Please note this disclaimer about the PPT - we ended up not using it at all, but it doesn't mean it wasn't a useful exercise for determining our current positioning. What was particularly helpful to me was: (1) understanding our shortcomings in segmenting our audience and communicating with each of the four stakeholder groups through specific channels and unique messaging, and (2) assessing the weak points in our marketing funnel (using the traditional marketing funnel framework). I think it's really easy to underestimate the importance of clear communication strategy and understanding of "lead generation" (yes, even non-profits should have a lead generation and "user" retention strategies). It's not a perfect document, but it was certainly helpful.

1. The Bridge School
High Level Strategic Guide

2. POSITIONING

3. Identifying Stakeholders
The outreach mission of the school is to
raise awareness, create meaningful
relationships, and inspire giving with
each of the four stakeholder groups:
Children/Families – the students and
families for whom we exist
Educators – individuals and institutions
looking for resources and support in our
area of expertise
Corporate Sponsors – organizations
that contribute financially or in-kind, and
who share our beliefs
Supporters – individuals who care
about our success and/or contribute to
our cause

4. Refining Messaging
Stakeholder Group Message & Call-to-Action Method
Children & Families The Bridge School is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure
that individuals with severe speech and physical impairments achieve full
participation in their communities. Learn about our education standards,
enrollment, or transition services…
1. Website
2. Direct Mail
3. Email
Educators The Bridge School is a leader in alternative means of communication (AAC)
and assistive technology (AT) applications and the development,
implementation and dissemination of innovative life-long educational
strategies. Attend the annual conference, gain innovative industry insight,
or experience our classrooms…
1. Website
2. Conference
3. Experiential learning
Corporate Sponsors The Bridge School is a powerful presence of unmatched brand equity and
good will in the Bay Area, with a unique mission to help children with severe
communication and mobility disabilities through events like The Bridge
School Concert headlined by Neil Young. Become a corporate sponsor and
help us share our vision with our local community and the world…
1. Website
2. Printed Materials
3. Personal Meetings
Supporters
(and the general public)
The Bridge School is a unique non-profit organization helping children with
severe communications and mobility disabilities through fundraising efforts
such as The Bridge School Concert with Neil Young. Help us reach our
fundraising and awareness goals by joining our email list, becoming a social
media advocate, donating to our cause, and/or volunteering…
1. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
2. Email
3. Blog

5. ENVIRONMENT

6. Bridge School PEST Analysis
POLITICAL
79% of nonprofit leaders meet with public
officials and their staff
On average, government grants make up
almost half of contributed income of
nonprofits
Politicians engaging in social advocacy in
legislation for disabled people
Governments shifting burdens to nonprofits,
instead of addressing needs in underserved
communities
ECONOMIC
66% of companies in Northern California were
at or above revenue targets (2013)
There are 72,000 active charities in CA (of
which 15,000 are focused in education)
CA nonprofits doubled overall revenue growth
rate since 2008
Marin, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties have
the highest nonprofit revenue per capita
(followed by San Mateo & Santa Cruz counties)
SOCIAL
Babyboomer leadership being replaced or
supported by Gen X
Donors don’t just give, they engage – create
events and campaigns around participation
TECHNOLOGICAL
Website and mobile presence necessary
Skilled volunteers are the new pro bono
Crowdfunding is now mainstream

7. Bridge School SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS
Brand Equity/Social Presence
Credibility/Talent/Longevity
Inspirational History
Successful Concert Fundraising
Committed Founders
Close Artist Relationships
Single Significant Corporate Sponsorship
WEAKNESSES
Lack of Endowment
Few Corporate Sponsors
Limited Awareness Outside Bay Area
Limited Board Engagement
Small Board
Old Website
Small Staff
OPPORTUNITIES
Help Board Attain Additional Meaningful
Members (advice, network, support)
Improve Website & Communication Strategy
Cultivate Relationships Through Warm
Introductions
Estimate Donor Lifetime Value & Optimize Paid
Outreach
Creating More Events/Opportunities for Giving
and Engagement/Optimize VIP Experience
Grow teacher training program + reach
THREATS
Ending The Bridge School Concert
Exhausting Relationships With Recurring
Artists/Sponsors
Exhausting Resources
Non-profit space is crowded in the Bay Area;
very competitive environment

