Non-profit is an industry that means a lot to me and my team. In fact, one of Chemistry PR and Multimedia’s key clients is a non-profit organization that focuses on support and recognition of our nation’s veterans and first responders. Being an integral part of an organization that benefits from effective PR and strategic marketing campaigns is my privilege. In this blog post, I want to offer up sincere congratulations to just a few of the non-profits that hit it out of the park with their PR and marketing campaigns in the past year.

PR News recognizes PR successes for businesses and non-profits annually, highlighting the strategies behind each successful outcome. Here are some of the top 2017 Non-Profit PR Awards and a bit of the detail here.

Why do I share this information in abbreviated form?

First, each highlight is our team’s personal shout of congratulations to the winning organizations. We applaud your hard work and celebrate the payoff with you all.

Second, the link included will take you to the full article on each award winner, so you can read the case study in its entirety.

Third, because my goal is to highlight some strategies that our team at Chemistry PR and Multimedia also formulates for our non-profit clients to ensure PR success.

2017 Nonprofit PR Awards for Advocacy Campaign and Lobbying Efforts go to …

¨ The American Heart Association – CPR in Schools

American Heart Association set out to get passage of legislation requiring schools to include “high quality, guideline-based, hands-on CPR” in their teaching programs.  The team assembled a plan, selected target states not already on-board – resulting from the AHA’s 2011 efforts, and set the plan in motion. The goal – to increase the rate of survival from cardiac events the American Heart Association set a goal to teach CPR to as many Americans as possible. Expanding this goal to reach beyond high-risk industries and the medical community into academia is a huge step in the direction of reducing the number of fatalities resulting from cardiac events.  With unrelenting steadfastness, the AHA went to work and successfully saw even more states bring this legislation to fruition.

Low campaigns funds didn’t stop this all-out effort. The campaign was launched on Facebook and other social networks. Team members from AHA, a network of citizen lobbyists, and others rallied together to develop and coordinate content for this successful campaign.

Success!  The legislation was passed in 9 of the 18 targeted states and Washington D.C., added to the 23 states that passed it in 2011.

¨ Share our Strength – Time for Breakfast Illinois

No Kid Hungry Illinois took a multidimensional approach to its Public Relations campaign to pass legislation that would increase access breakfast for school kids in Illinois this year. The goal was a numbers game. To increase the number of students eligible for free or reduced meals during the school year. The case study sites that ‘one in five students live in families that struggle to put food on the table’.  Time for Breakfast Illinois has set out to change this statistic in favor of feeding more than 175,000 students in low-income families, thereby dramatically improving their chances for academic success!

Pulling out all the stops. No Kid Hungry engaged supporters through social media and mass email campaigns.  They used paid and earned media, organized local advocates, corporate partners, and celebrity partners to advocate on behalf of the legislation. They hosted a major event and lobbied at the state capitol.

Success! In June 2016 Illinois General Assembly passed the ‘Breakfast After the Bell’ bill unanimously in both the House and the Senate. In August the bill was signed into law and resulted in more than 70 percent of students being eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2017-2018 school year.

2017 Nonprofit Award for Annual Publication or Brochure

¨ Lynn University Viewbook

Lynn University launched an iPad powered learning program in 2013 that replaced textbooks with faculty produced e-books.  This innovative program saved student up to 90{fb2cd6ecc5ea822e7d55867f94952838aab4b89ae39846a722113040866900c7} on materials. The program earned the university recognition as an Apple Distinguished School. The brochure, or ViewBook, was redesigned in a way that highlights Lynn’s innovative move toward adoption of the Apple technology.

Execution of the Strategy started with input from students and university leaders. Focus Groups like the ones used here are just one of the many tools Chemistry uses to formulate the most effective PR campaigns for clients.  The Lynn team successfully used it here!  The input collected helped to set the direction for the design and implementation of the Viewbook, Lynn’s key recruiting tool for prospective students, and to the building of Lynn’s ‘College Re-imagined” message.

Success!  The clean and simple design and content structure, along with the re-imagined approach to technology-based studies earned Lynn University a seat of recognition among the most innovative colleges in fall of 2016.  The number of completed student applications rose, with prospective students saying it was the “College Reimagined” message that attracted them to Lynn.

2017 Nonprofit PR Award for Media Relations goes to …

¨ MSLGROUP – Celebration of Service: Creating Independence at Home for U.S. Veterans

MLSGROUP targeted national and local outlets in more than 200 markets focusing on non-profit work, personal interest stories and veteran’s affairs. Campaigns ranged from social media giving campaigns that encouraged participants to share not only dollars but also evidence of hands-on service to veterans.

Multi-faceted approach to raising awareness, advocacy and funds was the gamechanger in this story.  The team used a broad-reaching social media campaign targeting journalists with a focus on veteran’s affairs, non-profit work, and special interest stories.  They also focused on outlets outside of the mainstream and social media to reach an even bigger audience.

Success! Campaigns created and deployed by MLSGROUP resulted in $1M for veteran-related non-profits and earned tons of social media attention.

Congratulations to all of the winners and some respectable congratulations to those who were honorably mentioned in the PR News article.

At Chemistry PR and Multimedia, we love Public Relations and appreciate that this industry has expanded and changed as communication methods have expanded and changed. We love to share what we know with others who aspire to careers in PR. We also enjoy celebrating the successes of others in this industry.  Finally, we are looking for business owners who are ready to share their story and build their own brand creatively.  Is that you? We would love to hear from you.  Contact us today!