Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, Inc. (CAC): Marketing Plan

1. Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County, Inc. (CAC): Marketing Plan Meg Giddings

2. I. CAC Mission Statement The Children’s Advocacy Center of Lowndes County is a community resource center created to minimize the trauma of child victims of sexual abuse and physical abuse by responding to their immediate and long term needs in a child-friendly, safe environment. A multi-disciplinary team approach involving representatives from the medical community, child protective services, law enforcement, prosecutions, and mental health will provide investigation, assessment, and treatment of these children and their families and maximize prosecution of those who commit crimes against children. The Children’s Advocacy Center will also meet the community’s needs in the area of education and prevention of child abuse. (Source: Children’s Advocacy Center General Information Brochure)

3. II. CAC Objectives • Facilitate healing for child victims and their non-offending family members. • Increase the number of child abuse disclosures and maximize referrals for the child’s wellbeing • Reduce the number of interviews conducted with a child when a disclosure is made • Increase the number of medical exams conducted in a timely manner • To coordinate investigative, prosecutorial, medical and mental health services for child victims • Increase rate of successful prosecutions and convictions • Prevent child abuse.

4. III. Organizational Culture • Four Employees Total 1. Executive Director 2. Therapist 3. Case Manager 4. Office Manager B.Board of Directors consisting of 30 members • Divided into several committees including Personnel, Building and Grounds, Grants, etc.

5. Organizational Culture cont. C. Volunteer Training Program • Consists of individual and other-agency referrals • Requires criminal background check, fingerprinting, etc. D. Interns • One graduate student is placed twice per year • Assist with therapy, volunteer training, etc.

6. IV. Population Served • Any child victim of physical and/or sexual abuse – allegations may be current or in the past • Children under age 17 who are able to communicate verbally – so set minimum age exists • The non-offending family members of child victims • Residents of Lowndes, Brooks, Berrian, Cook, and Echols counties • Community members and organizations seeking to learn more about child abuse prevention and education

7. Local Level: multiple 501-(c)3 agencies Agencies serving similar populations (i.e., domestic violence victims, after school programs) Agencies currently providing services to our clients (e.g., drug treatment programs, shelter programs) Highly supportive and generous community, but many organizations compete for the same funding locally (private donations, United Way) 2) Regional/State: New CAC’s have/are opening in SW Georgia (Thomasville, Tifton, Moultrie, Douglas) and state level funding must be shared by all CAC’s in region Agencies with similar missions or serving similar populations are a source of competition for state/federal grants V. Competitive Environment

8. VI. CAC Strengths and Weaknesses • Strengths: • Strong and active board of directors • Reputation for excellence in services to the community • Very active in community events • A group of donors who give consistently each year • Successful, popular, and unique fundraisers held annually • First Capital Campaign has been highly successful

9. VI. Strengths and Weaknesses cont. • Weaknesses: • No structured giving program aside from Capital Campaign • Organized fundraisers appeal to a limited number of participants • Lacks a well-defined program for maintaining relationships with regular donors • Functions with skeleton crew staff, but current budget constraints don’t allow for significant expansion • Often partnerships with other nonprofits in the area are relied too heavily upon

10. VII. Threats and Opportunities • Threats: • Diversion of funding to neighboring CAC’s has forced a reevaluation of current and future budgets • New nonprofit organizations entering the area are competing for private donations to the CAC • Current marketing is limited to word of mouth and specific fundraising for specific CAC needs • New and innovative fundraising methods utilized by other nonprofits overshadow tried and true CAC methods • Over-reliance on funding from other organizations which may be experiencing a reduction in revenues

11. Threats and Opportunities cont. • Opportunities: • Local, private-sector organizations are expressing interest in the CAC mission • Many private individuals interested in becoming involved in the CAC mission • Consistent community interest in participating in fundraising events • Local media are highly supportive and responsive to CAC needs

12. VIII. Current Marketing Approaches • Community Involvement: CAC participates in many events to promote name recognition and to fulfill the education and advocacy portion of the mission statement • PR events, community appearances • Capital Campaign: CAC’s first orchestrated and designed marketing campaign designed to fund the mortgage associated with purchasing a new facility • CAC Fundraisers: Organized completely, or in part by the CAC staff and/or board of directors • The CAC is often a beneficiary of other events, but these are specific to the CAC

