Capstone Client- Crossing Water

1
Farrow Capstone 2017
Executive Summary
Current Situation: Crossing Water is a volunteer nonprofit that is committed to providing
essential services, particularly water, to the residents of Flint, Michigan in the wake of the Flint
Michigan Water Crisis (The Crisis). Crossing Water teams are unaffiliated and unencumbered by
government officials, who have poor rapport with the community as many of the households feel
abandoned by government authorities (Adams, 2017). The nonprofit relies entirely on donations
and volunteer labor, so Crossing Water is actively searching for ways to increase funding and
their volunteer base. Crossing Water’s communication channels are limited to free social media.
The nonprofit is attempting to apply for more grants, however most of the nonprofits’ volunteers
are experienced in emergency response and social work, not public relations.
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and other authorities are depicting the Crisis as a series of
mistakes that have since been solved (Fonger, 2017). This narrative, as well as the lack of
thorough coverage about The Crisis in the media, is jeopardizing Crossing Water’s relevancy in
the disaster nonprofit sector. The households in Flint that need Crossing Water’s help the most
are far from getting safe tap water, and will not be getting their corroded pipes replaced for
months, even years, from now. Crossing Water’s dwindling resources and national attention of
The Crisis may compromise their mission in aiding these households in Flint.
The Solution: In 2017, Crossing Waters’ ‘Taking Real Action in Flint’ Campaign will build
awareness of the ongoing struggles of Flint residents and how Crossing Water is a trustworthy
source of aid to those in desperate need. This will be done by highlighting Crossing Water’s
unique history to position the organization as a trustworthy lifeline to those who have lost safe
water and will face lifelong consequences to lead exposure.
By activating their empowering message to those who are intrigued at the growing national
movement of citizen action and volunteerism, Crossing Water can leverage their independence in
a tone consistent with their grassroots history. This is where ‘Taking Real Action’ bridges social
media and positive societal change. Crossing Water can use the heightened media attention of
social inequality to individuals and foundations as a call to action for financial contributions or to
join their team. Foundations and individuals driven towards social justice can learn of what
Crossing Water encounters in their field work to Flint households and contribute financially
while sharing their story.
The key publics would certainly care about this organization’s mission, but need to be aware of
Crossing Water’s existence and activities. Because of Crossing Waters minimal communications
resources and budget, the campaign relies on free social media platforms, photos, and videos
featuring volunteer citizen advocates taking real action to connect technology with tangible
change. Provided that volunteers complete these campaign strategies, production costs will be
minimal. It is through these pro-bono donations from dedicated Crossing Waters’ staff that this
campaign can strengthen the nonprofits’ operations.

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary……………………………..…………………………………………....…...1
Contents…………………………………………………………..……………………………….2
Background…………………………………………………………………...……..….....………3
SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………………….…...............….…..9
Situation Analysis………………………………………………...……………...........…..….…...9
Problem Statement………………………………………………………………...……….….….9
Goal………………………………………………………………………………..………..….…9
Objectives………………………………………………………………………….….…………10
Key Publics………………………….…………………………………………………………...10
Big Idea……………………………………..……………………………………………..……..13
Brand Positioning……………………………...………………………………………….……..13
Framing…………………………………………………………………………………....……..14
Messages………………………………………………………………………………..….…….14
Strategies and Tactics……....….……………………………………………………..……….....16
Future Opportunities………….………………………………………………..….…………......18
Calendar…………………………….…………………………………………….….………..…19
Budget……………………………………………………………………….…………………...25
Evaluation……………………….………………………………………….……………......…..26
Creative Materials……………..……………………………………………………….…….......27
References……………………….……………………………………….……………..………..33
Appendix 1……………………………………………………………..…….……………...…..39
The Flint Michigan Water Crisis in Detail

