HomeMy WebLinkAboutKelly Homewood - Gazette MarketingMay 1, 2023
Members of the Review Committee,
For more than 140 years, The Gazette has played a lead role in informing Eastern Iowans every day, with a
particular focus in the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City area. Throughout this time, our employee owners have
worked to provide credible, insightful, solutions -focused daily news. Gather, and support varying perspectives
and diverse voices to meet on important community issues. Provide expert guidance to area businesses that
allow them to build and grow their brand through strategic marketing and message development on Gazette
platforms.
With these objectives remaining at the forefront of our next 140 years, our team is proud to submit a formal
application for consideration of the 2023 Inclusive Economic Development Support for Underestimated
Businesses and Entrepreneurs. This request is in the amount of $150,000 to launch The Gazette's Inclusive
Support Marketing Grant which will provide free advertising to underestimated businesses, entrepreneurs and
connect grant recipients to key area resources, networking opportunities, and expert guidance to build a solid
strategic marketing plan.
As supporting documents will demonstrate, The Gazette goes beyond our reporting to help individuals and
their businesses thrive. Programs such as The Gazette Gives Back, Iowa Ideas, and the Access Fund have not
only identified and opened ways to engage with each other and with the Gazette platform but holds space to
learn from one another and gain insight from a variety of community resources. The Gazette is also an active,
collaborative partner in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives with groups such as One Iowa, Inclusive ICR
(most recently the DEI Index) and events with entrepreneurial led initiatives such as Entrefest. While each
initiative listed above has made a substantial impact to many, a next step in this work is to empower
underestimated businesses that need a large yet trustworthy platform and knowledgeable team to promote
their products and services to the world.
The Gazette's Inclusive Support Marketing Grant will provide essential promotional resources to build a smart,
sustainable pathway that will not only build awareness to prospective consumers, but empower the identified
grant recipients as they grow their business while simultaneously feel confident they have a strong strategic
marketing plan through the guidance of one of the largest promotional platforms in Eastern Iowa.
We appreciate your review and consideration of this opportunity for Iowa City's most deserving businesses and
entrepreneurs.
Sincerely,
Kelly Homewood (she/her), President, The Gazette
Amy McKelvy (she/her), Sales Director, The Gazette
Quinn Pettifer (she/her), Manager of Brand Initiatives, The Gazette
116 3rd St SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
thegazette.com na
The Gazette's Inclusive
Support Marketing Grant
Project Description
Purpose: To launch an accessible, large scale marketing resource that will support the economic
growth for Iowa City -based underestimated and emerging businesses. By providing customized high
impact multimedia marketing grants, recipients will have a key component to their overall business
plan, with guidance from a professional, knowledgeable team to help build a sustainable plan and
reliable source to support long term advertising success.
Benefits: The Gazette's Inclusive Support Marketing Grant will seek out and support underestimated
businesses that are ready to build their brand and engage with a larger customer/client base while
removing the financial barrier to make the next step. With an exclusive focus on Iowa City, The Gazette
team will work with grant recipients to determine one of two grant package options that will best meet
their advertising needs while working to develop their unique message and connect with an engaged
local audience.
By gaining access to the marketing grant, businesses will be connected to over 178,000 Gazette
readers and prospective customers, including 32% of the Johnson County population. As a participant
in the grant, connections and additional resources will be a part of the experience to support long-term
success.
This project will be defined by two phases:
Phase 1
• Establish total number of Iowa City businesses to receive marketing grants: 50 businesses.
• $3,000/business for a total of $150,000 provided by the Inclusive Economic Development
Support for Underestimated Businesses and Entrepreneurs
• $3,000/business for a total of $150,000 provided by The Gazette
• Total Free Marketing Provided to Iowa City Underestimated Businesses and entrepreneurs
$300,000.
• Work with the City of Iowa City to solidify qualifying parameters for eligibility of businesses.