13. Current Marketing Plan cont. D. Donations are identified by amounts known as “Levels of Giving”. • Aside from identifying levels donors are not identified in any other manner (unless giving to the Capital Campaign) • Marketing via other nonprofits is relied upon due to established relationships and dependency on each other’s services • Donations in the form of tangible goods (e.g., toys, blank video tapes, office supplies, snacks and drinks for the kids) are encouraged because it allows for application of current funds to other necessary areas

14. Current Marketing Plan cont. G. Volunteer Program: volunteers are gathered through word of mouth – is no formal recruitment process • Trainings held quarterly • Limited opportunities for volunteers • Volunteer hours necessary to meet grant stipulations • Confidentiality and safety of volunteers, clients, and staff are essential and protected

15. IX. Suggested Marketing Plan • Campaign Focus: the community • Campaign Goals: A) Facilitate the organizational objectives and goals for serving clients and the community B) Increase overall community support of the CAC C) Increase financial contributions from private companies, organizations, and private individuals

16. A) Facilitate Current CAC Objectives and Goals • Although currently able to meet established goals and objectives, implementing a new marketing plan will allow for expansion of current objectives/goals • Aim to expand community resource provision and community education • Develop community education curricula targeting specific population sub-groups (i.e., teenagers, children, women’s groups, social service groups, etc.) • Diversify groups approached to provide programs for • Expand and extend community education programs to organizations outside the immediate county

17. Benefits of pre-established curricula: • A standard of information is communicated to all groups • Important information regarding the CAC will be guaranteed to be included • Benefits of diversification: • Currently, public relations events are generally 1) geared towards children/families or 2) social service clubs and organizations • Expanding to other groups including a variety of age groups will increase community awareness of the CAC and will therefore accomplish many objectives • Benefits of expanding to other areas: • Currently Lowndes County is the primary recipient of community education • Providing education to surrounding counties will promote donations from other counties as well as assist in promoting the objectives and goals of the CAC in the surrounding areas

18. B) Increase community support of the CAC 1. Develop and implement fundraisers with a wider appeal • Golf Tournaments, Fundraising dinners, CAC Arrest events • Will appeal to a larger segment of the community • Will allow more to participate • Create more revenue for the CAC • Actively involve surrounding counties in fundraising events

19. 2. Increase and formalize partnerships with private organizations in the community • Media – establish a direct contact and contact method will all local media outlets • Will benefit the organization through increased coverage, reaching a larger geographic area and wider audience, bringing more attention to the mission, increasing agency visibility, and potentially donations • Fiscal Partners – formalizing private organizations who provide substantial support for the CAC • Organizations contributing will be recognized as partners or “friends of the CAC” • Creating business memberships – equivalent to sponsorship will provide the CAC with additional support, added public confidence in CAC services, and will create a philanthropic reputation for the business or corporation • Will be important for the CAC to negotiate with businesses on a case by case basis to ensure agency integrity

20. 3)Develop and implement an Annual Giving campaign • Will promote giving from year to year • Will promote community involvement in the CAC mission and the future of the organization • After several years, will allow the CAC to make necessary budgetary changes 4) Adapt the current levels of giving into membership levels • Membership will be on an annual basis, in conjunction with the Annual Giving Campaign • Will promote individual giving on an annual basis benefiting the CAC budget • Will create a sense of individual “involvement” in the CAC

21. C) Increase Donations • Private Companies: • Develop a comprehensive campaign to identify companies contributing in the past as well as those who have not. • Create a partnership program based on exchange of services • Organizations providing support and sponsorship for the CAC and CAC events will receive public recognition through the media and through public appearances • The organization will also publicize its support and endorsement of the CAC • Create a new board committee to oversee seeking out individual membership in these organizations through presentations and collateral contacts • Creates a “human” side for a large corporation and also brings a spotlight to the community involvement of local businesses. Allows the CAC financial support and also increases public awareness.

22. 2) Private Individuals: • Launch a comprehensive campaign to reach new and previously untapped resources by identifying local organization memberships which have not been approached or who have not given in the past • Create a new board committee to oversee seeking out individual membership in these organizations through presentations and collateral contacts • Evaluate specific ages, races, etc. which have not been approached or marketed to in the past and develop a plan in which these groups may be targeted