Appendix 2……………………………………………………………………………….….…..40
SWOT Analysis Graph
Appendix 3………………………………………………...……………….…………….…...…41
Focus Group with Veteran Volunteers and Recently Trained Volunteers
Appendix 4……………………………………………………………...……………….…...….42
Interview with Crossing Water Directors Michael Hood and Laurie Carpenter
Appendix 5…………………………………………………………...………………….…....…43
In-Depth Interview with Crossing Water Veteran Dennis Atkinson
Appendix 6…………………………………………………………...…….………….…..…….44
Interview with Kristina Marchu, Development Associate, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Appendix 7………………………......………….……………………………………………….45
Interview with Brittany Zeman, Global Communications and Philanthropy Officer, Relief
International
Appendix 8………………………….…………………………………….……………….……..45
Dispatch Day Notes
Appendix 9………………………….………………………………………...………....……….46
Interview with Director Liz Harp, Documentary Filmmaker for Pantsuit Nation
Appendix 10……………………………………………………………………………...………46
Summary of Survey Sent to Crossing Water Mailing List

3
Background
External Environment
The Flint Michigan Water Crisis: (The Crisis)
The City of Flint, Michigan has been recovering from a disastrous series of events since 2014. In
a failed attempt at cutting costs by changing the city’s drinking water source from Detroit to the
Flint River, emergency managers and water engineers failed to take proper corrosion control
measures, triggering a chemical reaction that polluted the water system with lead. These resulted
in lead poisoning and the death of 12 people from Legionnaires’ disease. Two emergency
managers have been charged with felonies (Stack, 2017).
Flint’s drinking water is now within safe federal standards as of early 2017, however filters are
still required. Many residents have found the filters to be delicate and unreliable (Edwards,
2017). There are an estimated 20,000 lead corroded water pipes in Flint and 6,000 pipes are
scheduled to be replaced by the end of 2017 (Stack, 2017). Flint residents are weary of
impromptu visits from unknown groups that do one-off door-to-door visits and then fail to follow
up on households. Many households fear looting and distrust city officials (Adams, 2017). These
residents are still struggling to pay high water bills and will lose access to door-to-door bottled
water and filters provided from the state starting in June 2017, causing further animosity between
residents and their government (Zaniewski, B. L., 2017). A deep distrust of government has
made Flint residents doubt the veracity of statements about water security, even if the water is
safe (Dennis, B., and Greeson, B., 2016).
On March 27, 2017, a civil lawsuit ensured that Michigan and the City of Flint would be
financially responsible for pipe replacement and has given $87,000,000 dollars in funding. Door
to door bottle and filter delivery service will not be paid for after June 2017. There is anger about
the time that it took for this lawsuit to conclude and the lack of comprehensive care for those
poisoned (Dupnack, 2017). As of April 2017, Flint still has more lead in its water systems than
98% of Michigan, and there is strong resentment about how Governor Rick Snyder is portraying
the Crisis as a success story in public health. This is leading to the false assumption that the
Crisis is now solved (Fonger, 2017).
To See a Detailed Explanation of the Flint Michigan Water Crisis, Please Refer to Appendix 1
Flint, Michigan
Flint Michigan has a high poverty rate- over half of the population lives on less than $24,000 a
year. The average household income is $55,775, and the official household poverty threshold is
$24,339 (Cuthbertson, C. A., Newkirk, C., Ilardo, J., Loveridge, S., and Skidmore, M., 2016).
Michigan State, specifically the Detroit area, has the highest poverty rate of all densely populated
US cities (US Census Bureau, 2017). Many companies and residents left after the 2008
recession, leaving residents with a low opinion of businesses that moved (Dennis, B., and
Greeson, B., 2016). Aging infrastructure for post-industrial cities has shown patterns of
compromised utilities, while racial and income inequality is prevalent (Dennis, B., and Greeson,
B. 2016).