• Launch community outreach and promotional plan to build awareness of The Gazette's
Inclusive Support Marketing Grant opportunity with a focus on Iowa City, including use of
Gazette platforms (print, digital, social, e-newsletters) and outreach through Iowa City
partners.
• Provide an effective advertising budget of $6,000 per grant recipient that will give access to
one of two package options, both of which include print and digital advertising. Package A over
three months, Package B over six months
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• Connect every grant recipient to a Gazette team member to help identify key audiences,
unique attributes, visual elements, and message to effectively utilize the marketing grant to
accomplish the marketing goals for their business.
Host an orientation for grant recipients to do a program overview, open discussion about the
importance of positioning as a voice of the business community —building confidence in
utilizing and understanding resources, networking opportunities, review packages, connect to
Gazette team for message and creative development for their advertising campaigns.
Gathering will also give an overview of other Gazette resources including guest column
opportunities, use of community calendar, tutorial on creating guest columns and press
releases and list of news division contacts.
Phase 2
• Current grant recipients will utilize their marketing grant campaigns and upon completion, The
Gazette will honor special advertising rates for those businesses that wish to continue to
collaborate with the team and continue their message using The Gazette platforms.
• Upon success of Phase 1, The Gazette is prepared to continue the program to additional Iowa
City businesses if matching funds are made available.
Demonstrated community benefit:
Anticipated community benefit of this new program is based on The Gazette's audience, reach and
capability per business, but also based on the success of programs such as The Gazette Gives Back
(annual free advertising credit program totaling $525,000 per year for area nonprofits), Iowa Ideas
(statewide issues conference connecting all Iowans through a free, two day issues and solutions
focused conference), and the Access Fund (full digital access to The Gazette at every public library
throughout the ICR Iowa region), and previous business based grant programs -all successfully
launched with the goal to empower members of the community who are often underestimated and
have limited access to helpful marketing resources.
While fortunate to have long-standing relationships and lead roles in supporting a variety of initiatives
for the business community, The Gazette's Inclusive Support Marketing Grant is a key opportunity to
apply the valuable assets and audience of The Gazette to deserving businesses.
Qualitative and quantitative measurements: The Gazette has identified several means to measure
the impact of this program through regular communication and updates from grant recipients. Impact
points for quantitative measurements: Increasing awareness, generating new customers, and
growing revenue for grant recipients Businesses who receive a grant will also participate in networking
and resource workshops to build partnerships and build confidence in understanding marketing
strategy. The Gazette team will also help establish a baseline percentage of understanding of
marketing and brand elements from the start of time with Gazette through use of advertising credits.
Qualitative measurements: Comfort and confidence working with media and in marketing strategies.
Building audience awareness of existence, including brand and unique selling points in products and
services offered. Growth in understanding the value of brand position and building confidence in
navigating resources to build a voice in their industry and in the community.
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II. Estimated Project Budget (include amount requested)
A. Advertising Packages
• $3,000/business for a total of $150,000 provided by the Inclusive Economic Development
Support for Underestimated Businesses and Entrepreneurs (this is the amount requested by
The Gazette, to the Inclusive Economic Development Support for Underestimated Businesses
and Entrepreneurs
• $3,000/business for a total of $150,000 provided by The Gazette
Total Free Marketing Provided to 50 Iowa City Underestimated Businesses and entrepreneurs: $300,000
B. Promotion and Outreach
• Call for businesses. Use of Gazette platforms, list serves and cross promotion with
community partners for an ad campaign that will target eligible Iowa City businesses and
entrepreneurs to raise awareness for The Gazette's Inclusive Support Marketing Grant
including print, social, digital e-newsletters.
• Support our inclusive businesses! Promotional campaign from Gazette platforms to raise
awareness of the grant recipients with a call to action to buy and support the participating
businesses. Campaign will include a rotating list of the 50 selected businesses.
• Impact campaign. Work with the 50 selected businesses to capture their stories, their
experiences as a part of the inclusive economic development strategy in Iowa City.
C. Gazette staff led consultations, resource share
Dedicated team to host program overview gatherings, personalized consultation services,
creative design for advertising program, building and management of program awareness
campaign/call to support.
