Everyone Says Your College is the Best-Kept Secret, So Why Not Share it? Bond Levy and Community Awareness Campaigns don

1. Everyone Says Your College is the Best-Kept Secret, So Why Not Share it? Bond Levy and Community Awareness Campaigns don’t have to be two different things

2. Contact: Tracy Kruse Director of External Relations Northeast Iowa Community College Email: kruset@nicc.edu Phone: 563.562.3263 x.251 PDF samples of work can be found at: http://web.nicc.edu/files/levy/

3. Overview • $35 Million Bond Levy Campaign that looked more like a community awareness campaign • Differences between first and second campaign • Central Steering Committee/committee structure • Marketing and Community Grassroots Committees/Roles • Central Themes/Messages (and why IR is so important!) • Lessons Learned

4. First Campaign in Feb. 2007 • A lower profile campaign – Grasstops vs. Grassroots • Media Relations = A couple press releases and a handful of letters to the editor • Our Message = How the money would be spent, the buildings we would build, etc. • A small committee with limited involvement from outside of the college • Very little marketing dollars spent – only one direct mail piece and a brochure

5. Second Campaign in Dec. 2007 • A second campaign can almost never be “lower profile” • Grassroots – we reached out to the community and even neighborhood level. • People outside the college were involved at all levels • A lot more faculty and staff involvement – a larger oversight committee with lots of subcommittees • Marketing dollars increased significantly • (from <$10,000 to nearly $150,000) • Most importantly, our message changed.

6. NICC Bond Central Committee Structure • Co-Chairs: • District-wide Vice President of Economic Development - Calmar campus • Campus Provost – Peosta campus

7. NICC Bond Central Committee Structure continued • Committees/Committee Chairs: • Student Engagement: Student Services Dean – Peosta campus Student Services Associate Dean – Calmar campus • Campus Engagement: Financial Aid Director - Calmar campus • Fund Raising: College President District-wide VP Economic Development District-wide VP Finance & Administration

8. NICC Bond Central Committee Structure continued • Committees/Committee Chairs: • Finance/Schematics: District-wide VP Finance & Administration • Community Outreach (fairs, speaking, parades, etc.): District-wide Human Resources Director • County Auditors’ Office Liasion: Board Secretary/President’s Secretary • Recording Secretary: Administrative Assistant to VP of Economic Development • Marketing: District-wide Marketing Director

9. NICC Bond Central Committee Structure continued • Committees/Committee Chairs: • Absentee Ballot Coordinator: Coordinator of Career Outreach - Peosta campus • Board of Trustee Representative: Chairperson of the Board of Trustees • Community Grassroots & Phone Calling: Northern-end Grassroots – Continuing Education Director – Calmar campus Southern-end Grassroots – Director of Foundation – Peosta campus Dubuque Grassroots – Peosta Campus Provost – Peosta campus

10. President’s Role • The “face” of the college • Main speaker • Main fund raiser • Board of Trustees liaison • Encouraged Board of Trustees involvement • Political aspects

11. Marketing Role • Development of all marketing materials • District-wide • Community/county specific • Consistency of educational message • What’s in it for me? • Ghost writers • Media relations • Meetings with Editors • Advertising • Press Releases • Newspaper Insert • Correct budgeting of marketing materials • Development of Calling Scripts • Web site development and maintenance

12. Community Grassroots Role • Each committee made up of • Faculty, Staff, Students, Retirees, Alumni, Trustees, Foundation Board, Business and Community Leaders • County committees (each made up of 5-10 people): • Allamakee • Clayton • Chickasaw • Northern Fayette • Southern Fayette • Howard • Winneshiek • Dubuque County (except City of Dubuque) • City of Dubuque – Asbury/West • City of Dubuque- Downtown/North • City of Dubuque – South

13. Ballot MeasureCentral themes • Educational Campaign • What the College is? (inclusive picture) • What the College does? • The important role the College plays in educating students AND the communities it serves. • Make it personal • What does this mean to me personally • What does this mean for my community

14. Ballot MeasureCentral Educational Themes • NICC educates a majority of our nurses, EMT’s, medical technicians, police, human services workers, firefighters, etc. • NICC’s annual impact on our district is estimated to be $235 million • 1 out of every 6 residents has used NICC’s services • This ballot measure is not only critical for our students of today, but it is a vital investment in our workforce of tomorrow. • 87% of NICC Graduates live, work and pay taxes in Northeast Iowa.

15. Community Benefits CountyCreditNon-CredTotal% of population Allamakee 359 2020 2379 16.17% Chickasaw 185 1501 1686 13.42% Clayton 294 2875 3169 17.28% Delaware 278 1748 2026 11.24% Dubuque 1,602 16,355 17,957 19.60% Fayette 437 2810 3247 15.25% Howard 305 1796 2101 21.66% Winneshiek 552 3315 3867 18.21% 1 out of every 6 Northeast Iowa residents used NICC services last year

16. Community Benefits

17. Community Benefits

18. District-wide Marketing • Five direct mail pieces • Yard signs • Popcorn bags • Movie ads • Billboards • Newspaper/magazine ads • Radio ads • Cable TV • Door Hangers • Career Focus Magazine • Annual Report Examples of all items at: http://web.nicc.edu/files/levy

19. County Specific Materials • In addition to district-wide materials, each county committee had its own county-specific materials including: • County-specific economic impact poster • Testimonial posters featuring county and community leaders • “By the Numbers” displays and brochure • Newspaper insert with “By the Numbers” info, community testimonials and county polling sites • News releases featuring area students, graduates and businesses benefiting from NICC

20. External Community Initiatives • Community events/activities (ie, fairs, parades, etc.) • Perkin’ with Penny events • Advisory Committee meetings • Speaking engagements with community/civic groups, staff groups, neighborhood associations, school boards, boards of supervisors, etc. • Provide chambers, economic development, etc w/ information for dissemination to members • Provide information and materials to business and industry • Set up bond information displays in libraries, banks, grocery stores, schools • Neighborhood canvassing – Door knockers, yard signs • Very active mailing and calling campaign – 5 mailers, 3 robo calls and 2 “live” calls

21. Final Thoughts • Take nothing for granted • Continual education & dialogue • It’s not about what you will do with the money; it’s about what you do. • Build awareness of what the College is • Build awareness of what the College does • Build awareness of the important role the College plays in the communities it serves • Community Colleges have a GREAT story to tell – up to us to tell it • Passage of Six Cent Levy in Sept. 2008 with 67% positive vote

22. Thank you • Questions • Thoughts • Thank you! PDF samples of work can be found at: http://web.nicc.edu/files/levy/