4
Industry
Disaster Relief Nonprofits
Crossing Water is volunteer run and all funds go directly to operating costs. Like many disaster
relief nonprofits, Crossing Water is heavily dependent on individual giving and competitive with
similar organizations, whether they are addressing the same problem or another crisis entirely.
(Schimmelpfennig, 2011). The Red Cross and the Michigan State Police have created a 211
hotline for residents in dire need of water delivered to their houses, however reports have
indicated that the system is facing a lack of resources and are not responding to all water requests
in a timely manner. To compensate, Crossing Water has delivered cases of water to the houses.
The misallocation of efforts has contributed to confusion about how Flint’s residents are getting
safe water (Farrow, Appendix 4, 2017).
A house in Flint with a collapsed roof. Many neighborhoods have rows of houses with collapsed
roofs or are burnt to the frame. Some of these houses are still inhabited, but overlooked by many
aid organizations.
Nonprofits in this field have large amounts of attention based on media reports, but funds and
interest are fleeting once the crisis is out of the news and social media. Similar examples are seen
in crises like Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, where on
the ground accounts fueled discourse and storytelling so the audience could empathize with those
affected (Stewart, M. C., and Gail Wilson, B. 2016, Brengarth, L., and Mujkic, E. 2016, Gurman,
T. A., and Ellenberger, N., 2015).
Disasters that are poorly handled from the authorities are related to distrust in government,
compromised infrastructure safety, and inequality (McCoy, T., 2015). However, Flint’s crisis
was man made, not a natural disaster, which makes Crossing Water’s role unique from
hurricanes and earthquakes.
Charitable Giving
Giving USA’s 2016 Annual Report explains that to maintain an engaged donor base, it is
necessary to keep contributors updated on the nonprofits’ activities and to keep messages in
specific, tangible amounts. A good example would be to explain that $20 in donations can give a
family an immediate benefit of a months’ worth of water. Giving contribution funds in large,
abstract amounts is vague and off-putting to donors (Joslyn, 2016). There has been a call by
contributors and grant giving foundations for improved communication and disclosure about

5
where and how donations are spent- nonprofits have since increased their transparency on
operations (Giving USA 2016).
Client: Crossing Water started in 2013 by Michael Hood, a wilderness survival expert, in
response to water safety concerns after Flint city officials cancelled its water contract with
Detroit. The co-directors Michael Hood and Laurie Carpenter are former Emergency Medical
Technicians and social workers who have designed a comprehensive training program for
volunteers. Crossing Water provides basic needs such as food and clothing, as well as child,
medical, and home repair services. To implement their volunteers and supplies, the organization
has designed a comprehensive rapid response dispatch system, which includes logistics for
public health emergencies.
Every training session and dispatch day ends with a debriefing for the response teams. In an
interview, Michael Hood explained that it is essential for the volunteers to decompress what they
have seen in the field. Michael Hood strongly advocates these support sessions to avoid burnout
for volunteers who have encountered with social work and emergency response. These sessions
help both the volunteers alleviate stressors from what they may have experienced and helps the
leadership get a better picture of what conditions in the field are like. (Farrow, Appendix 3,
2017).
Service: Crossing Water specializes in dispatching disaster relieve to vulnerable communities
with compromised water, specifically in Flint Michigan. Multiple Crossing Water documents
have been used in lawsuits to support the case that resources from state and federal agencies are
not being distributed to severely impoverished homes in dangerous neighborhoods.
Many houses in Flint look abandoned and uninhabitable, so organizations like the Red Cross are
not visiting these homes. However, Crossing Water teams have found people living in these
homes and have given them essential items (Adams, 2017, and Farrow, Appendix 4 and 5, 2017).
Crossing Water has been mindful not to publically disavow law enforcement and other
government organizations, however these sentiments have been insinuated in multiple online
posts.
Crossing Waters’ financial resources are dwarfed by these government agencies. Currently the
nonprofit has only raised $22,570 on Crowdrise in April 2017. There has been no follow up to
individual contributors through their crowd funding account. Based on the resources and labor
accessible to Crossing Water, there is limited capability to implement a full communications
overhaul. However, the organization recognizes the importance of using a reinvigorated and
streamlined communications plan to stakeholders so additional funding can be accessed.
Water hording from concern about the long-term safety of the water has caused houses to
collapse from the weight of bottled water stored in homes. Crossing Water has been trying to
find a way to improve trust with the community and government to reduce water hording, but
residents are still maintaining stockpiles (Pellicer and Judge, 2017). No posts on social media can
contain confidential information about Flint residents out of respect and privacy.
Promotions: The predominant communications promotions that Crossing Water implements are
about crisis communications, such as how to avoid lead poisoning, as well as public education

