CANNONRIVERWATERSHEDPARTNERSHIP

MARKETINGPLAN

TEAMALPHACHRISCASEY,GUILLERMOGORRIN

ELLIEGREIBER,ANDLINDSEYTUCKER

NOVEMBER21,2016

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Table of Contents

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................... 3 II. OBJECTIVE AND GOALS FOR MARKETING PLAN ......................................... 4 II. INTERNAL INDUSTRY ANALYSIS ...................................................................... 4 A. CRWP Mission Statement ........................................................................... 4 B. Current Target Market ................................................................................. 4 C. Current Marketing Strategy ........................................................................ 4 1. Product .......................................................................................................... 4 2. CRWP Membership ....................................................................................... 4 3. Price .............................................................................................................. 5 4. Place ............................................................................................................. 5 5. Promotion ...................................................................................................... 6 6. 2015 Financials ........................................................................................... 10 D. Competitors ............................................................................................... 10 1. Other nonprofit environmental, water preservation organizations ............... 10 E. Operating Industry .................................................................................... 11 1. Environmental nonprofit organization .......................................................... 11 2. Philanthropy ................................................................................................ 12 III. MACRO ENVIROMENT ANALYSIS ................................................................... 14 A. Culture/Social Trends ............................................................................... 14 1. Environmentalism and Sustainability .......................................................... 14 2. Social Movements ....................................................................................... 15 B. Political/Legal ............................................................................................ 15 C. Demographics ........................................................................................... 16 1. Population ................................................................................................... 16 2. Age .............................................................................................................. 16 3. Income......................................................................................................... 16 4. Employment ................................................................................................ 17 5. Industry........................................................................................................ 17 6. Education .................................................................................................... 17 7. Demographics of farmers in Minnesota ...................................................... 18 8. Demographics of College Campuses in Northfield ..................................... 18 C. Technology ................................................................................................ 19 1. Generational cohorts’ Media Habits ............................................................ 19 IV. ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................... 20 A. Strengths .................................................................................................... 20 B. Weaknesses ............................................................................................... 20 C. Opportunities ............................................................................................. 21 D. Threats ....................................................................................................... 21

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E. Competitive Advantage ............................................................................ 22 V. SEGMENTATION ............................................................................................... 22 A. Objectives .................................................................................................. 22 B. Evaluation of Potential Segments and their Attractiveness ................. 22 1. Generation X Families with children ............................................................ 22 2. Farmers ....................................................................................................... 23 3. Baby Boomers ............................................................................................. 23 4. St. Olaf and Carleton College Students ...................................................... 23 VI. TARGETING ....................................................................................................... 24 A. Select Target Market: Generation X families with children ................... 24 1. Why we picked this segment ....................................................................... 24 2. Why we did not pick the other segments .................................................... 24 B. Target Profile ............................................................................................. 24 VII. POSITIONING ..................................................................................................... 25 A. Positioning Strategy and Marketing Mix ................................................. 25 1. Product ........................................................................................................ 25 2. Price ............................................................................................................ 25 3. Place ........................................................................................................... 26 4. Promotion .................................................................................................... 26 5. Other Recommendations ............................................................................ 33 6. Value Proposition ........................................................................................ 33 7. Predicted Outcomes .................................................................................... 33 8. Return on Investment (ROI) ........................................................................ 34 VIII. IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................ 34 A. Timeline ...................................................................................................... 34 1. Facebook .................................................................................................... 34 2. Twitter .......................................................................................................... 35 3. Instagram .................................................................................................... 35 4. LinkedIn ....................................................................................................... 36 5. Google AdWords ......................................................................................... 37 VIV. APPENDIX .......................................................................................................... 38

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Executive Summary Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) is a member-based, nonprofit

organization helping people take action to keep their water safe and clean. Located in

downtown Northfield, CRWP serves six counties through educational classes, community

activities, and volunteer programs. Due to their nonprofit status, CRWP relies heavily

on donations from members to fund their services. CRWP currently targets 40-70 year-olds

through email newsletters and print materials in order to increase their membership.

After thorough research, we have identified Generation X families with children as a new

target market for CRWP. Several trends and pieces of information indicate that this segment

would be a profitable group. First, this group is environmentally conscious and has embraced

new environmental trends such as the Save the Boundary Waters Movement and want

increased water safety following the Flint, Michigan Water Crisis. Additionally, this segment is

highly engaged in social media, which is the most cost-effective way for CRWP to promote their

services as several marketing tools are free for nonprofits. Generation X also represents a large

portion of total giving and tends to donate across a variety of different charities and nonprofits.

There are several tools best suited to market towards Generation Xers with children.

First, we recommend that CRWP makes widespread changes to their website, because the

website provides most of their information and is the destination to which traffic will be directed

from their other social media platforms. The website is also home to the “Become a Member”

button where people can donate or sign up for CRWP’s services. We also suggest updates to

CRWP’s Facebook page and YouTube account, as well as the creation of a new Twitter

account, Instagram account, LinkedIn Business Page and a Google AdWords campaign. In

regards to content for these platforms, CRWP should focus posts and pictures on family

activities to attract their target market. If this plan is implemented diligently and successfully,

CRWP will achieve a greater membership base, and increased donations of five percent with a

return on investment of 112.5%.

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Objectives and Goals for Marketing Plan Increase donations from both members and nonmembers of CRWP by 5% through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Google AdWords.

Internal Industry Analysis CRWP Mission Statement: To engage people in protecting and improving the water quality and natural systems of the Cannon River watershed. Current Target Market: 40-70-year-old residents in Rice county and Steele county. Current Marketing Strategy: Product:1 Nonprofit organization that creates, educates, and engages groups of people with services centered around: Agriculture

• Cover Crop Program:2 This program educates farmers on the importance of using cover crops to prevent pesticides and other sediments from polluting the Cannon River watershed (See Appendix A.1 for more information on the Cover Crop Program).

• Rice Creek Conservation Project:3 CRWP teams up with Fishers and Farmers Partnership and St. Olaf College to research agricultural runoff and raise local farmers’ awareness of water conservation practices as part of the Rice Creek Conservation Project to address the problem of rising water temperatures and pollution affecting water productivity for fisheries (See Appendix A.2 for more information on the Rice Creek Conservation Project).

Community Engagement • Urban Stormwater:4 Educates residents of Cannon River Watershed about water

conservation through the Master Water Steward class, the only non-metro partner to offer a class that certifies and supports community leaders to install pollution prevention projects. In addition, CRWP hosts Rain Garden workshops5 and Storm Drain Stenciling. (See Appendix A.3 for more information on Urban Stormwater).

• Watershed Wide Cleanup:6 Over 8 years, CRWP’s watershed-wide cleanups have resulted in 1,860 volunteers pulling 115,100 pounds of trash from waterways in Cannon Falls, Faribault, Morristown, Northfield, Owatonna, Red Wing, Shields Lake, and Waterville.

1 http://crwp.net/our-work/ 2 http://crwp.net/agriculture-2/cover-crops/ 3 http://crwp.net/agriculture-2/rice-creek/ 4 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/ 5 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/rain-gardens/ 6 http://crwp.net/watershed-wide-cleanup/

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• Stormwater Poster Contest:7 CRWP holds an annual poster contest in conjunction with the City of Northfield and local elementary schools to inform students about “be[ing] the solution to stormwater pollution.” (See Appendix A.4 for more information on the Stormwater Poster Contest)

Small Community Wastewater8 CRWP’s award winning program meets with local leaders to support them in finding ways to improve community sewage treatment through localizing sources of funding. (See Appendix A.5 for more information on Small Community Wastewater) CRWP Membership:9

• Yearly Membership • Current Members: 356 • Benefits as stated on CRWP Website:

o “Monthly E-Newsletter with project updates, success stories and event information.”

o “Discounts to some CRWP hosted events.” o “Advance Notice of Special Events and Forums.” o “Voting Privileges at our Spring Annual Meeting.” o “Knowing that you are being a supportive river-friendly neighbor!”

Price:10 CRWP Membership Fees (tax deductible):11

• Member: $25 • Sponsor: $35 • Friend: $50 • Protector: $100 • Benefactor: $500 • Guardians: $1,000 • Volunteers receive membership after 3 hours of service with CRWP

o Not advertised on CRWP Website Place: CRWP headquarters is located in downtown Northfield.12

• Location gives CRWP a central location to carry out work in both Rice and Steele Counties, two of the largest counties in the Cannon River Watershed.

• Access to two colleges (St. Olaf and Carleton College) with whom they can collaborate on educational classes and events, as well as conduct research.13

7 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/stormwater-poster-contest/ 8 http://crwp.net/sewersquad/ 9 http://crwp.net/support/ 10 http://crwp.net/support/business-supporters/ 11 http://crwp.net/support/business-supporters/ 12 http://crwp.net/ 13 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rice-Creek-Diagnostic-Report_FINAL_July2013.pdf

Stormwater Poster Contest

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• Northfield has a large base of nonprofits, with 48 different nonprofits under the categories of Youth & Family, Charitable, Civic and Cultural, Health and Education, and Fraternal Organizations.14

• St. Olaf College and Carleton College are both located in Northfield. The presence of the two colleges in the area and high level of education promotes a culture of water conservation. In 2016, St. Olaf College was awarded with a recognition for water quality in their farmlands.15

2016 is CRWP’s 26th year of operation. Promotion:

• “No real marketing strategy at the moment.”16 • Focus on establishing community presence rather than pulling in new members/donors. • Current methods in establishing community presence:

Mail: 17 • CRWP sends renewal letters/flyers to current members.

CRWP Website (crwp.net):18

• When a user googles “CRWP” or Cannon River Watershed Partnership” in Northfield, CRWP is the first result; however, the suggested website result on Google before

14 http://northfield.org/nonprofits 15 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/22/for-earth-day-heres-how-americans-view-environmental-issues/ 16 Kristi Pursell and Kari Clark 17 Kristi Pursell and Kari Clark 18 http://crwp.net/

CRWP website home page

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pressing enter is “crwp.org” which is the Chagrin River Watershed Partners. The description for CRWP on the search results page lists “A description for this page is not available because of this sites robots.txt.”

