

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TheThinkTankforNonprofits

SocialEnterpriseDevelopmentPlan

PositioningStatementForlocalnonprofits,theThinkTankisthehelpinghandthatdeliversmuch-neededPR

andmarketingservicesthathelpthemgrowandgettheirmessagetothepeoplewho

needtoseeit.Asahybridfor-profit/nonprofitsocialenterprise,weprovidethelink

betweenNPOsthatprovidemuchneededservicestothelocalcommunity,thefinancial

supportofcorporatesponsors,andthehardwork(andeducationaldevelopment)ofthe

nextgenerationofPRandmarketingprofessionals.AttheThinkTank,ourmissionisto

helpnonprofitshelpothersbecauseitistherightthingtodo.

ValueProposition

Therearefourgroupsofpeople/organizationsthatwouldbenefitfromthe

ThinkTankspurpose.

NonprofitOrganizations(NPOs)ThinkTankhelpsNPOscommunicatewhattheydomoreeffectivelytothepublic.

Thispublicincludesthemedia,corporatedonorsandotherentitieswhose

energyandfundingcouldbeputtouseinprovidingmuch-neededservicestothe

localcommunity.Theservicesweoffer(whichwouldincludemediarelations,

socialmedia,eventplanningandbusinessdevelopmentconsultation)wouldhelp

thesenonprofitsontheirpathtobecomingviableorganizationsthatwould

eventuallynolongerneedourservices,allowingustoshiftourfocustoanother

organizationthatdoes.

CollegestudentsTheThinkTank,againwithaneyeforlocalsocialimpact,wouldbepoweredby

internsfromlocaluniversitiesthatarelookingforaplacetoutilizetheskillsthey

havelearnedintheclassroomandhaveexpressedaninterestinnonprofitcommunications.Thesestudentswouldberecruitedtojoinaprogramthat

woulddevelopthemasleaderswithinboththecommunicationsarenaandthe

nonprofitworld.Theywouldbechargedwithdevelopinganaccountasagroup

withrolesthatcatertotheirstrengthsandinterestsinPR(i.e.socialmedia

management,mediarelations,etc.)


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Anotherspecialbenefitliesincompensationforthestudents.Attimes,itseems

nearlyimpossibleforastudenttofindapaidinternshipinanindustrythatlooks

downonthosewithoutexperienceinthefield.Manyfirmstakeadvantageof

thatfact,hiringunpaidPRinternsandbenefittingfromtheirlaborandtalents

undertheguiseofprovidingstudentswithopportunitiesforpractical

experience.TheThinkTankwouldonlyemployinternswiththeintentofcompensatingthemfortheirworkbecausewebelievethatunpaidinternships

arewrong-itisunethicalforacommunicationsorganizationtowithhold

compensationfromsomeonewhoaddsvaluetotheirorganization.

Colleges/UniversitiesUniversitieswouldbenefitfromanofficialpartnershipwithalocalPR-focused

organizationwithpotentialforgreatimpact.Thepartnershipwouldenable

journalism,communicationandbusinessschoolswiththeopportunitytooffer

theirstudentsinternshipsthroughanofficialschool-sponsoredprogramandthe

abilitytousethepresenceofprogramslikethisintheirrecruitmenteffortsfor

newstudents.Thisalsoprovidesuniversitieswiththeuniqueopportunityto

showhowtheirstudentsareusingtheirskillsinthefieldtomakeanimpacton

thecommunityaroundthem.

CorporateDonors(CSR)TheThinkTankisagreatfitforcompanieslookingtoinvesttheirmoneyina

viablecommunity-focusedorganizationasapartoftheirCorporateSocial

Responsibilityinitiatives.TheCEOandhigh-levelstaffofanysuccessfulcorporate

companyknowsthatmarketing,PRandadvertisingareparamounttotheadvancementofanycompanyandthatnonprofitorganizationsarenodifferent.

Thefundingthatthesecompanieswouldprovidewouldgotoprovidingtraining,

workspace,suppliesandotheressentialsthatwouldallowThinkTankinternsto

workonbehalfoftheNPOswhoneeditmost.Theywouldthenbeableto

promotethistotheirstockholdersandtopotentialcustomersthatarelookingto

dobusinesswithcompaniesthataresociallyresponsibleandinformedofthe

problemsinthecommunityaroundthem.