6
about current lawsuits involving The Crisis. There has been a consistent campaign encouraging
Flint residents to rely on filters, not bottled water, until pipes are completely repaired. This
matches Michigan’s goal to pay back infrastructure projects by residents using the utilities and in
turn paying bills (Sanchez, 2017).
Crossing Water leadership will be emulating Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards’ emerging
educational campaign about identifying when tap water is dangerous to consume. Marc Edwards
has garnered international acclaim and was named one of Time 100’s Pioneers in 2016 and a
Time Person of the Year finalist (Lutz, 2016). Crossing Waters’ leadership will be meeting with
Professor Edwards at his laboratory in May 2017, which can give the nonprofit an opportunity to
increase their legitimacy.
Previous campaigns include 22 billboards displayed throughout the Flint area in English and
Spanish, as well as PSAs on local radio and TV stations. There is a common misunderstanding
with immigrants from Spanish speaking countries that if water is boiled, it is safe. This applies to
some bacteria, not lead (Zarowny 2016). To address this barrier, Crossing Water made all
materials in both English and Spanish. The nonprofit distributed 15,000 flyers in low-income
neighborhoods to educate people about lead contamination and available resources- filters are
unfamiliar to many in Michigan, particularly the elderly, according to observations from
response teams (Farrow, Appendix 3, 2017).
The lack of comprehensive water safety to houses that are dilapidated is rarely explained in the
news, which can lead to the false assumption that lead pipes are not as severe of an issue as it
still is. (Edwards 2017) Some, but not all, of Crossing Waters’ emergency PSAs have little to no
information about the organization itself. This is a key opportunity to encourage the audience to
learn more about Crossing Water and perhaps contribute to it and get media exposure. Crossing
Water’s billboards are featured in news articles (Zarowny 2016).
Market share: As of April 2016, Crossing Water relies entirely on individual donations from its
crowd funding site. While grants have been given to Crossing Water in the past 7 months
reaching over $35,000, the Internal Revenue Service has not granted the organization a tax
exempt 501c3 status to completely accept these funds. The response time for determination
letters can range anywhere from two to nine months, and Crossing Water sent in their application
forms in February 2017.
The most predominant bottled water donations to the city of Flint have been contributed from
The Mott Foundation and General Motors Foundation, which have reported in-kind contributions
of $610,000 and $3,000,000 respectively. A GuideStar report notes Greater Flint Health
Coalition and United Way of Genesee are the two largest nonprofits that provide health services
to Flint residents and have assets of $1,000,000 and $8,800,000 dollars respectively. These
figures make Crossing Water a very small player in the Flint Michigan Water Crisis. It is
important to note the upcoming funds from a court mandate that state and local government must
contribute over $87,000,000 to the water rehabilitation program.
Competition: There have been multiple government organizations and humanitarian
organizations, specifically the Red Cross, US Army, and National Guard, that have established

7
Points of Distribution (PODs) for free water. However, the National Guard left POD
maintenance to state and local government in May 2016 (Adams, 2016). The Flint Sherriff’s
office is being relied upon to operate a 211 service to give water to civilians, however multiple
Crossing Water documents indicate that this 211 system is unreliable and slow to households
facing dire water shortages (Farrow, Appendix 4, 2017).
Genessee Health Systems is the biggest medical provider in the area, but unlike Crossing Water,
does not deploy staff to the field. This health provider has acquired much of the funds towards
Flint’s public health needs, but dedicated new funds to internal administrative operations, not
house calls (Farrow, Appendix 4, 2017). This is a key differentiator that can be addressed when
reaching out to key publics. Genessee Health Systems has an IRS 501c3 status and an entry in
Guidestar. Crossing Water has neither of these elements.
Resources: Intervening publics include fellow individual contributors, previous volunteers, and
activist organizations. The most notable trend for Crossing Water to consider when identifying
intervening publics is the value of peers. As will be discussed in Key Publics, the importance of
individuals vouching for a cause or event by sharing on social media has been a growing trend.
A key opinion leader that has found an interest in Crossing Water is the Facebook based, Hillary
Clinton activist organization Pantsuit Nation. Pantsuit Nation sees Crossing Water as a part of
the growing trend of humanitarian activism after the 2016 election (Farrow, Appendix 9, 2017).
Pantsuit Nation will be featuring Crossing Water in their online documentary series about
volunteerism and social change in America. As of April 2017, there has been no posting of
Pantsuit Nation’s video interviews of the Crossing Water leadership and volunteers, which was
shot February 25, 2017. Pantsuit nation has approximately four million Facebook members
(Desmond-Harris 2016).
Current resources that can be leveraged are the efficiency of Crossing Water’s ‘dollars to
services,’ which are dedicated entirely towards operational costs for emergency equipment and
distributing supplies. Communication costs need to be kept to a bare minimum, as most public
speaking events are paid for out-of-pocket by the Directors. Crossing Water stores equipment
and water throughout Flint with the help of neighbors, however most gear and its dispatch center
is held in Methodist Westwood Heights Church. The facilities boast two large floors with
multiple community rooms and storage. Dispatch days are very busy at the dispatch center, but it
is an impressive sight to see.
Market research:
Demographics: A comprehensive focus group was conducted on February 25, 2017 and
incorporates two key publics of individual contributors and volunteers that already exist in
Crossing Water’s database. 82% of the volunteers in Crossing Water’s list serve are in social
work. Of those in social work, 17% are retired, 14% are professional social service workers that
are employed outside of Flint, 60% are in undergraduate programs that major on social service
work, and 7% are in graduate programs of the same degree. The other 18% of the volunteers
classify themselves as engineers or liberal arts students, as well as other miscellaneous
professions. Survey respondents reflected these demographics as well. Approximately 80% of