• The website itself contains five main tabs with 15 sub-tabs, offering information about the organization, membership benefits, and the impact of donations.

• Mobile version of website combines the five main tabs and 15 sub-tabs under one main list and the “Become a Member” button is toward the bottom of the page.

• The main promotional feature of the website is the “Become a Member” button, located on the homepage. This button directs potential members to a page informing about the different levels of membership, forms of payment, and states that CRWP is a tax-deductible organization. 19 (See Appendix A.6 for more information on “Become a Member” Button)

• CRWP does not mention anywhere on their website that people who volunteer for three hours automatically become members.

• Website also offers potential members the option to become a member by calling CRWP to be mailed a paper membership form.

Facebook page:20

• Posts most workdays

19 https://co.clickandpledge.com/Default.aspx?WID=89900 20 https://www.facebook.com/CannonRiverWatershedPartnership/?fref=ts

CRWP Facebook page

Portion of CRWP mobile website menu

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• Page name: Cannon River Watershed Partnership • Page handle: @CannonRiverWatershedPartnership • Profile picture: Collage of four small pictures featuring an event hosted in the watershed • Cover picture: Photo of “little falls in the big wood” • 453 page likes • When “Cannon River Watershed Partnership” is searched on Facebook, CRWP’s

Facebook account is the first account listed. • When “CRWP” is searched on Facebook, there are no results.

Twitter page:21

• CRWP employees have little knowledge on this medium • Account name: CRWP • Account handle: @CannonRiver • Profile picture: Cannon River in Northfield • Cover picture: Photo of four people in front of a baseball field and dumpster. • 177 followers • 275 tweets • When “Cannon River Watershed Partnership” is searched on Twitter, there are no

results. • When “CRWP” is searched on Twitter, CRWP’s Twitter account is the first account

listed. • Tweets are inconsistent, no tweets since September 28, 2016; tweets feature last minute

updates about classes, events, or expressing gratitude for volunteers. 21 https://twitter.com/CannonRiver

CRWP Twitter Page

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YouTube:

• Title of Page: Cannon River Watershed Partnership • Number of videos: Nine • Number of subscribers: Four • Last posted video was one year ago (“CRWP Memory Lane HD 720p”- one view) • Highest number of views is 128 for the video “Electroshocking Trout”

Classes and Events: • CRWP hosts two annual events: a watershed cleanup in September and a film series in

February22 o 180 volunteers attended watershed cleanup in 2015, removing 4,900 pounds of

trash from 9 sites in Owatonna, Medford, Faribault, Shields Lake, Northfield, and Waterville.

o 200 community members attended Wild & Scenic Film Festival in Faribault in 2015.

• Visited student classrooms in 2 cities, wrote newspaper articles and 5 watershed papers, spoke on local radio programs and created inserts to be sent to residents along with their utility bills in Northfield and Faribault in 2015. 23

• Connected with local leaders to play the U of M’s educational “Watershed Game” and organized a Stormwater Pond walk in Northfield led by a city official and a Resource Conservationist from Dakota SWCD in 2015. 24

• Had a presence at area events such as the Northfield Riverwalk Market Fair, Earth Day events at the Cannon River STEM School and at Carleton College, the Northfield and Faribault Business Expos and the Rice and Steele County Fairs in 2015. 25

• Participates in Owatonna CulturFest26, where CRWP distributes promotional materials such as handkerchiefs, paper fans, and pencils.

22 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 23 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 24 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 25 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 26 http://culturfest.org/

CRWP YouTube page

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2015 Financials: 27

• Total Income: $397,092 o Contributions: $36,599 o Government Grants: $280,185 o Foundation Grants: $69,240 o Other: $11,068

• Total Expenses: $395,930 o Administration: $48,500 o Fundraising: $33,131 o Programs: $314,299

§ Agriculture: $135,574 § Community Engagement: $77,183 § Wastewater: $101,542

Competitors: Other nonprofit environmental, water preservation organizations near the CRWP: Riverbend Nature Center28: Faribault, MN Mission: “Help people discover, enjoy, understand, and preserve the incredible natural world that surrounds us.”

• Household Membership Fees: Individual: $25, Family: $35 o Get discounted admission to events held in the community, snow-shoes, cross

country skis, and other rentals • Business Membership Fees: $100

o Receive different amenities from household members such as increased promotion by donation level

• Facebook page features family-oriented posts and organized activities through Facebook events.

Friends of the Mississippi29: Saint Paul, MN Mission: “Friends of the Mississippi River engages citizens to protect, restore and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region.”

• Actively involved in DNR rulemaking process, pushing key legislation • Hosts approximately 60 public cleanups, hauls, pulls, or plantings throughout Twin Cities

metro-area annually o Level 1 Membership Fees: $25-49 o Level 2 Membership Fees: $50-1000 o FMR Super Volunteer status: contribute to 4 or more hands-on restoration events

in a year and receive a T-shirt and advance emails to popular events

27 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 28 http://www.rbnc.org/membership/ 29 http://fmr.org/

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Zumbro Watershed Partnership30: Rochester, MN Mission: “The Zumbro Watershed Partnership (ZWP) is a member-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping residents “Clean, Protect, and Enjoy” the lakes, rivers and groundwater in the Zumbro River Watershed.”

• Started in 2005 • Offers a variety of educational programs geared for adults and children

o Membership Fees: Friend: $35, Family: $60 § Receive voting privileges at spring members meeting, quarterly

newsletter, and advance notice of special events Operating Industry: Environmental nonprofit organization

• The Conservation industry has experienced an average 1.8% growth in the last 5 years, due to a rise in disposable income, facilitating private donations.31

• Federal grants and funding have decreased in the last 5 years, and potential tax reductions could exponentially reduce public funding within the industry.32

• Even when the scientific cause and effect of climate change remains unclear, consumers have become increasingly more interested on the green industry.33

o 88% of Americans believe that it is important to take care of the environment o 52% of Americans believe that the government should get more involved; leaving

room for private organizations to step into the market. • Pollution and resource usage is inevitable, which makes the environmental industry one

that will never seize to exist.34 • Since government has defunded water conservation and preservation, nonprofits, like

CRWP, have taken over these programs’ efforts.35

30 http://www.zumbrowatershed.org/programs 31 http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1750 32 http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1750 33 https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/green-industry-report/ 34 https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/green-industry-report/ 35 http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/21/bok%253A978-94-017-9081-9.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Fbook%2F10.1007%2F978-94-017-9081-9&token2=exp=1479681118~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F21%2Fbok%25253A978-94-017-9081-9.pdf%3ForiginUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flink.springer.com%252Fbook%252F10.1007%252F978-94-017-9081-9*~hmac=74ec8c85e4941f965708d8fb89a539b4573f6ddfa29f22e528ef22d278a04ecf

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Philanthropy: 2015 as a whole:36

• Total giving: $373.25 billion, which is 2.1% of GDP o 4.1% increase from 2015 (in inflation adjusted dollars) which is the 6th straight

year that giving has increased. o 3.6% average increase to charitable causes which is greater than the 2%

average GDP growth.

Donations by charitable organization type:

37 In 2015 Environment/Animals charitable organizations received 3% of total donations ($10.68 billion) with a 6.1% increase since 2014 (in inflation adjusted dollars). 2015 donor breakdown: 38

• Individuals: 71% of giving with a 3.7% increase since 2014 (in inflation adjusted dollars).

• Foundation: 6.5% of giving with a 6.3% increase since 2014 (in inflation adjusted dollars).

• Corporations: 3.9% of giving with a 3.8 % increase since 2014 (In inflation adjusted dollars).

• Bequest: 2.1% of giving with a 1.9 % increase since 2014 (In inflation adjusted dollars).

36 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=42 37 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=42 38 http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=42

Charitable giving by year

Contributions by recipient organization type

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By Generational Cohort:39 • Generation Y- Millennials (ages 18-32)

o 11% of total giving to nonprofits o 60% in this generation give an average of $481 per year across 3.3 charities

• Generation X- Gen X (ages 33-48) o 20% of total giving o 59% in this generation give an average of $732 per year across 3.9 charities

• Baby Boomers (ages 49-67) o 43% of total giving o 72% in this generation give an average of $1,212 per year across 4.5 charities o Most of donations go towards social services such as worships centers,

homeless shelters, and soup kitchens.40 • Matures (ages 68+)

o 26% of total giving o 88% in this generation give an average of $1,367 per year across 6.2 charities o Most of donations go towards social services such as worships centers,

homeless shelters, and soup kitchens.41 (See Appendix A.7 for more information on generational cohort’s philanthropy) How generational cohorts donate42

Through their workplace

Through org website

Via mobile phone

Fundraised on behalf of an organization

Retail purchase

Give in response to direct mail

Donate in Honor

Give Monthly

Millennials 59% 47% 62% 43% 53% - - - Generation X 53% 40% 47% 46% 49% - - -

Baby Boomers

46% 42% - - - 40% 30% 21%

Matures - - - - - 52% 34% - College Students’ Philanthropy:43 Results from a study published in the journal Social Science found that university students who volunteer and donate have higher non-materialistic values, are more religious, are older in age, tend to be females, come from higher income family background, volunteered in high school, and reported that volunteering was required at their university. (See Appendix A.8 for more information on college student’s philanthropy)

39 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic 40 http://blog.aarp.org/2013/08/08/boomers-most-generous-at-charitable-giving/ 41 http://blog.aarp.org/2013/08/08/boomers-most-generous-at-charitable-giving/ 42 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic 43 http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0362331911000024/1-s2.0-S0362331911000024-main.pdf?_tid=c0a1f72a-ae85-11e6-8b66-00000aacb362&acdnat=1479580196_4ab6768f0af1b03c35212050cfe44779

Giving patterns by college students

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Macro Environment Analysis Culture/Social Trends:

• Northfield’s culture has attracted young farmers with environmentally sustainable values to buy land and practice agriculture in recent years.44

o Attracted a large flock of sustainable farmers to take advantage of Northfield’s green culture.45

• Flint, Michigan Water Crisis:46 o The water crisis in Flint, Michigan has increased awareness across the country

regarding the need for clean drinkable water to ensure the safety of children and future generations who will use the same water sources.