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GoalsEverylong-termvisioncanberealizedthroughreachingspecificshort-termgoalsthat

willchangeastheThinkTankstorycontinues.ThesegoalsshouldbeSMART-specific,

measurable,attainable,realisticandtimely.Thegoalsforeachofourpartnergroupsare

differentbasedontheirindividualneedsandpurposes.Asthisplandevelops,wewill

figureoutwhatweneedtotakecareofintheshortterminorderfortheplantowork.

NPOs

Long-termgoalso ProvidePR,marketing,socialmedia,eventplanningandbusiness

developmentservicestoourclients

o Landmediaplacementsforclientso Makesurethatallclientshavefunctioningsocialmediapageso Helpeachclientbecomeself-sufficientintheircommunicationseffortso Generateincreasedfundingforclientsthroughmediacoverage,outreach

Collegestudents

Long-termgoalso Provideinternswithpaidexperiencethattheycanuselaterinlifeo Giveinternsafun,yetproductiveworkplacetheycanenjoyo Providelearningopportunitiesforinterns-relateclassroomlearningto

practicallearningthroughsmalllectures,activities,etc.

o Facilitategrowthofinternsthroughmid-termandfinalevaluationsUniversities

Long-termgoalso

BuildpartnershipsbetweenThinkTankandlocaluniversitieso Facilitateinternrecruitmentoncollegecampuseso InvolvethePresidentsofficeofallinstitutionso CreatedesignatedinternshipprogramswiththeJ-schools/Business

schoolsofeachinstitutionspecificallyformarketingandcomm.students

Corporate/FinancialInstitutions

Long-termgoalso GiveinstitutionsauniqueopportunitytospendtheirCSRdollars,one

thatwouldrewardthemintheformofbrandexposure,editorial

opportunities,etc.

o KeepinstitutionsinformedonThinkTanknewsandthenewsoftheclientstheysponsor

o Involvetheminclientprojectsasproductsponsors(whereapplicable)o Allowthemtocapitalizeontheconversationbyshowcasingthecompany

(andourclients)intheirnews/socialmediaaswell(Whenthemissionof

theirCSRisfurtheredthroughourservices,ourmissionisfurtheredas

well.)


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Research

Therearestillsomequestionsthatneedtobeansweredbeforewecansolidifyour

plansforthisorganization.

Question1:Whichuniversitieswouldbenefitfromapartnershipwithour

organization?Why?

Universitieswithbothamarketingprogram(withintheirbusinessschools)anda

dedicatedJMCprogram(journalism/masscommunication)wouldbetheuniversities

thatwouldbenefitfromourprogram.Thiswouldallowustomakethemostimpactand

haveawidervarietyofstudentfromwhichtochoose.

ThetwolargestuniversitiesinthecountyareFloridaInternationalUniversity(FIU)and

UniversityofMiami(UM).BothuniversitieshavedesignatedprogramsformarketingandJMC.

FIU

Pro:

o Wealreadyhaveconnectionstotheinstitutionthroughourstaffo SocialEnterpriseSpecialistisactiveintheFIUcommunityo SocialEnterpriseSpecialisthasrelationshipswithmanyvitaldepartments

withintheUniversity,includingbutnotlimitedtotheSchoolof

JournalismandMassCommunication(SJMC),DivisionofExternal

Relations,OfficeofthePresidento Diversepopulationofstudentbodyo Moreknowledgeofthepopulationofstudentbodyo Knownforattemptstogivebacktothecommunity

Con:

o DistancefrommaincampusforJMCstudents(NorthMiamiBeach)

UM

Pro:

o Location-locatedinCoralGables,closertoTIHQ

Question2:Whichnonprofitorganizationswouldbenefitfromourservices?Whoare

wetargeting?

WearemakinganefforttotargettheorganizationswiththegreatestneedAND

potentialbutthefewestavailableresources.Thiswouldallowustoreallyfocuson

increasingtheviabilityofthosenonprofitorganizationsthatarestruggling.