III. Preliminary Timeline
After award of supporting funds, The Gazette will finalize the application and begin the Call for
Business campaign immediately. The Inclusive Support Marketing Grant review and approval process
will be done on a rolling basis as applications are received. Once a business's application is approved a
Gazette team member will work with them to review goals and begin their advertising campaign based
on the business's goals and needs. All advertising campaigns will be scheduled to conclude by
12/31 /23. Additional plans for the orientation and networking events will take place early in the
process of receiving the grant recipients so resources may be shared, and encouragement of
additional networking opportunities can be planned based on participant input.
IV. Statement of ability to appropriate grant and financial management.
Allocation of ARPA funds and Inclusive Support Marketing Grant funds to businesses will both be
recorded by The Gazette on a tracking worksheet. As funds are used for advertising, and will be
recorded through The Gazette's CRM and accounting systems noting use of funds. Reports from the
CRM and accounting system will be reconciled with the tracking spreadsheet to ensure all awarded
funds are used as intended by recipients. Reporting will be sent as requested during and/or at the
conclusion of the program.
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V. Description of all work related to the project that has been completed to date,
including secured funding, contracted services, other grants, etc.
The Gazette has developed a timeline to ensure all steps as outlined in the project description are able
to move forward. This includes reserving the matching $150,000 in advertising credit, outlining a
promotional plan to reach businesses, and the framework of the advertising program for the
businesses.
VI. Description of Gazette hosted programs aligned to the new Inclusive Support
Marketing Grant.
The launch and long-term success of The Gazette's Inclusive Support Marketing Grant will include
outreach and building connections with grant recipients to the variety of partners and resources
related to other Gazette -led programs that focus on empowering underestimated individuals, families,
and businesses. While the grant program will be a separate funded opportunity from these already
active programs, the power of connection and access to what each program can offer the grant
recipients is priceless.
The following is an outline of related initiatives that will position members of the Inclusive
Marketing Grant to keep building within and beyond their marketing goals:
A. The Access Fund
The Gazette's Access Fund is a multifaceted program that provides free access to Gazette
content to individuals who may have barriers to receiving The Gazette on their own. To date,
this program has three pillars: Love Your Library, United We March Forward, and Newspapers
in Education.
1. Love Your Library
A year-round partner campaign celebrating regional public libraries to promote
literacy and the access one has in resources hosted by a community library. The
campaign provides facts and reminders about how someone can make the most out
of their library experience. Thirteen public libraries in the ICR region, including Iowa
City, are given unlimited access to the full digital paper through thegazette.com. This
access gives every library patron access, lifting the Gazette paywall restrictions to stay
engaged and informed. www.the.azette.com/library
2. United We March Forward - English Literacy Program
The Gazette is proud to work with the team at United We March Forward, a nonprofit
that provides a learning space for life skills that support immigrant and refugee
families. The Gazette's role through the Access Fund includes daily newspapers used
as curriculum for the organization's English Literacy program.
httr)s://www.unitedwemarchforward.org
3. Newspapers in Education
The Gazette's Newspapers in Education program is dedicated to improving the quality
of education in Eastern Iowa communities by placing newspapers in classrooms and
providing free support curriculum for educators. The NIE program helps motivate and
teach students with a textbook as fresh as each day's news.
httos://nie.thegazette.com
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B. The Gazette Gives Back
The Gazette Gives Back is an annual program dedicated to support Eastern Iowa nonprofits in
the human and social service sector. Through a call for applications, forty nonprofits are
selected per year to receive free advertising to be used to support their work and raise
awareness of services available. Since the program launch in 2015, The Gazette Gives Back has
provided over $3.9 million in free advertising credits to the nonprofit community. Beyond the
advertising credits, mixers are organized throughout the year to encourage members of the
GGB program to come together and keep each other informed on programs they are leading.