• Farmers Going Green:47 o Minnesota farmers, as noted by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, has

pledged to be the safest and highest environmentally friendly corn grower in the nation. This mission by Minnesota farmers has led to the utilization of greener farming techniques such as cover crops. Faribault led Minnesota in corn production in 2015, with an average yield of 207.4 bushels per acre. 48

• (See Appendix A.9 for more Cultural/Social Trends information) Environmentalism and Sustainability:

• 2014 survey49 found: o 39% of U.S. adults described themselves as “environmentalists”

§ Democrats more likely than Republicans (50% vs. 26%) § Millennials less likely than those in older generations to view themselves

as environmentalists (32%) • 47% of Americans ranked the environment as a top policy issue that Obama and

Congress should be tackling this year according to survey conducted in January 201650 • 89% of Democrats say government should play a major role in protecting the

environment, 58% of Republicans say government should play major role51 o Democratic states and wealthier states more likely to support stricter

environmental regulations • 2015 survey found:52

o 83% of women in the U.S. consider climate change to be a serious problem o 66% of men in the U.S. consider climate change to be a serious problem

44 http://civileats.com/2016/05/31/why-young-farmers-are-flocking-to-northfield-minnesota/ 45 http://civileats.com/2016/05/31/why-young-farmers-are-flocking-to-northfield-minnesota/ 46 http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/24/americas-water-crisis-goes-beyond-flint-michigan.html 47 http://www.mprnews.org/story/2016/08/09/environment-farmers-cover-crops-curb-pollution 48https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Minnesota/Publications/County_Estimates/2016/MN_CtyEst_Corn_%2014-15.pdf 49 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/22/for-earth-day-heres-how-americans-view-environmental-issues/ 50 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/22/for-earth-day-heres-how-americans-view-environmental-issues/ 51 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/22/for-earth-day-heres-how-americans-view-environmental-issues/ 52 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/02/women-more-than-men-say-climate-change-will-harm-them-personally/

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Social Movements

• Save the Boundary Water Movement in Northern Minnesota53: o The Save the Boundary Waters Movement increases awareness to all ages of

the need to protect Minnesota’s waters and has extended to college campuses outside of Minnesota, such as Iowa State University.

• Take Back the Tap Movement:54 o Advocates against the use of bottled water to help keep waterways clear of

plastic. The movement has gained traction across colleges and universities throughout the United States. Carleton College has embraced this trend and implemented a water bottle ban on their campus.

• Northfield Just Food Co-op: o Northfield’s Just Food Co-op opened in 2004 with the mission of providing a

source for locally-produced organic food,55 and a goal of reaching 200 members.56 As of November 2014, Just Food Co-op has over 2,800 members, revealing community values of buying locally produced organic foods.57

Political/Legal:

• Minnesota Buffer Law58: o Minnesota’s updated Buffer Law requires perennial vegetation buffers of up to 50

feet along rivers, streams, and ditches that help filter out phosphorus, nitrogen, and sediment. This law includes flexibility and financial support for landowners to install and maintain buffers.

• Minnesota Department of Agriculture programs and initiatives59 o The Agricultural Best Management Practices Loan Program is a low interest loan

program that helps finance water quality practices. In addition, the Minnesota Clean Water Legacy Act oversees several research and other projects aimed toward making cleanup efforts more effective.

• Bureau of Water and Soil Resources (Rice and Steele County locations)60 o The Bureau of Water and Soil Resources in Rice and Steele County provides

grants and funding, resource management and planning assistance, and conservation implementation.

• (See Appendix A.10 for more Political/Legal information) 53 http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/academics/article_96d535d8-96f7-11e6-9768-cbc77dede20b.htm 54 http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/campaign/take-back-tap 55 http://justfood.coop/about/ 56 http://www.southernminn.com/northfield_news/news/local/article_ba7a5279-ac5f-5bb1-832e-6cc55568555c.html 57 http://www.southernminn.com/northfield_news/news/local/article_ba7a5279-ac5f-5bb1-832e-6cc55568555c.html 58 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/buffers/index.html 59 https://www.mda.state.mn.us/protecting/waterprotection.aspx 60 http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/

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Demographics: Population (est. 2015)61: Rice County: 65,049

• Top 3 cities experiencing growth in Rice County:62 o Northfield: 16.7% increase (2,860) o Faribault: 12.2% increase (2,534) o Lonsdale: 146.4% increase (2,183)

Steele County: 36,465 Age Distribution63

20-24 years

25-29 years

30-34 years

35-39 years

40-44 years

45-49 years

50-54 years

55-59 years

60-64 years

65-69 years

Rice County 9.6% 6.0% 6% 6% 6.5% 7.3% 7.1% 6.0% 4.7% 3.6% Steele County 4.9% 6.4% 5.9% 6.1% 6.9% 7.7% 7.2% 6.8% 5.1% 38%

Rice County: • Median income of someone age 24-44 is $63,624. Age 45-65 is $77,236.64 • 2000-2010 Census showed a dip (9.84 percent decrease) in the ages 35-44.65

Income: Rice County:

• Median family income: $73,37966 • 21.5% of families make $50,000-74,99967 • Ages 22-44: 81% employed68 • Ages 45-54: 87.2% employed69

Steele County: • Median family income: $72,37670 • 22.9% of families make $50,000-74,99971 • Median earnings: $55,57472 • Those with a bachelor’s degree have a median income of $51,51273

61 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 62http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf 63 ttp://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 64 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 65http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf 66 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 67 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml# 68 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 69 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF 70 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 71 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml# 72 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 73 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

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Minnesota:74 • Median family income: $76,190 • 19.6% of families earn between $50,000-$74,999

United States:75 • Median family income: $65,44476 • 18.9% of families earn between $50,000-$74,999

Employment: 77 Poverty Status Population in labor force Employed Unemployed Rice County 11.8% 68.9% 64.5% 4.3% Steele County 11% 69.8% 65.2% 4.6%

Industry: 78 Rice County Steele County Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining 2.4% 3.4% Construction 5.6% 5.3% Manufacturing 14.9% 23% Wholesale trade 2.0% 2.6% Retail trade 9.8% 11.9% Transportation and warehousing, and utilities 4.2% 2.9% Information 1.6% 1.0% Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing 4.4% 10.2% Professional, scientific, management, administrative, and waste management services

6.7% 4.7%

Educational, health and social services 34.5% 20.4% Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services

6.7% 7.0%

Public administration 3.4% 3.6% Other Services 3.5 3.8%

Education: HS diploma 25-34

years 35-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years Total

Population79

Rice County80 90.2% 88.1% 94.7% 81.9% 89.9% Steele County81 89.2% 95.4% 96.2% N/A N/A

74 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 75 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 76 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 77 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 78 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 79http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf 80http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf 81 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

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Bachelor’s degree

25-34 years

35-44 years 45-64 years 65+ years Total Population82

Rice County83 20.9% 28% 30.1% 25.9% 27.1% Steele County84 27.5% 32.3% 25.7% N/A N/A

(See Appendix A.11-15 for more demographics of Rice and Steele County) Demographics of farmers in Minnesota:85

• According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture (compiled every five years), the 2012 census reported that the average age of a farmer is 57 years old.

Age distribution 25-34 years 35-44 years 45-54 years 55-64 years 65+ years % of farmers 7.4% 12.8% 26.1 28.2 24.2 • 99.3% of Minnesota’s Principal farm owners (those who own the farm) are white. • Average income for a farmer in 201586

o Crop farm: $26,586 ($260,950 in 2012) o Livestock farm: $23,933 ($127,626 in 2012)

• 1,304 farms in Rice County87 Demographics College Campuses in Northfield: St. Olaf College:

• 2015 total enrollment: 3,046 students (43% Men, 57% Women)88 • Religious affiliation: Lutheran89 • Over 15 environmentally focused clubs and student organizations90 • Has Environmental Coalition club91 • Green rating: 69/100 92 • Survey says: “Students are environmentally aware” 93

Carleton College:

• 2015 total enrollment: 1,991 students (49% men, 51% women)94

82 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 83http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf 84 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 85 http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/minnfarmer.pdf 86 http://news.extension.umn.edu/2016/03/minnesota-farm-incomes-continue-decline.html 87https://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Minnesota/cp27131.pdf 88 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 89 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 90 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 91 https://www.stolaf.edu/orgs/list/index.cfm?fuseaction=orginfo&OrgID=271&currentaction=listallorgs 92 Franek, Robert, Kristen O'Toole, and David Soto. The Best 380 Colleges: 2016 Edition. New York: Penguin Random House, 2015. Print. 93 Franek, Robert, Kristen O'Toole, and David Soto. The Best 380 Colleges: 2016 Edition. New York: Penguin Random House, 2015. Print. 94 https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/about/

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• Religious affiliation: None95 • Offers an “Environmental and Technology Studies” major96 • Green Rating: 94/10097 • Survey says: “Students are environmentally aware”98

(See Appendix A.16 for more information on St. Olaf and Carleton students) Technology:99

• Environmental nonprofit organizations attract a wide group of people and use social media as a tool to raise awareness and increase engagement with their products and services.100

Generational cohorts’ Media Habits: • Generation Y- Millennials (ages 18-32)

o 28% follow beneficiaries on social media o 50% share information about the charities they support with friends on Facebook

• Generation X- Gen X (ages 33-48) o 25% follow beneficiaries on social media o 38% share information about charities they support with friends on Facebook

• Baby Boomers (ages 49-67) • Matures (ages 68+)