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Thefirstissuewewouldtackleisdefiningstruggleforthepurposeofthisdevelopment

plan.Howdoweknowifanonprofitisreallystruggling?Dowebelieveitbecausethe

nonprofitsaysso?Ifnot,doweperformananalysisoftheorganizationsweare

interestedinrecruitingandtakealookatthehowthenegativeimpactcausedbylackof

communicationservicesareaffectingtheseorganizations?

struggle[strgl]vb

1.(intr)toexertstrength,energy,andforce;workorstriveto

2.(intr)tomoveaboutstrenuouslysoastoescapefromsomethingconfining

3.(intr)tocontend,battle,orfight

4.(intr)togoorprogresswithdifficulty

ForthepurposesofthisdocumentandwithTheThinkTanksmissioninmind,wewill

defineastrugglingnonprofitinfourwaysbasedonthedefinitionabove.

1. Astrugglingnonprofitactivelyworkstowardaspecificmissionforthebenefitofthegreatergoodindifferentchoiceareasofthenonprofitsector

2. Astrugglingnonprofitisledbyethicalpeoplewhocontinuetosupporttheorganizationintimesofincreasinghardship

3. Astrugglingnonprofitcontinuestohaveameasurableimpactonthecommunityaroundthemregardlessoftheirorganizationsstatus

4. Astrugglingnonprofitisactivelyworkingtoescapefromtheconfinesofbudgetarylimitationsthatpreventthemfromprovidingcommunicationsand

marketingservicesforthemselvesorfromseekingouttheassistanceneededinthoseareas


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InternshipProgram

TypesofInterns

Internswouldbehiredtofulfillrolesfordifferentnonprofitsbasedontheorganizations

needs.TheywouldholdtitlessimilartothoseofthestaffmemberswithinThinkInkandwouldessentiallyworkasateampresidingoveronenonprofitaccount.

Notalloftheseserviceswouldbeofferedtoeveryorganization-again,itwoulddepend

onouranalysisoftheirneeds.CertainserviceswouldbeofferedwhenTheThinkTank

beginsworkwiththeNPO,andotherservicescanbeaddedlaterafteranevaluationof

theircurrentstatus.ThatallowsTheThinkTanktoslowlyfillinthepiecestothepuzzle

andfocusontheareasthatarecrucialtoanorganizationssuccess.

VisibilitySpecialist(MediaRelations)

SocialMediaSpecialist CopyWriter MultimediaProductionSpecialist CreativePlanningSpecialist DigitalDesignSpecialist WebSpecialist SpecialEventSpecialist(EventManagement)

VisibilitySpecialist

Mediapitching Pressreleasewriting Mediamanagementatspecialevents

SocialMediaSpecialist

Socialmediamanagement Socialmediadevelopmentstrategy Publicizeclientstories Blogwriting/management

CopyWriter

Developmentofwrittenwork,i.e.newsstories,whitepapers,thoughtleadershippieces

MultimediaProductionSpecialist

Responsibleforphoto/videocoverageofstoriesrelevanttoclients WorkswithCopyWriterforcoverageofsuchstories Shouldbeproficientinphotographyorvideographyaswellasediting


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CreativePlanningSpecialist

Branddevelopment/unification Advertisingplacement WorkswithDigitalDesignSpecialistondesignconcepts

DigitalDesignSpecialist ResponsiblefordesignelementsofThinkTankdocuments,i.e.brochures,

documenttemplates,websiteelements

ProficiencyinPhotoshop,InDesign,etc.WebSpecialist

Responsibleforplanningoutaspectsoforganizationswebsite WorkswithCreativePlanningSpecialistandDigitalDesignSpecialisttodesign

websiteelements(i.e.banners,graphics,etc.)

KnowledgeofHTML,Java,Flash

InternQualifications Full-timecollegestudent Pursuinganundergraduatedegreeinappropriatefield 3.0GPA Juniororseniorclassstanding LegalauthorizationforemploymentintheUnitedStates ExperiencewithMicrosoftWindowsapplications Experienceinprograms/dutiesrelatedtoeachposition

development plan - thinktank for nonprofits

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