8
the respondents are female, and a connection to a family, friend, or social workers association
were the leading reasons why the respondent was familiar with Crossing Water.
Psychographics: The independent focus group conducted shows that the predominant catalyst
for volunteers to sign up for response teams was a need to take action against news reports of
poverty and income inequality for vulnerable communities. Many talked fervently about their
concern about possible public policy changes because of the 2016 election on local, state, and
federal levels. Most are closely attuned to political news and consider themselves progressives.
Veteran volunteers concurred in the focus group that there is a physical and psychological toll to
visiting Flint homes. However, the reason why veterans return to volunteer is the altruistic and
immediate sense that they are helping alleviate suffering from people that were ‘wronged’ by the
institutions that were supposed to provide basic services. Similar opinions were reflected in
online surveys (Farrow, Appendix 3 and 10, 2017).
Information Sources and Preferred Media Channels: Crossing Water volunteers and individual
donors have gotten most of their information about events and Flint news from the organization’s
Facebook page. Some of the older volunteers have cited that the only reason they got a Facebook
account was to keep up to date on Crossing Water activities (Farrow, Appendix 3, 2017).
Because of the limited experience and resources Crossing Water leadership has for social media,
the organization prefers to keep only its Facebook account updated. All key publics want to see a
maximum return of their contributions by seeing a disclosure of how cost effective the
organization is. (Farrow, Appendix 6 and 7, Faulk, L, and Ashley, S. 2014).
There is a secret Facebook group that volunteer veterans use to communicate with Crossing
Water leadership. This network is specifically used for coordinating about dispatch logistics,
including where new shipments of materials will be stored. Because of concerns about looting in
the Flint area and the subject matter of field operations, this group is kept to a minimal amount of
members.
Opinions about Crossing Water: Crossing Water is not well known outside of the Flint area. The
organization and its leadership is not explicitly referenced in the media, even though the Crisis is
reported on in national and international news. Most news sources do not have extensive
coverage detailing ground reports from Flint, as most national news organizations do not have
full time journalists in the Flint region (Smolkin, 2009). Many would not even have the chance to
know about Crossing Water, let alone the extreme conditions that Flint residents are
experiencing even after the Crisis’ lawsuit concluded in late March 2018.
Many Americans are unaware of how fragile water infrastructure can be, or how much water an
average household needs per day (Bump, 2017). Large media organizations such as USA Today
and The Daily Show have featured the tenuous status of lead in America’s water systems and
accentuate the need for civilians to test and identify water independently from government.
(Ungar, 2016, and Noah, 2017). However, most news stories do not provide a specific call to
action for aiding or connecting civilians to volunteer or donate to organizations such as Crossing
Water.