Media Habits Facebook101 Twitter102 Instagram103 LinkedIn104 YouTube105 Millennials 90% 32% 55% 55% 97% Gen X 77% 29% 28% 57% 92% Baby Boomers 71% 13% 11% 46% 81% Matures 59% 6% 4% N/A 58% • (In survey of 500 nonprofits) 88% nonprofits said their most important communication

tools were email and websites due to donation potential • Facebook is most popular for nonprofits (70%) followed by Twitter (43%) • 59% of people who engage with causes on Facebook donate money to nonprofits106 • Google AdWords is free of charge for nonprofits107

95 https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/about/ 96 https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/about/ 97 Franek, Robert, Kristen O'Toole, and David Soto. The Best 380 Colleges: 2016 Edition. New York: Penguin Random House, 2015. Print. 98 Franek, Robert, Kristen O'Toole, and David Soto. The Best 380 Colleges: 2016 Edition. New York: Penguin Random House, 2015. Print. 99 https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/03/13/social-media-nonprofits-engaging-with-community/ 100 http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2006/03/guide-environmental-non-profits 101 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic 102 http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/19/mobile-messaging-and-social-media-2015/2015-08-19_social-media-update_09/ 103 http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/19/mobile-messaging-and-social-media-2015/2015-08-19_social-media-update_09/ 104 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic 105 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic 106 http://www.nptechforgood.com/2016/11/08/10-social-media-strategies-that-increase-engagement-and-inspire-donors/ 107 https://www.google.com/nonprofits/?gclid=CNLAw9XgnNACFYRKXgodDooHVQ

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Analysis of the Environment Strengths:

• Established community presence through classes and community-wide cleanup events, available to youth, adults, and farmers in Rice County (26th year in operation)

• Collaboration with local government and city officials to promote CRWP’s mission. • Partner with well-known environmental groups around Minnesota. • CRWP has been recognized for their work and innovative programs through highly

selective awards and grants. • Routinely featured in local papers to discuss issues around water and the

environment.108 • Influence farmers to use sustainable farming practices. • Credible source for research and information- partnered with Minnesota Pollution Control

Agency. • Hold interactive events throughout the Cannon River Watershed. • Interaction with colleges in Northfield through research and events. • Membership is tax deductible.

Weaknesses:

• Lack of youth and recreation programs. • Membership benefits are less tangible than competitor’s membership benefits. • Almost all employees are part time

o Not a lot of the budget goes toward staff salaries o Staff does not have much free time to market CRWP

• There are no results when “CRWP” is searched on Facebook. 109 • There are no results when “Cannon River Watershed Partnership” is searched on

Twitter. 110 • CRWP’s Facebook and Twitter profile and cover photos do not represent CRWP as a

whole. • The layout of CRWP’s website difficult to navigate due to a large number of tabs • The mobile version of the CRWP website is difficult to navigate. • There is a CRWP.org111 for the Chagrin River Watershed Partners which has a similar

URL CRWP.net for the Cannon River Watershed Partnership website. Potential donors/members may be directed to the wrong CRWP or get the two CRWPs confused due to their similar URLs and identical acronyms.

o There is also a CRWP: Chippewa River Watershed Project.112 This exact acronym may also confuse potential donors/members.

• CRWP does not advertise on their website that membership is given to volunteers who volunteer more than 3 hours.

108 http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/news/local/article_df7a01d7-fc5a-5e46-9a15-c3eafe0f51d5.html 109 https://www.facebook.com/CannonRiverWatershedPartnership/?fref=ts 110 https://twitter.com/CannonRiver 111 crwp.org 112 http://www.chippewariver.org/

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Opportunities: • Both populations have slightly grown over the past five years (Rice has grown 2 percent

since 2010). Steele has grown 0.5 percent.113 • Rice County’s median family income is $73,379 and the median family income of Steele

County is $72,376. Both of these are above the national median of $65,444. • Rice County’s large agricultural/farming community paired with Governor Dayton’s better

clarification (such as defining public waters) of buffer zones114 provides chances for increased education on water preservation.

• Very few water conservation non-profits in the Cannon River Watershed115, allowing CRWP to establish a competitive advantage.

• CRWP is a nonprofit, so Google AdWords will be free of charge. • A fairly large Hispanic population in Rice and Steele Counties116 provides opportunities

to run Spanish campaigns. • Access to college students due to two colleges in Northfield (Carleton and St. Olaf). • The Rice County leadership has shown willingness in the past to work together with

CRWP in promoting sustainable water management practices. • The median family income in Rice County is higher than the U.S. median and

comparable to the Minnesota median. • Most older Millennials and Generation X (22-44 years) are employed • Environmental trends, such as providing safe and clean water, are gaining traction due

to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. • Minnesota farmers are starting to use greener practices. • Baby Boomers continue to donate to nonprofits more than any other generational cohort. • Many college students are embracing environmental groups and movements such as

the Take Back the Tap Movement. • Community members are purchasing more food grown by local farmers, especially in

Co-ops. • Generation X has attained the largest percentage of bachelor’s degrees in Rice County. • St. Olaf is religiously affiliated and studies show that more religious students are prone

to donating. • Both Carleton and St. Olaf have a higher of female students than male students.

Research indicates that female college students donate more. • Both Carleton and St. Olaf have a major focused on environmental studies, along with

student organizations that promote sustainability on campus. • 23.5 percent of College students donate and volunteer. 47.9 percent donate only.

Threats: • High concentration of Generation X and Baby Boomers in Rice and Steele limits social

media responsiveness. • In a survey of 500 nonprofits, 88% said their most important communication tools were

email and websites due to donation potential, rather than social media.117 • 9.84 percent dip in ages 35 to 44 in Rice County between 2000-2010.118

113 http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/27147/accessible 114 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/buffers/index.html 115 http://northfield.org/nonprofits 116 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 117 https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/03/13/social-media-nonprofits-engaging-with-community/ 118 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

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• Northfield has 48 other nonprofits for residents to donate their money to. • Strong presence of other nonprofits that offer similar membership prices and benefits.119 • Farmer income varies from year to year, so CRWP cannot rely on consistent donations. • Carleton College is not a religiously affiliated school, and religious students are more

likely to donate. • 23.2 percent of college students neither donate or volunteer.

Competitive Advantage Cannon River Watershed Partnership’s competitive advantage is their ability to provide services that appeal to a wide range of ages and differing lifestyles. CRWP offers classes in Northfield that are typically only offered in large, metropolitan locations. In addition, CRWP’s events have large turnouts, especially amongst college students and Millennials. Finally, their geographic location situates them in the epicenter of farming communities that are already working with the state government to engage in sustainable practices such as the implementation of cover crops.

Segmentation Objectives Increase monetary donations by five percent in the Cannon River Watershed. Evaluation of Potential Segments and their Attractiveness: Generation X Families with children This segment features a group of people ages 33-48 in Rice County that earn a solid income and are willing to donate money. This group also embraces environmental trends. In addition, safety for their children is important to them, particularly focusing on providing clean water for their children and long-term sustainability. Evaluation of attractiveness:

• Identifiable: This group embraces environmental practices and is involved in the community and education programs.

• Substantial: In comparison to other generational cohorts, this group represents a slightly larger portion of the Rice County population, approximately 19%.

• Reachable: This group is active on various media channels, including Facebook (77%), YouTube (92%), and LinkedIn (57%).

• Responsive: Gen X is adopting environmental practices and trends, such as buying local and fighting for clean and safe water.

• Profitable: Families in Rice County earn an average to above average income. Gen X also represents 20% of total giving and donates on average across 3.9 charities. This shows that this segment has the ability to be profitable because they have disposable income and the tendency to donate it across a variety of different nonprofits.

119 http://northfield.org/nonprofits 119 http://fmr.org/ 119 http://www.zumbrowatershed.org/programs 119 http://northfieldartsguild.org/support/donors-circle/

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Farmers This segment is located in the epicenter of farming communities in Rice County who care about making money while also engaging in sustainable farming practices such as CRWP’s cover crop program. Evaluation of attractiveness:

• Identifiable: Currently, fifteen farms in Rice County are utilizing CRWP’s cover crop program.

• Substantial: There are 1,304 farms in Rice county. • Reachable: The average age of a farmer is 57 years old in Rice County, categorizing

them as Baby Boomers, which have the lowest the lowest percent of social media users aside from Matures.

• Responsive: Recently, more farmers are embracing green farming practices, as seen through the pledge from the Minnesota Corn Growers association to create the greenest and most sustainable growers in the nation.

• Profitable: Farmers experience a fluctuating income, due to varying crop prices. This makes them an unreliable source to expect donations from.

Baby Boomers This segment features a substantial group of people in Rice County with a higher income, who also represent a large portion of the donor pool toward charities and nonprofits. While this group is less concerned about environmental issues, they do care about donating toward causes that improve their community as a whole and CRWP offers services that make lasting, beneficial impacts on the community Evaluation of attractiveness:

• Identifiable: This group tends to be toward the end of their careers and is looking for ways to give back to the community, especially through social services.

• Substantial: This segment makes up 21.7% of Rice County. • Reachable: Besides Matures, this generational cohort is the least active on various

social media channels, including Facebook (71%), YouTube (81%), and LinkedIn (46%). • Responsive: Based on social trends, this group is not likely to embrace new

environmental changes. • Profitable: Baby Boomers represent 43% of total giving, with 72% of their generation

donating an average of $1,212 per year across 4.5 charities. St. Olaf and Carleton College Students Based on our research, St. Olaf and Carleton College students tend to embrace environmental trends and promote sustainable practices on campus. In addition, Millennials make up the largest users of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, making this group a responsive target to social media. Evaluation of attractiveness:

• Identifiable: This group is identifiable because most student learn and live on campus. • Substantial: There are 5,037 college students between Carleton and St. Olaf. • Reachable: This group makes up the largest group of users on Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram and YouTube, making them a group that is easier to reach through social media.

• Responsive: Carleton and St. Olaf both embrace current environmental trends, as seen through the Take Back the Tap movement and the number of environmental sustainability groups on each campus.