8. Bridge School Competitor Analysis
Resource San Francisco
Education Fund
Reading
Partners
Oakland Public
Education Fund
GreatSchools First Graduate
Program Expenses 73.6% 76.5% 88.6% 87.2% 72.7%
Fundraising Expenses 18.1% 9.9% 2.0% 3.5% 16.2%
Contributions, Gifts,
and Grants
$1,263,247 $9,010,273 $2,417,986 $6,704,733 $1,298,143
Fundraising Events $518,285 $85,143 $0 $0 $220,599
Program Expenses $1,704,757 $8,795,789 $3,034,711 $8,917,627 $1,093,681
Leader compensation $111,205 $189,139 $18,563 $288,807 $109,250
Charity Navigator Rank
(out of 100)
83.88 93.03 94.81 97.07 80.03
Charity Navigator – San Francisco Charities, 2012 Data

9. STRATEGY

10. Vision
Education
Awareness
Collaboration
Perpetuity
Branding
Continuity
& Consistency
Ubiquity
Leverage
Relationships
Board
Engagement
& Expansion
Warm
Introductions to
Potential Donors
Silicon Valley
Community
Foundation
Peer Non-profit
Organizations
Fundraising
Annual Concert
Bi-annual Gala
or Awards
Ceremony
Annual Fireworks
Semi-annual
Auctions
Summary

11. Vision
Education Awareness Collaboration Perpetuity
Assure sustainability
Prepare for growth in:
Capacity
Programs
Training teachers
Research
Planned Events – concert,
auctions, gala, fireworks
Local News engagement –
feel-good stories
Online link-building and
partnerships with content
sites (blog)
Cuba Trip – national
attention, opportunity for
great PR
Social Media
Help families
Work with educators
Engage institutions
Find new sponsorship
commitments from
companies
Raise money for the
Endowment
Re-invest a fraction of
Endowment funds into
further fundraising
activities
Diversify events to include
other sources of income
(add auctions and
fireworks)
Donor Retention activities
The Bridge School will communicate its goals by setting comprehensive
expectations and detailing a tactical framework for execution.

12. Branding
The Bridge School brand is the school’s biggest asset. With over 66% of people
now researching brands online before forming their opinion, our website and
social media presence are critical in raising both awareness and money.
Continuity + Consistency Ubiquity Leverage
Ensure that all owned, bought, and
earned media outlets and
printed/emailed communication
materials have a consistent look and
color scheme (website, Facebook,
twitter, Instagram, press kit,
sponsorship packet etc.).
Adhere to a specific brand “voice”
with all communication (i.e.
conversational, pedantic, formal etc)
Commit to telling stories; create a
memorable tagline.
Create a comprehensive content
creation and sharing protocol
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Recruit prominent social media
personalities (local and/or national)
to collaborate in social sharing
around event time
Develop more events that engage
with the general public
Have some artist memorabilia items
(and branded inventory) available
for sale year-round
Actively assign value to your
internet and social media properties
and pitch partnerships to
advertisers, peers, and potential
sponsors (i.e. site traffic, likes,
shares, retweets, followers/fans as
compared with peer properties) –
communicate value of collaboration
Estimate Donor Lifetime Value &
Optimize Paid Outreach

13. Relationships
Board Engagement &
Expansion
Warm Introductions to
Potential Donors
Silicon Valley Community
Foundation
Peer Non-profit
Organizations & Institutions
Help the Board understand
the school’s new goals –
collaborate with the Board
to pivot additional
resources to sustainability
efforts
Seek additional Board
Members and refocus on
vision for long-term
funding of the school
Create opportunities for
long-time supporters to
become members of the
Board in order gain
industry advice, access to a
wider benefactor network,
and get financial support
Leverage existing
corporate relationships
and significant donors for
warm introductions to
peer companies and
individuals
Leverage existing
relationships with artists
when possible to recruit
celebrity spokespeople
Re-engage with SVCF and
open conversation about
giving to causes supporting
education for disabled
children
Request advice in
mentorship, relationship-
building, and strategy for
fundraising
Leverage existing peer
contacts for potential new
donors or partners
Cultivate new peer
relationships
Collaborate with a big
university in a joint study
in order to form closer ties
with influential staff &
board members
The Bridge School must build relationships with both new and existing
stakeholders through commitment, communication, and compromise.

14. Fundraising & Awareness
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Grants &
Contributions
(r = 0%)
$2.5M $2.9M $1.4M $1.6M $1.6M $1.6M $1.6M $1.6M
Concert
(r = 10%)
$1.8M $1.8M $1.0M $1.3M $1.4M $1.6M $1.7M $1.9M
Gala
(r = 0%)
$3.0M $3.0M
Fireworks
(r = 10%)
$0.5M $0.6M $0.6M $0.7M
Auctions
(r = 0%)
$0.1M $0.1M $0.1M $0.1M
Total
Event Revenue $4.3M $4.7M $2.4M $2.9M $3.6M $6.9M $4.0M $7.3M
*r is the estimated growth rate based on the average growth rate of non-profit revenues in California
The Bridge School should diversify its fundraising efforts in addition to pursuing
non-event focused donors.