9
SWOT Analysis: Crossing Waters’ leading challenges with reaching potential volunteers,
contributors, and foundations are the limited resources that the nonprofit has at their disposal to
break through the misconception that The Crisis has been solved. Disasters have a very short
news lifespan, and there are few media outlets that focus in detail about Flint’s most vulnerable.
Because of the minimal resources that the leadership has at their disposal and the high risk
activities that Crossing Water teams face, the directors are dedicated to the operations, not the
communications of the program. Requests for money are also problematic for individuals and
foundations who require the disclosure of financial activity of a nonprofit and assurances that
they are going to use resources in a legitimate manner.
To See a Detailed SWOT Analysis Graph, Please Refer to Appendix 2
Situation Analysis: Crossing Water has a steadfast volunteer base and is addressing water
infrastructure, a concern that many other American cities have. Crossing Water’s mission is
connected to a growing national trend of citizen action and volunteerism and wants to be a part
of this movement. The nonprofit understands that their outreach needs to be improved, but
resources are limited and the topics they address are sensitive. By not designing a comprehensive
understanding of what current volunteers, previous individual donors, and foundations are
looking for in nonprofit organizations, Crossing Water may miss key opportunities to reach their
audiences and give them the most effective story.
Crossing Water wants to expand their reach in public outreach and education about safe tap
water in American areas that are prone to lead corrosion, but the organization needs to solidify
their base in Flint right now. Crossing Water does not get large emergency funds from the
federal or state government, unlike established mental health systems run by the state like
Genessee Health Systems- the organization needs to leverage their work to the necessary
audiences to ensure they are seen as unique and essential in their mission statement. Crossing
Water does not have a formal nonprofit account, whether it is from Guidestar or Charity
Navigator. These disclosure databases could increase visibility and legitimacy of the
organization.
Problem Statement: Citizens on a local and national level are unaware of Crossing Waters’ role
in aiding the residents of Flint after the cities’ water crisis. If Crossing Waters’ lack of public
awareness is not addressed, the organization cannot maintain operations from lack of finances
and a skilled volunteer base.
Goal: Build awareness of Crossing Water’s mission to help Flint residents and acquire a
sustainable level of private financial support and skilled volunteer base, which will fulfill the
organizations’ operational needs.

10
Objectives:
1) Raise awareness about Crossing Water’s comprehensive Rapid Response Team training
and field work among social service schools by 15% in fiscal year 2017.
2) Raise awareness about Crossing Water’s role in the Flint Water Crisis to current
individual contributors by 25% by fiscal year 2017.
3) Increase brand awareness and credibility among grant giving foundations by 15% by the
end of fiscal year 2017.
Cases of water loaded up in the back of the researchers’ car for distribution to six Flint
households. There were over 96 gallons of packed, weighing over 800 pounds.
Key Publics:
In all Key Publics: There has been a nationwide sentiment of dismay about the loss of clean
water in The Crisis. A feeling of collective shock about how access to safe water in America can
be so easily compromised, indicating that all key publics are interested in learning more about
lead poisoning nationwide (Edwards, 2016). There is a lack of awareness of how often
Americans take safe tap water for granted, how much is needed in each household per day, and
how challenging it can be to rely on filters and bottled water. A crate of bottled water is
approximately 30 pounds, and it is even more logistically challenging for the disabled and
homebound to get safe water (Bump, 2016, and Edwards, 2016).
Scandals from Wounded Warrior and American Red Cross have highlighted the importance for
disclosure in financial activity. Calls for highly efficient operations with minimal overhead
reflect the barebones approach that Crossing Water implements (Grassley, 2015 and Cavna, M.,
2016). Both volunteers and individual donors are happy to donate to Crossing Water, however as
reflected in Appendixes 3 and 10, the subjects were interested in donating after the key publics
had a basic understanding of what Crossing Water’s role is in The Crisis.