• Profitable: Even though college students volunteer and donate, they are comprised of Millennials who donate the least amount to nonprofit organizations compared to other generational cohorts.

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Targeting Select Target Market: Generation X families with children: Why we picked this segment:

• Generation X families with children: Generation Xers may statistically donate less than Baby Boomers; however, since this segment has children, they are more environmentally conscious and care about the safety of their water, as seen through recent social trends. This segment is also highly engaged with social media, which is the most cost-effective way for CRWP to market due to budget constraints. Families in Rice County tend to have a higher median income than the national average, meaning they have more disposable income to donate.

Why we did not pick the other segments:

• Farmers: Due to a fluctuating income, Farmers may have more or less disposable income from year to year. This makes this group a non-reliable source for donations due to the possibility of a poor harvest or low crop prices.

• Baby Boomers: Even though Baby Boomers statistically donate more to nonprofits than the other two segments, social trends show that they are more willing to support social services rather than environmental organizations like CRWP.

• St. Olaf and Carleton College Students: While college students at St. Olaf and Carleton tend to support and embrace new sustainable trends and ideas, we did not pick this segment because research shows that Millennials tend to give less to nonprofits than Generation Xers.

Target Profile

• Geographic Location: This segment lives in Rice County, with the majority living in Northfield and Faribault, the two fastest growing cities in the county. Growing cities are beneficial to CRWP because this shows that the segment will continue to be substantial in the future. Also, CRWP’s programs and headquarters are centered out of Northfield and Rice County; therefore, residents of these communities will be more likely to use these programs and donate to CRWP.

• Income/Employment: Middle class, employed parents with kids that have some disposable income. Since CRWP is looking to increase donations, this group is beneficial because they have money available to donate.

• Education: Most parents in Rice county have at least a high school education, while some also have a bachelor’s degree. CRWP offers educational programs and classes for all educational levels. Those with high school diplomas may be more interested in CRWP’s introductory programs and classes, while those with a bachelor’s degrees may be more interested in taking advantage of CRWP’s higher level programs and classes to further their education.

• Philanthropy: This segment cares about giving back to their community and often donates to a variety of charities.

• Social Media Habits/How They Communicate: This group primarily communicates through Facebook and LinkedIn; they also have a strong presence on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. In addition, this segment frequently shares information about the charities that they support with their friends on Facebook.

• What they care about: Parents in this segment care about clean and safe water for their children, especially in the aftermath of the Flint, Michigan Water Crisis. In addition,

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parents care about finding safe places to bring their kids for outdoor activities and invested in the preservation of wildlife. This segment believes in the core values and mission statement of CRWP, giving them a strong potential to become members and to donate to CRWP.

Positioning Positioning Strategy and Marketing Mix: Product: Current programs that will attract Generation X families with children:

• Master Water Stewards educational class: Appealing to parents who want to gain knowledge on how they can ensure clean water for their children and for future generations.

• Storm Drain Stenciling: Family-friendly volunteer activity in which parents and their children can draw “Do Not Dump-Drains to Rivers/Lakes”

• Watershed Wide Cleanup: Activity for all ages to clean up local waterways that builds a sense of community

• Stormwater Poster Contest: Annual contest held each spring in Northfield elementary schools with captivating kid-friendly rewards for the best artwork representing a “solution to stormwater pollution”

• Membership benefits that attract Gen X families with children: o Tax deductible donation o Monthly E-Newsletter o Discounts to CRWP hosted events o “Knowing that you are being a supportive river-friendly neighbor”

Recommended additional programs to attract Generation X families with children: • CRWP River Readers Book Club: Meet at Northfield Library once a month and discuss

kid-friendly environmental topics. • Welch Mill Family tubing outing: Join CRWP for a lazy ride down the Cannon River

exploring our beautiful waterways. A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to CRWP to keep our water clean and pure.

Price: CRWP Membership Tiers that Gen X families with children will consider:

• Member: $25 • Sponsor: $35 • Friend: $50 • Protector: $100

Price Recommendations: • Clearly specify the additional benefits gained from each

member tier. • Create a “Family” membership tier for $60 to incentivize

donations through discount (Price of two members + $10). This package includes two CRWP t-shirts and priority for CRWP family events.

CRWP T-shirt prototype

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Place: Northfield Minnesota

• CRWP headquarters is located in Northfield, one of the main cities where our target segment lives.

• Northfield is one of the fastest-growing cities in terms of population in Rice County. • CRWP has many long-last relationships with Northfield government officials.

Promotion: Campaign Strategy: CRWP’s promotional efforts will center around kids and families in order to attract the segment of Generation X families with children. Articles and pictures on social media and website posts should all center around children. CRWP Website:

• CRWP website needs to be upgraded to appeal to internet users.

• Color Themes: River Blue (93 Red, 161 Green, 223 Blue) and Grass Green (48 Red, 181 Green, 140 Blue)

o Use this new color theme throughout website, social media sites, and promotional materials to keep colors consistent.

• Include membership benefits on home page • Post recent news and recaps of events on home page.

Create photo albums to organize any pictures from these events.

• Restructure sub-tabs and consolidate information to create a more intuitive layout.

• Adjust mobile version so the layout matches the website and the “Become a Member” button is easier access.

CRWP Website prototype

CRWP Mobile Website prototype

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Facebook:120 • Change Facebook Page name to: Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP) • Change profile picture to CRWP logo • Periodically change cover picture to photos from events (primarily pictures with kids and

families), information about upcoming events, and donation information.

• 501(c)(3) with a verified page can use Facebook Donations tool to fundraise o CRWP should get verified to get nonprofit status.

• Create an editorial calendar o Editorial calendar should include dates where certain content should be posted.

• Visually appealing content provides 4 times more engagement through likes and shares o Provide images of volunteers and the impact of their activities during clean-ups,

classes, and events. • Post 5-7 times weekly and once on the weekend

o Content should be varied and always accompanied by an image or video. • Use hashtag fundraising and link it to a microsite with clear calls to action

o Use hashtags “#CRWP” and “#CannonRiverWatershedPartnership” o Create hashtags such as “#ProtectOurWater”, then provide a link to a microsite

with clear calls to action such as “donate for better water quality.” • Broadcast events live

o Broadcast informational sessions and educational classes, such as how to set up crop covers and create rain gardens.

• Use email newsletter members to grow Facebook page Likes o Include link to Facebook page in email newsletter and tell readers to like

“Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP)” on Facebook

120 http://www.nptechforgood.com/2016/11/08/10-social-media-strategies-that-increase-engagement-and-inspire-donors/

CRWP Facebook Page prototype

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Twitter:121 • Currently the Twitter account has the handle @CannonRiver and username CRWP, so

when users search Cannon River Watershed Partnership, nothing shows up. o Since the current CRWP Twitter account lacks searchability, we recommend that

CRWP creates a new twitter account under a different handle. o The new Twitter account should use:

§ Name: Cannon River Watershed Partnership § Handle (will have @ in front): crwp

o Once new account is created, Tweet from old account periodically “We are switching over to a new twitter account, please follow us at @crwp”

§ On the new CRWP twitter account follow all followers and people the old CRWP account was following.

• Provide followers with useful, interesting, retweetable content o Tweet pictures of stormwater poster contest, tagging participants and providing

link to enrolling website. • Write tweets in clear, concise language (no abbreviations)

o Provide invitations to educational courses with concise description • Retweet curated content that keeps feed alive, even when content is from other users

o Retweet ordinances from the city regarding water management, retweet updates on Buffer laws.

• Tweet or retweet 2-8 times daily spread throughout the day o Tweet about daily activities, update users on day-by-day. Also tweet at least

once per day about membership offers. • Tweet on weekends

o Tweet about clean-ups, opportunities to donate, and at least once per day about membership offers.

121 http://www.nptechforgood.com/2015/02/08/10-twitter-best-practices-for-nonprofits/

CRWP Twitter Page prototype

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• Always include a link in tweets o Provide links to YouTube instructional, legal documents, newsletters, articles, the

CRWP website, etc. • Upload properly-sized photos and infographics

o Upload pictures of activities, statistics on phosphate levels, infographics on CRWP’s positive impact, nature photos, etc.

• Don’t spam hashtags o Do not use too many hashtags in posts. Stick to “#CRWP”,

“#CannonRiverWatershedPartnership”, and any relating trending hashtags or event hashtags.

• Create custom images for stats and quotes from members • Use Twitter analytics dashboard to understand patterns

o Revise weekly to find retweet patterns, reach out to followers who retweet CRWP posts.

• Use email newsletter members to grow Twitter page followers o Include link to Twitter page in email newsletter and tell readers to follow “Cannon

River Watershed Partnership” on Twitter Instagram:122

• CRWP does not currently have an Instagram o CRWP should create an Instagram using

§ Name (part with page icon): Cannon River Watershed Partnership § Username (part with head icon): CRWP.

• Include the ‘.’ at the end of CRWP since CRWP already exists § Have link to CRWP Website in Instagram Bio

• Link CRWP Instagram account with CRWP Twitter account o When photos are posted to Instagram, the link to the post will simultaneously

appear on Twitter.

122 http://www.nptechforgood.com/2014/04/14/top-5-instagram-best-practices-for-nonprofits/

CRWP Instagram Account prototype

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• Use Instagram to capture moments and events in real-time through photos and videos. o CRWP should take photos and video footage of their watershed clean up events,

workshops, and other involvements in the community and post them in real-time. • Regram photos from others and tag them if they have a presence on Instagram using

the “Add People” function. o CRWP should regram relevant photos from Instagram’s users in the environment

industry and government officials. • Add hashtags to captions.

o Monitor and use the hashtags that are most popular on Instagram. o As a part of event reporting and cause awareness campaigns, crowdsource

images and videos by asking followers to use your hashtag when sharing images on Instagram.

