MESSAGING & BRANDING NATIONAL SERVICE Presented by Sara Fung

Messaging & Branding Introductions Name Agency & AmeriCorps Project How does your agency brand AmeriCorps currently? What do you hope to get out of this session?

Messaging & Branding Why So, what are the requirements? Branding 2016 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grantes But, really, why? So, what are the requirements? Branding The Easy Lift and The Heavy Lift Messaging Opportunities for messaging Resources

Messaging & Branding Why? 2016 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grantes This is a requirement from both the Corporation for National and Community Service and CaliforniaVolunteers

Messaging & Branding But, really why: “Branding AmeriCorps conveys to individuals, communities, and the nation what we stand for, our value, our character, our national movement of service. It is our voice and our strategy to demonstrate AmeriCorps uniformity, quality, credibility, and experience.”

Messaging & Branding But, really why: Branding promotes: Sustainability of our programs Attention to innovation Esprit de corps Recruitment Lifelong service

Messaging & Branding So, what are the requirements? 2016 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grants Recipients shall identify the program as an AmeriCorps program and members as AmeriCorps members. All agreements with operating sites or service locations shall reflect this.

Messaging & Branding 2016 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grants (continued) Use the AmeriCorps Name and Logo Website to display logo and statement of participation “An AmeriCorps program” “AmeriCorps serving here” Your AmeriCorps materials must include the logo Recruitment flyers Online position postings Social media and press releases

Messaging & Branding 2016 Terms and Conditions for AmeriCorps State and National Grantees (continued) Publicize the relationship Train members to speak to being a “member” in a “National Service program” Members must identify selves as an AmeriCorps member when speaking publicly about the program Signage at service sites

Messaging & Branding CaliforniaVolunteers Addendum to “Branding and Message Guidance”

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift Member Gear from the CAP Center

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift Signage for your site Email

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift Social Media

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift Social Media When using social media, tag the CNCS accounts CAP Center Social Media policy: we defer to a partner’s social media and confidentiality policy. Photography: “Display the A”

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift What did I leave out?

Messaging & Branding Branding: The Heavy Lift Member gear co-branded with your logo Changes to your website VIP Site Visits Recognition Events Others Ideas?

Messaging & Branding Messaging The Elevator Speech for your members “My name is [name] and I’m an AmeriCorps member serving with [your agency name]. For the next year, I will be doing [type of service] while working to [tangible outcome] in [location]. Developing a Member’s Story Start with the elevator speech Share what led the member to serve Share the impact of member’s service on the community (anecdotal or data) What will member do when term is complete. Can this format be used to tell your agency’s story?

Messaging & Branding Group Coaching Activity: What’s YOUR elevator speech? What is your message to a stakeholder about AmeriCorps and your agency? Take 5 minutes to write down: How do you describe your agency? How do you describe AmeriCorps? How do you describe how AmeriCorps fits into and benefits your agency? Deliver your elevator speech to your tablemates. Everyone provide feedback. The speaker should take two minutes to reflect and respond to feedback. Repeat!

Messaging & Branding Opportunities to Use Messaging Outreach events Agency events Board of Directors meetings AmeriCorps Week events Board of Supervisors and/or City Council First 5 Commission Site Visits from government/funder representatives Recruitment activities Press Events National Service Projects

Messaging & Branding Activity: Identify 2-3 things that can be implemented at your agency to brand and message on behalf of AmeriCorps. What action steps should be taken to implement each branding and messaging tasks? What is the timeframe to implement? Who will implement?

Messaging & Branding Resources Gear: nationalservicegear.org Outreach materials: pubs.nationalservice.gov Logos and branded materials: nationalservice.gov/logos What other resources could we make available to you?

Final questions or thoughts? Messaging & Branding Final questions or thoughts?