Community guest speakers are invited to the mixers to raise awareness about resources
available that might help their clients. www.thegazette.com/2ivesback
C. Iowa Ideas
The Gazette launched Iowa Ideas in the fall of 2016 with the intent to be an inclusive gathering
hub for enthusiastic Iowans to explore and discuss issues impacting the state. The exchange
of views across industries, party lines and positions as Iowans became a quick win in both
attendee experience and solutions -driven content. In 2020, restrictions of a national
pandemic, alongside a natural disaster of derecho led to a commitment to move the
conference forward in 2020 as an all virtual, all access experience that welcomed a record
1200 attendees. The message was clear: Iowa Ideas was no longer a luxury, but a necessity to
gain greater understanding of what issues, challenges, and solutions we face as a state.
Now in year seven, Iowa Ideas has reached a statewide footprint that features hundreds of
local, state, and national speakers. The conference remains free to attend, with the support of
our generous sponsors. Every track of Iowa Ideas has worked through an internal and
statewide advisory council -working with event organizers to identify the most current issues
within the sectors of education, health care, workforce, human and social services, diversity,
equity and inclusion, community development, energy and environment, and policy. Our 2022
conference and virtual gatherings leading up to the conference included more than 2,000
registered participants. www.iowaideas.com
D. Small business marketing grants-derecho, pandemic
In recent years, The Gazette launched similar marketing grant programs for area businesses
as extenuating circumstances arose. The first program launched at the beginning of the
COVID pandemic. Many businesses were facing struggles out of their control including forced
closure for a period of time, staffing issues, etc. As a way to help our local business
community, The Gazette launched a Business Marketing Grant offering matching funds for
advertising dollars invested by a business. The response from the community was rapid and
robust. In total, the grant program allowed The Gazette to help 104 businesses and provided
over $98,400 in matching advertising credits over a three-month period.
Not long after, the Derecho hit the Cedar Rapids community adding more strain to business'
budgets. The Gazette again responded to help our business partners by launching a matching
grant program for derecho impacted businesses. This program ran from August
2020-November 2020 and helped an additional 20 businesses with matching investment of
over $18,800.
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VII. Testimonials of support
The following testimonials were collected from various Gazette community partners during the
January 2023 launch of The Gazette's 140th anniversary.
• 'The Gazette has allowed United We March Forward to THRIVE. Whether it's the immigrant and refugee
community or addressing food insecurity, our community is stronger through the shared experiences that
The Gazette provides us each day. I am grateful for the Gazette and the whole team there. Free and local
press is great for our community. You have helped our organization reach different audiences that have
reached out to us because of the stories shared."
Mugisha Gloire - Executive Director, United We March Forward
"I have enjoyed working with the staff at the Gazette over the past four years on the Iowa Ideas
Conference and other projects connected to mental health in our state. I appreciate so much their caring,
professional attitudes and attention to detail. I commend the Gazette for leading this very important
initiative. I believe it is vital to growth and progress in our state. Thank you!"
Peggy Huppert - Executive Director, NAMI Iowa
• "Congratulations to the Gazette on 140 years serving our community. The Gazette has been a great
partner for the Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD) in sharing the news of our economic
development work in the region. Whether it is the Ed Tech Collaborative, regional workforce efforts, or
business development, the Gazette's ability to share information and tell the stories of our region is a
valued asset that has never been more important"
Kate Moreland - Kate Moreland Coaching, former President of Iowa City Area Development Group
• "In this era of slashing local news to sharpen corporate profits or politicos dismissing fair and balanced
reporting as fake news, I am especially grateful for The Gazette. We are very fortunate to be living in a
community with such a prominent locally owned news source. I wish to congratulate and thank everyone
at The Gazette for their tireless efforts to keep us informed."
josh Schamberger - President, Think Iowa City
• "Congratulations to The Gazette for celebrating 140 years of service in our community. We are so thankful
for their ongoing support of libraries and access to information, especially with the Love My Library
campaign which gives every individual free online access to The Gazette when they visit their local library.
Thank you!"
Amber McNamara - Cedar Rapids Public Library
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