§ CRWP should start using their own hashtag “#CRWP” as well as “#CannonRiverWatershedPartnership” to make themselves more searchable, and monitor trending hashtags that may be relevant to the environmental industry that CRWP could use in a post.

• Regularly like images posted by others. o CRWP should like images posted by those that they follow as well as their

followers. • Share at least one image daily

o CRWP should maintain a consistent presence on Instagram in order to build a steady following.

o CRWP should post a variety of photos and captions relating to past, present, and future CRWP events & classes, as well as information on CRWP membership

• Use email newsletter members to grow Instagram page followers o Include link to Instagram page in email newsletter and tell readers to follow

“Cannon River Watershed Partnership” on Instagram LinkedIn:123

• CRWP does not currently have a LinkedIn o CRWP should create a LinkedIn page using “Cannon River Watershed

Partnership (CRWP)” o Link account to Kari Clark’s LinkedIn Account

123 http://www.nptechforgood.com/2016/11/08/10-social-media-strategies-that-increase-engagement-and-inspire-donors/

CRWP LinkedIn Page prototype

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• Page must clearly state mission statement. o “To engage people in protecting and improving the water quality and natural

systems of the Cannon River watershed.” • Maximize presence by adding information about products and services.

o Update daily on upcoming events and services provided, such as educational classes, workshops or watershed cleanups.

• Ask connections to recommend site to others. o Identify recurrent donors and volunteers and ask them to recommend site

through LinkedIn • Provide information that donors will be likely to share with others.

o Benefits of becoming a member, positive impact on the community, why it matters to be a member

• Make it a part of a bigger picture, appeal to bigger trends with the industry. o Connect with bigger friend’s like water cleanup organizations in Flint, MI; NDPLA

with the water crisis in California, etc. • Use email newsletter members to grow LinkedIn page followers

o Include link to Instagram page in email newsletter and tell readers to follow “Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP)” on LinkedIn

• Use LinkedIn news feed to share articles o Use the LinkedIn news feed to share articles written by CRWP, as well as other

interesting articles that help grow CRWP’s name. Post every three days so people do not become overwhelmed by too many articles.

YouTube • Change CRWP profile picture to CRWP logo and periodically change cover photos to

photos to the Cannon River, nature photos, event photos, and information.

• Add a description of CRWP on channel home page. • Share videos on other social media pages. • Each video posted should have a distinct name. Make sure that the video is not named

after the file format (ex: HD 350d).

CRWP YouTube Account prototype

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• Create videos that are geared toward parents. At each event, use a videographer to capture the event. Bring microphones to interview kids and parents about their experience at the events. Edit and upload videos that are between 1:30 to 2:00 minutes long.

• Film and produce a “What’s in your water?” video that will feature two glasses of filtered water. Next, take one of the glasses full of water and have someone dump in chemicals and other sediments that may be found in the Cannon River to illustrate the importance of protecting our water sources and maintaining clear waterways.

Google AdWords:124 • The keywords chosen in these campaigns should specifically tie to environmental

education for children and adults. • When selecting the keywords, utilize Google’s Keyword Planner to find words that

maximize search engine optimization potential. • Choose keywords that will result in the highest quality score. Do not pick words that

stray too far from the objective of each campaign. • Emphasize and select more keywords that tie into children and family recreation

activities, as this is the main group and sector that CRWP will use to increase donations and awareness.

• Account: Cannon River Watershed Partnership • Campaigns:

1. Membership (AG1) 2. Volunteer Activities (AG2)

• Ad Groups: 1. Donations (AG1) 2. Nonprofits (AG1) 3. Adult events (AG2) 4. Youth events (AG2)

• Build landing page on the CRWP website that features a large number of keywords in the campaigns to maximize search engine optimization.

124 https://www.lynda.com/Marketing-Lead-Generation-tutorials/Creating-ad-group/368574/412876-4.html?autoplay=true

CRWP Google AdWords campaign breakdown

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• Advertisement: o Line 1 (Title): Cannon River Watershed Partnership o Line 2 (Website, telephone): http://crwp.net/, (507) 786-3913 o Line 3 (Description): Creating cleaner water for all through family-friendly classes

and activities. o Line 4 (Extensions- advanced): 1. About CRWP (lead to CRWP About tab) 2.

Donate (lead to CRWP donate tab) 3. Get Involved (lead to CRWP Get Involved tab) 4. Schedule (Lead to CRWP calendar)

• (See Appendix A.17 for more specifics on the Google AdWords campaign) Promotional items:

• Instead of giving away handkerchiefs and wood pencils, give away T-shirts and pens. o T-Shirts will help CRWP achieve brand recognition as members wear the CRWP

logo. (T-shirts can be designed and ordered on an online website or CRWP can try to get a discount by designing and printing at Larson’s Printing in Northfield).

o Wood pencils are outdated as more people move towards using mechanical pencils, so pens would be a good substitute. Pens also are less perishable than pencils.

• These items can be given away as prizes, promotional giveaways on social media, or as an added member benefit.

Other Recommendations: Hire an unpaid marketing intern from St. Olaf or Carleton college. (If the intern is from St. Olaf they can apply for the Internship Funding Grant from the Piper Center). Value Proposition:

• CRWP offers family friendly opportunities to better the environment through classes, contests, and volunteering.

o CRWP offers families a weekly, local educational class § Similar classes are only offered in metropolitan areas by competitors.

• CRWP has low, tax deductible membership costs. o Membership proceeds provide CRWP with funds that ensure safe and clean

water for their children and future generations. • By donating to CRWP, donors are not only bettering the environment, but providing a

safe community for their children. Predicted Outcomes: CRWP will see a donation increase of 5% and achieve increased brand recognition across multiple social media platforms.

CRWP Google AdWords Advertisement prototype

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Return on Investment (ROI): • A 5% increase in donations is the equivalent of approximately 17 new members; with

members paying the base fee of $25, we foresee an estimated increase in donations of $425.

• Since CRWP will not need to spend any money on these social media platforms, their only investment will be the increased cost of promotional items (T-shirts and pens instead of handkerchiefs and pencils) and time.

o We have estimated that the increase in pens and T-shirts from the handkerchiefs and pencils will cost $200.

o In order to balance out the cost of time for CRWP, we recommend that CRWP hires an unpaid marketing intern from St. Olaf or Carleton.

• CRWP’s ROI will be $"#$%$#&&$#&&

= 112.5%

Implementation Timeline: Ready by Give to the Max Day next November 2017 Facebook Total number of projected Facebook “likes”: 825

• December 2016: Change name on Facebook page to “Cannon River Watershed Partnership (CRWP)”. Update profile picture and cover photo.

• January 2017: Full-profile debrief updating information in each tab so it is consistent with website.

• February 2017: Have each CRWP staff member invite 50 people to like the CRWP Facebook page.

• March 2017: Start creating Facebook events and inviting page-likers and CRWP members to the event. Encourage people to spread the word about the event in posts. Given that is tax season, promote membership and benefits from donating in terms of tax deductions.

• April 2017: Create posts for summer events, especially those that involve family activities.

• May 2017: Have each CRWP staff member invite 50 more people to like the CRWP Facebook page. Promote upcoming events in June through giveaways for free tickets for the family tubing event.

• June 2017: Have each CRWP staff member invite 25 more people to like the page. Host another giveaway for free admittance to family tubing event in July.

• July 2017: Publish a post each day leading up to the family tubing event. At the event, Facebook “live” the event so people can see the event in real time on the Facebook page. Encourage each staff member to share the “live” post.

• August 2017: Have each CRWP staff member invite 25 more people to like the Facebook page. Create Facebook events for fall classes and activities. Post initial post about Give to the Max Day (only one in August- will ramp up this effort in September). Also, in mid-August post weekly about CRWP’s River Readers program in advance of back-to-school.

• September 2017: Have each CRWP staff member invite 15 more people to like CRWP’s Facebook page. Facebook “live” CRWP’s River Readers program at Northfield Public Library. Begin increasing posts to four posts a week on Give to the Max Day, provide link to CRWP’s website on Facebook page and posts.

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• October 2017: Ramp up Give to the Max Day posts (four posts a week). Use YouTube videos from summer events to emphasize the family-friendly nature of CRWP.

• November 2017: Use “water comparison” video from YouTube to show page-likers why CRWP needs their donation. Post four Give to the Max Day posts the first two weeks, and then daily posts on Give to the Max Day for the final week. If someone is matching donations, post at least 4 times per day on the week prior to Give to the Max Day; including amount matched, patron who is matching the donations (possibly a picture), and a clear description of the goal amount sought-after. Provide hourly feedback to users on progress achieving the goal amount, placing emphasis on substantial donations.

Twitter Projected number of Twitter followers: 737

• December 2016: Create new Twitter account with the username “Cannon River Watershed Partnership” and handle “@crwp”. Tweet from old account to inform followers that you will now be posting from “@crwp”.

• January 2017: Follow everyone that previous account was following and was followed by. Tweet another reminder in old account that followers can now find you at “@crwp”.

• February 2017: Follow all political representatives in Rice and Steele County. Send one tweet at a representative once a week.

• March 2017-June 2017: Grow account by following 100 people in Cannon River Watershed who work in environmental industry in age range 30-50. Publish posts that feature tweets incorporating fun activities for the coming summer with your kids and water. Feature Rain Garden workshops in tweets.

• July 2017-September 2017: Follow 200 people in the Canon River Watershed. Feature tweets on fishing and need for safe farming to protect water.

• October 2017: Tweet to two politicians a week on why CRWP is important. Start to share tweets surrounding Give to the Max Day in November.

• November 2017: Follow 300 people in the Cannon River Watershed. Feature three tweets a week for one week about Give to the Max Day. In final week leading up to Give to the Max Day, tweet one tweet daily about the importance of donating. Evaluate campaign results and steps for next campaign.

Instagram Total number of accounts followed: 200

• December 2016: Create account and link it to Twitter account. • January 2017: Begin following 35 local and statewide environmental groups and

government officials, other Northfield community members, and donors. • February 2017: Begin posting on a daily basis; either a regram or original content.