15. ACCOUNTABILITY

16. Measuring Outcomes
Goal Expectations
Improve Branding Increase web traffic by at least 50%; drive users to donate or sign up with email
Increase referrer traffic from external sites
Increase organic search engine ranks for: the bridge school, education charity, special education
Improve email-to-website, and social media-to-website engagement rate
Grow Corporate
Relationships
Attain at least one additional big corporate sponsor (such as Salesforce) – secure $1M/year
commitment
Obtain 2 sponsors in the $500K category
Obtain 4 sponsors in the $100K category
Successful stakeholder cost-benefit analysis
Optimize Events &
Participation
Quadruple VIP Concert Ticket sales
Brainstorm future events (that are not capital- or artist-intensive)
Engage in Public
Relations
Put out one national story per year
Put out 4 local news stories per year
Recruit social media personalities to help advocate our cause in 2 focused campaigns (first, around
the concert, and second around Giving Tuesday in December)
Build relationships with 2 prominent, local online publications (SF Gate, San Jose Mercury)

17. Relative Timelines
Website
Optimization
Content Migration,
Donor, Member, Sponsor mechanics
Create
Blog
Recruit Volunteer Part Time Writers +
Maintenance Staff
Sponsor
Outreach
Sponsorship
Kit
Identify
Prospects
Meet Prospects + Pitch
Close
Sponsors
Building
PR
Press Kit Blog + Social Media + Linkbuilding

18. Task Ownership Chart
Vicki
Executive Director
- Lead Board
restructuring &
recruiting process
- Resource allocation
- Public speaking
- Closing sponsors
- Public relations voice
Mariya
Strategy Lead
- Execute branding
optimization plan
- Support Vicki in
closing sponsors
- Support Vicki in
outreach strategy
- Train staff on content
creation & sharing
policies (adhering to
outcome measurement)
Adam
Marketing Lead
- Lead online marketing
& awareness campaigns
- Help brainstorm
Facebook paid
advertising plan with a
focus on generating site
visits, email
subscriptions, and fan
growth
- Collaborate with
Mariya and Ernie in
optimizing paid &
earned media outlets
Ernie
Relationship Lead
- Cultivate relationships
& interest with
corporations and
individuals
- Facilitate warm
introductions to
potential corporate
sponsors
- Advise on online
presence & marketing
Neil
Board Lead
- Help get board buy-in
for pivoting from
concert focus to long-
term sustainability
focus
- Advocate for and
screen additional board
members
- Assist task team with
connections or items

19. APPENDIX

20. Bridge School Marketing Funnel
Awareness
Knowledge
Interest
Consideration
Intent
Action
Loyalty
Referral/Advocacy
Engage Outside Concert
Key Measures:
• Social Media shares,
likes, tweets
• Word of mouth
Key Measures:
• Ticket Sales
• Email Subscriptions
• Total Donations
• Average Donations
• Phone calls
Key Measures:
• Website visits
• Linkbacks
• Blog article sharing
• Facebook Fans
• Twitter re-Tweets
Recommendations:
 Partner Marketing
 New Content Creation - Blog
 Paid social/mobile advertising
Recommendations:
 New Content Creation – Blog
Recommendations:
 Email Marketing (remarketing
& email automation)
 Direct Mail
 New events or engagement
opportunities

21. Board Member Fee Research
Annual minimum donations from board members, known as give-or-gets, work as
financial and fundraising tools for nonprofits – Chicago Case Study.
Organization No. Board
Members
Board Member
Fee
Annual Revenue
from Board
Annual Operating
Budget
Goodman Theatre 72 $50,000 $3,600,000 $18.7 M
Chicago Academy for the
Arts
24 $2,500 $60,000 $3 M
Chicago Sinfonietta 29 $6,000 $174,000 $2.3 M
Network for Teaching
Entrepreneurship,
Chicago
17 $10,000 $170,000 $1.3 M
*The Price of Board Membership – Chicago Business

22. Resources
Causes Count: the economic impact of California’s nonprofit sector
National Council of Nonprofits – Sector Trends
Strategic Communications Planning for Non-Profit Organizations: A Data-Based
Application of a Seven Step Model
Strategic Planning & Analysis Toolkit
What does your brand say about you?
5 Big Company Branding Strategies Any Business Can Utilize
Why is Blogging Important?
Who Rules Social Media?
Trustees Find Board Seats are Still Luxury Items
Colorado Nonprofits Communications Toolkit
2014 Innovation Economy Outlook

23. Resources
Resources: Communication & Marketing *by United Way (exhaustive list)
Disability and Politics
The Digital Giving Index Infographic
Aggregate Fiscal Data of Grants