1. MESSAGING & BRANDING NATIONAL SERVICE
Presented by Sara Fung

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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.”

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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

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

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

12. Messaging & Branding Branding: The Easy Lift Signage for your site

13. Messaging & Branding
Branding: The Easy Lift
Social Media

14. 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”

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

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

17. 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?

18. 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!

19. 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

20. 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?

21. 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?

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