Continue to monitor and implement trending hashtags, in addition to “#CRWP” and “#CannonRiverWatershedPartnership” hashtags, to the caption of each post. Post photo/video content in real-time during any volunteer events and workshops. Photos during this period could focus on the film series that CRWP hosts in February.

• March 2017: Support Facebook events with pictures on Instagram and redirect traffic to Facebook page to make Instagram followers become page-likers on Facebook. During tax season, promote membership, benefits of donating and emphasize tax-deductible nature of donations.

• April 2017: Start promoting summer events, especially with posts highlighting the upcoming family events. Follow 40 more people on Instagram with an environmental background, particularly Gen Xers on Instagram.

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• May 2017: Promote tubing event with engaging pictures that emphasize family and community. Provide adequate links to Facebook and third-party websites as needed. Highlight giveaways on Facebook. Follow 40 more people on Instagram.

• June 2017: Promote giveaway for tubing event. Make sure to post picture that shows family-oriented activity and if possible, the physical display of the prize (tickets to go tubing, or voucher, etc). Post pictures of the preparation for the family tubing that will be in July. Follow 40 more people on Instagram.

• July 2017: Begin using Instagram stories to document events, classes, and daily routines at CRWP. Create videos at CRWP’s tubing outing. Follow any participants who were at the tubing event.

• August 2017: Begin to promote donations through CRWP’s website for November’s Give to the Max Day. Use appropriate hashtag, such as #GiveToTheMax, and sustain that hashtag throughout the campaign. Initiate posts on CRWP’s new River Reader’s program that will begin in September.

• September 2017: Post one picture a week highlighting Give to the Max Day. Include information on anyone matching donations and their picture in a communal/family setting. Post pictures and video at the Northfield Public Library of the River Readers program.

• October 2017: Post two pictures week, and post a video highlighting Give to the Max day. Post pictures of upcoming events, collaborations with community organizations and local government. Promote membership benefits. Follow 45 people.

• November 2017: Post two posts featuring Give to the Max posts for the first two weeks in November. For the final week leading up Give to the Max Day, publish one post a day. Post about benefits of donating at least 2 times per week. Include link on where to donate, benefits of being a member, what will be done with the money, and information on anyone matching donations. Use “Instagram story” to highlight any substantial donations received during Give to the Max Day.

LinkedIn Projected number of followers: 625

• December 2016: Create account for each individual at CRWP, as well as CRWP Business page

• January 2017: Fill in information for each individual with strong focus on past experiences and education. Any personal projects or research related to water conservation should also be included. Develop concise summary at top of page.

• February 2017: Begin construction of company page. Do not forget to add an image for the company so this also ties with personal accounts.

• March 2017: Each CRWP employee connect with 50 friends. Invite each friend to “follow” the CRWP business page. GOAL: Connect with 50 friends each.

• April 2017: Begin connecting with local business leaders. Each employee should connect with each leader, and also invite them to like the page. GOAL: 25 connections each.

• May 2017: Start to utilize LinkedIn Pulse- the news feed for LinkedIn. Read stories, gather possible articles from CRWP’s past to post here.

• June 2017: Post one story a week related to CRWP on business page. Each CRWP employee should share this post from their individual account.

• August 2017: Each CRWP employee should connect and invite 40 people to follow CRWP on LinkedIn, particularly those employed in environmental jobs and who fit target age.

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• September 2017: Each CRWP employee should connect and invite 50 people to follow CRWP’s company page. Post one article a week on the CRWP Business page.

• October 2017: Each CRWP employee connect and invite 75 people to follow CRWP’s LinkedIn page. Post two articles a week from the CRWP business page.

• November 2017: Each CRWP employee connect and invite 75 people to follow CRWP’s LinkedIn page. Post one article a day on the CRWP Facebook page all the way up to Give to the Max Day. Evaluate effectiveness of campaign.

Google AdWords • December 2016: Verify AdWords Account, log in to site, register as a nonprofit. • January 2017: Build two initial test campaigns. Develop advertisement for target group.

Determine landing page for ads. Build website page featuring as many keywords from campaigns as possible.

• January 15, 2017: Release two test campaigns • February 2017: Monitor campaigns- add necessary keywords, remove those indicated

in AdWords as a “Low Quality” search. • March 2017: Maintain original campaigns, begin building of third campaign. • April 2017: Release third campaign. • May 2017: Monitor results of both campaigns, add/remove keywords. • June 2017: Based on results, determine if two campaign released in January are

performing. If they are performing, move on to advanced ad-groups adding extensions on ads if possible. Otherwise, go back and reconstruct ad so it will be ready for official release in August.

• July 2017: Final big tweaks to ad groups. Main release for Give to the Max Day will need to be in August 2017 for best search engine optimization results.

• August 2017: Release final Ad Groups • September 2017: Monitor progress of Ad Groups, add/remove necessary keywords. No

major tweaks. • October 2017: Monitor progress of Ad Groups, add/remove necessary keywords. No

major tweaks. • November 2017: Monitor number of clicks on Ads, determine return on investment

based on clicks. Debrief and discuss possible changes for next year’s campaign.

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Appendix A.1: Cover Crop Program125 • Most recent project was funded by Minnesota Department of Agriculture Demonstration

grant: “Interseeding Cover Crops in Standing Corn in June” • This project put the cover crops in on June 6, 2016. • Ideal cover crops that CRWP uses in this area are established in the fall and keep the soil

covered for 5-7 months in order to keep the soil in place • The annual rye and clover mix grow until frost and has the ability to keep the soil in place

through winter and early spring. • Use consultants that are available to farmers in order to have discussions about cover

crops. • CRWP aims to help farmers experiment with cover crops to see how they fit into their

operation. o As of 2015, CRWP Currently has 15 cover crop experiments on farms in the

watershed. A.2: Rice Creek Conservation Project126 • Team up with Fishers and Farmers Partnership, a group that educates local leadership in

the upper Mississippi River basin watersheds to create awareness on how farmers can protect fish through responsible water conservation.

o Creates conservation practices that reduce peak runoff flows, soil erosion, and nutrient pollution.

• Seven-mile-long designated trout stream is located in Bridgewater Township and enters the Cannon River just north of Dundas.

o 2013 study that included CRWP and St. Olaf College as research partners confirmed that high levels of nitrates entering the water from agricultural runoff negatively affects aquatic life.

• CRWP addresses issue through “Buffer Field Day (which was last hosted on August 23, 2016. This event was sponsored by a Fishers and Farmer grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Services. Rice County Soil and Conservation District also helped to host this event.

o This event provided an opportunity for landowners and farmers to learn about water conservation through lessons on perennial vegetation buffer strips. There are also sessions on why buffer strips are important, programs that support buffer strips, and a Q and A on the new Minnesota Buffer Law (discussed later in the analysis).

A.3: Urban Stormwater:127

• Many water streams, rivers, and lakes in Cannon River Watershed do not meet current state water standards due to various pollutants in the water such as trash, motor oil, dog feces, and grass clippings.

o Goal to educate residents about runoff and how to help prevent stormwater pollution.

• CRWP offers a Master Water Steward class. Only non-metro partner to offer this class. o The class costs $200, but can be refunded if they complete the course and issue a

capstone presentation one year later. 125 http://crwp.net/agriculture-2/cover-crops/ 126 http://crwp.net/agriculture-2/rice-creek/ 127 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/

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o Requirement to maintain certification is 50 hours the first year and 25 every year after that.

o Total of 31 participants attending from Faribault, Northfield, and Red Wing in 2015. • Rain Gardens:128

o Workshops on how to make a garden that prevents runoff by planting deep-rooted plants near runoff sources.

§ Total of 65 participants in 2015. o Met with individual homeowners on a street reconstruction project in Northfield and

signed up three households to have rain gardens installed in their boulevards in 2015.129

• Storm Drain Stenciling: Use volunteers to draw “Do Not Dump- Drains to Rivers/Lake” A.4: Stormwater Poster Contest:130 • CRWP and City of Northfield hold a poster contest each spring in Northfield elementary

schools. • Theme for posters: “Be the Solution to Stormwater Pollution” • Top tree students receive an award at a City Council Meeting and their posters are

displayed in City Hall for a Year along with the additional first and second place prizes: o First place: Culver’s for a year o Second place: Free round of bowling

A.5: Small Community Wastewater:131

• Large amounts of untreated sewage are entering waterways in the CRWP region due to poor sewage systems.

• Southeast Minnesota Wastewater Initiative Program- CRWP created this award winning program (won the Bush Prize in 2014, which recognizes organizations that “offer innovative solutions that address community challenges and opportunities”132) that helps small communities improve their sewage treatment. Partner with Southeast Minnesota Water Resources Board, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

• Through this program, CRWP helps communities with poor sewage systems explore better options, find funding, educate the local leaders about local and state rules, and provide low interest loans to help the communities move forward in their projects.

• Since 2002, 22 small communities have upgraded their sewage system removing 317,290 gallons of untreated sewage per day from entering Southeast Minnesota lakes, streams, and rivers.

A.6: “Become a Member” button133

o Used to obtain new members o Located on the homepage o Brings potential members to a page that asks users to134

§ Select their desired type of membership

128 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/rain-gardens/ 129 http://crwp.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2015-Annual-ReportCRWP.pdf 130 http://crwp.net/urbanstormwater/stormwater-poster-contest/ 131 http://crwp.net/sewersquad/ 132 http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/770003/d5b5b0159a/1479826655/a1d81f4ed4/ 133 http://crwp.net/ 134 https://co.clickandpledge.com/Default.aspx?WID=89900

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§ Choose their form of payment (echeck or credit card) § Type their contact information § Read the Terms and Conditions:

• “The Cannon River Watershed Partnership is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization. This donation is deductible to the full extent allowed by law. No disqualifying goods or services were received in exchange for this donation.”

§ The “Become a Member” page does not inform potential members of any benefits of becoming a member, it only says that becoming a member “supports CRWP’s work for clean water.”

• Membership benefits can be found from the home page by clicking “Get Involved” and then “Support Us”

A.7: Generational Cohorts’ Philanthropy135 • Generation Y- Millennials (ages 18-32)

o 57% want to see the impact of their donation • Generation X- Gen X (ages 33-48)

o 49% want to see the impact of their donation A.8: College Students’ Philanthropy Table 4. Comparison of four different patterns of giving behavior in multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Nothing vs. both

Volunteering vs. both

Donation vs. both

B SE B SE B SE

Intercept 2.213** 0.352 −1.071* 0.521 1.195** 0.303

Age −0.036* 0.014 0.015 0.021 0.001 0.012

Gender (ref = male) −0.301** 0.072 −0.171 0.110 0.046 0.064

Family Income High (ref = low/middle) −0.307** 0.064 −0.230* 0.096 −0.131* 0.056

Program Other (ref = business) 0.408** 0.088 0.213 0.134 0.576** 0.078

Volunteering required in high school (ref = no)

−0.198** 0.045 0.055 0.066 0.032 0.038

Volunteering required in university (ref = no)

−0.179** 0.063 −0.021 0.091 −0.066 0.052

Values

Materialistic 0.250** 0.037 0.102 0.056 0.188** 0.032

Nonmaterialistic −0.588** 0.038 −0.367** 0.056 −0.307** 0.033

Religious −0.350** 0.036 −0.310** 0.055 −0.210** 0.031

135 https://www.blackbaud.com/nonprofit-resources/generational-giving-report-infographic

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Models of civil society (ref = Liberal)

Traditional 1.132** 0.118 0.736** 0.173 0.543** 0.111

Corporatist −0.183 0.096 0.278* 0.135 -0.166* 0.080

Statist 1.217** 0.112 0.152 0.186 0.490** 0.106

Social democratic −0.324 0.171 −0.410 0.281 0.275* 0.132

−2 Log likelihood = 18718.314, A.9: Culture/Social Trends:

• Environmental Quality Commission136 in Northfield: o Prides itself with the implementation and enforcement of ordinances aimed at

promoting healthy practices regarding environmental pressures and natural resource management, using a democratic culture to achieve so.

• GreenStep Cities Program137: o Northfield is a part of this program, it consists of 28 identified best practices to

promote sustainable environmental practices in an attempt to make these part of the Minnesotan Farming and resource management culture.

• Agricultural Best Management Practices Loan Program (Ag BMP) 138 o Implemented by Steele County o Farms that with a proven track record of sustainable practices receive a 3% loan

to further water improvement practices. • Steele County 2007-2016 Local Water Management Plan139

o Promotes a culture that strays away from indiscriminate pesticide use and harmful practices.

• Somali and Latino Community Assimilation in Rice140 and Steele141 County o Going through a process to assimilate the growing Somali and Latino

communities residing in these counties to promote a more inclusive culture. o Faribault created the Faribault Diversity Coalition in 1995 to help “greet new

residents, celebrate diversity, and…’promote an inclusive community where all (are) welcomed and respected”142

o Both Steele and Rice County have struggled to quantify the Somali population, given that this community refuses to fill out census forms. It is estimated that Owatonna is the fourth largest Somali settlement in Minnesota, ranging from 500 to 1500 people.143

136 http://weblink.ci.northfield.mn.us/weblink/0/fol/18562/Row1.aspx 137 http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/index.aspx?nid=723 138 http://www.co.steele.mn.us/divisions/community_services/environmental_services/water.php 139http://www.co.steele.mn.us/Environmental%20Services/3.Steele_County_Water_Plan_2011_Amendment_FinalVersion.pdf 140 http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/news/local/article_46036270-ecdb-5958-8c5d-515034aaaa64.html 141 http://www.southernminn.com/owatonna_peoples_press/news/article_cff40dcd-e219-5603-9792-7f04cf669414.html 142 http://www.faribaultdiversitycoalition.org/ 143 http://www.immigrationshumancost.org/text/community.html

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• Faribault Best Management Practices (BMPs) 144 o Set in order to promote a culture of collective, sustainable practices among its

citizens. The city prides partnering with CRWP at an advising capacity to promote such culture through education.

• Faribault Diversity Coalition145 o Created in 1995 to help “greet new residents, celebrate diversity, and…’promote

an inclusive community where all (are) welcomed and respected” o Both Steele and Rice County have struggled to quantify the Somali population,

given that this community refuses to fill out census forms. It is estimated that Owatonna is the fourth largest Somali settlement in Minnesota, ranging from 500 to 1500 people.146

• Steele County’s Water Management framework147 o Outdated, providing a good opportunity for CRWP to reinforce the already

existing and ever-expanding sustainable culture in the county. A.10: Political/Legal:

• August 2016- Governor Mark Dayton kicked off “Year of Water in Action”148 • State and Local Government Agencies concerning watersheds:149

o Minnesota Department of Natural Resources o Land Management Information Center o Metropolitan Council (Watershed Planning) o Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

• Rice County is actively implementing structural BMPs (sediment basins, grade stabilizers, and grassed waterways)150

• Rice County is implementing 20 Management BMPs (tillage, cover crops, high tunnels, forestry, etc.) annually.151

A.11: Rice and Steele County race and ethnicity demographics: Race/Ethnicity: Distribution

White Black or African

American

Native American

Asian & Native

Hawaiian

Hispanic or Latino

Other

Rice County152 89.3% 3.2% 0.5% 2.0% 8.0% 3.1%

144 http://www.ci.faribault.mn.us/documentcenter/view/1171 145 http://www.faribaultdiversitycoalition.org/ 146 http://www.immigrationshumancost.org/text/community.html 147ttp://www.co.steele.mn.us/Environmental%20Services/3.Steele_County_Water_Plan_2011_Amendment_FinalVersion.pdf 148 http://www.bwsr.state.mn.us/ 149 http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watersheds/other_links.html 150http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/planning/documents/Rice%20County%20Water%20Plan%202015-2019.pdf 151http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/planning/documents/Rice%20County%20Water%20Plan%202015-2019.pdf 152http://www.co.rice.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdfs/health/documents/Rice%20County%20Profile%202013%20DEED.pdf

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Steele County153

93.1% 2.8% 0.2% 0.8% 6.9% 1.7%

• In 2014 there were 26,000 Somalians in MN (do not include children of immigrants)154 o This statistic is likely undercounted due to trust and language issues in Census

response.155 A.12: Rice and Steele County occupation demographics156 Occupation: Management,

professional, and related occupations

Service occupations

Sales and office occupations

Natural resources,

construction, and

maintenance occupations

Production, transportation, and material

moving occupations

Rice County 35.4% 18.2% 21.8% 9.4% 15.2% Steele County 31.9% 16.7% 25.4% 7.9% 18.1%

A.13: Rice County education demographics

• Educational Attainment (ages 25-64): 157 o 2,854 do not have a high school diploma o 9,322 have a high school diploma o 10,706 have some college or an associate degree o 8,888 have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

A.14: Rice and Steele County gender demographics

• Rice County:158 o 32,934 males, 31,895 females

• Steele County:159 o 17,940 males, 18,352 females

A.15: Rice and Steele County Spanish language demographics

• Rice County:160 o 6.6% speak Spanish in their household

• Steele County:161 o 5.3% speak Spanish in their household

A.16: Demographics of St. Olaf and Carleton Colleges

• St. Olaf College: o Comprehensive fee (2015-2016): $52,730162

153 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 154 //www.mn.gov/admin/demography/data-by-topic/immigration-language/ 155 //www.mn.gov/admin/demography/data-by-topic/immigration-language/ 156 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 157 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 158 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 159 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 160 http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 161 ttp://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml 162 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf

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o Students receiving institutional gift aid: 89%163 § Aid recipients that were need-based: 76%164 § Average need-based financial aid package: $34,472165

o St. Olaf is implementing solar panels in an effort to add carbon-free electrical power to campus.166

o Bon, Appetit, the food service provider for Carleton, purchases from 15 local producers of meet, fruit, vegetables, and dairy. 167

• Carleton College: o Comprehensive fee (2016-2017): $64,071168 o For Class of 2019 students who demonstrated need, average financial aid

awarded was $45,597169 o Bon, Appetit, the food service provider for Carleton, purchases from 15 local

producers of meet, fruit, vegetables, and dairy.170 A.17: Google AdWords Campaign

• Donation keywords: o Best environmental nonprofits o Nonprofit association o Top environmental organizations o Nonprofit funding o Top environmental charities o Nonprofit sector o Best environmental charities o Environmental foundations o Minnesota Give to the Max Day o Give to the Max Day o Cannon River o Cannon Valley o Take Back the Tap

• Nonprofit keywords: o Nonprofit organization o Environmental non profit o Nonprofit management o Conservation non profit o Environmental nonprofit organization o List of environmental groups o Environmental institutions o Nonprofit agencies o Minnesota non profits o Northfield non profits o Northfield Minnesota non profits

163 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 164 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 165 http://wp.stolaf.edu/about/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2016/06/WebProfile2015c.pdf 166 http://wp.stolaf.edu/blog/st-olaf-celebrates-carbon-neutrality/ 167 https://wp.stolaf.edu/sustainability/ 168 https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/about/ 169 https://apps.carleton.edu/admissions/about/ 170 https://wp.stolaf.edu/sustainability/

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o Rice County environment • Adult events keywords:

o Environmental education o Nonprofit environment o Work volunteer o Environmental volunteers o Volunteer conservation o Environmental protection agency o Sustainability o Native jobs o Why to volunteer o Water safety o Water in science o Volunteer sites o Education for all o Volunteer sites o Environment cleanups o Education for all o List of organic foods o Sustainable gardens

• Youth events keywords: o Student volunteers o Nonprofit education o Cleanup o Youth programs o Youth classes o Cleanup day o Elementary education o Outdoor children activities o Is my water safe o Art contest for kids o Kids art contest o Kid friendly science experiments