11
As referenced in the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, there is a reduced perception of fairness,
and that ‘the system’ is not going to enforce justice. This is reflective of Crossing Water’s work
with families who have not received aid from the Red Cross or National Guard. The government
sector and government officials are seen as least credible, which is applicable to distrust in
Michigan officials in the Flint Water Crisis. The anti-establishment sentiments from the Edelman
Trust Barometer reflects similar trends in the mediums and channels Americans prefer to get
their information, because the survey found that the highest credibility of communication is
from peer-to-peer from friends and family members, which matches Crossing Waters’ citizen
advocacy. Traditional media has lost a significant amount of trust. 59% of Edelman Trust
Barometer respondents prefer a search engine over a human editor, indicating that nonprofit
directory listings will be helpful for grant applications and individual contributions.
There is a broad call to action in social media about income, environmental, racial, public health
crisis and the need to take action and to finance those who are able to make a change to alleviate
inequality in America (Piven, 2017). There is a similar underlying momentum for citizen action
in reaction to crises’ related to income inequality and water security. Survey respondents and
focus group members see Crossing Water as an example of an organization empowering citizens
to participate take action against inequality (Greene, D., and Inskeep, S. 2017, and Covert, B.
2016).
Volunteers to Aid in Crossing Water Field Operations
1) Motivating Self-Interests: Concern over public health and the welfare of Flint residents,
especially the most vulnerable, and the desire to take action in the community, as well as
professional and academic experience.
2) Relationship to Crossing Water/The Crisis: Familiarity with Michigan and the
economic turmoil Flint has been facing, as well as a connection to social work and
environmental challenges.
3) Influencers: Crossing Water leadership, fellow volunteers, Flint residents, social
workers’ associations and schools advocating for volunteer work, friends.
4) Channels: Crossing Water Facebook posts, local and national media, family and friends,
opinion leaders, academia.
There are a wide variety of skill sets that both veteran and new volunteers provide Crossing
Water, from engineers to Michigan residents, but most are from the social service background or
study social service in graduate and undergraduate school. This indicates that anyone can help,
even if it administrative. The volunteers that are ‘veterans’ and the rotating groups of visiting
teams of social workers are representative of the social worker workforce as a whole. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 82% of social workers are female, and predominantly
white. While the independent survey conducted by Crossing Water did not ask for ethnicity,
results indicated that 80% of volunteers are female.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand of social workers will increase in the next ten
years, and is driven by the increased need for healthcare and social services. Candidates with a
master’s degree and licensure have the advantage when being hired, and require completing a
practicum or internship. Crossing Water’s response teams have required training for fieldwork

12
that is in alignment with social service employees. Many of the reviews on Crossing Water’s
Facebook account are from social service graduate and undergraduate students.
There is an increased interest in contributing diverse, valuable skills pro-bono, from legal advice
to fundraisers from hair stylists. This interest is correlated with the 2016 United States election,
in which many volunteers sought to take action in the community and not passively read about
political problems on social media. Examples can be seen in the Women’s March in January
2017 (Cornish, 2017, and Lithwick, 2017).
Based on primary research interviews with Crossing Water leadership, volunteers are interested
in social justice, specifically in how to give immediate aid to those who have been lost in the
cracks of the Red Cross or National Guard. (Farrow, Appendix 3, 2017). All volunteers are
required to complete extensive training about water filtration safety and identifying dangerous
circumstances while in the field. This can be of particular interest to those who are interested in
taking action in ‘uncharted areas’ where standard volunteerism cannot give an immediate sense
of need and urgency to societal problems in America (Kamenetz, A. 2017).
Online Individual Contributions to Crossing Water
1) Motivating Self-Interests: Contributors had distrust over whether their financial aid was
going to the residents of Flint that were not being helped by traditional big nonprofits and
government organizations. Crossing Water is volunteer led and grassroots based, so they
have more confidence that the organization is reliably advocating for Flint residents.
Many survey respondents cite concern about lead poisoning as an ongoing nationwide
public health crisis.
2) Relationship to Crossing Water/The Crisis: Dismay over the systematic failure of
public health and economic support for the needy.
3) Influencers: Crossing Water leadership, family and friends, traditional media, social
media, sites concentrating on humanitarian and environmental issues.
4) Channels: Crossing Water Facebook posts, local and national media, family and friends.
Most individual contributions to Crossing Water strongly align with a progressive agenda that
correlates with alleviating what has been called ‘injustice, pain and suffering’ to impoverished
communities according to Crossing Water’s online donation records. Individual contributions
range from $10 to $250 and are commonly given in memoriam to a Flint resident or a child who
has been exposed to lead. Many individual contributors expressed a desire to financially support
Crossing Water volunteers because they were physically unable to help, or they were too far
away from Flint to make deployments. Individual contributors were interested in learning more
about how their financial support is going back into the Flint community. Several comments
from contributors asked for Crossing Water leadership to empower the nonprofits’ online
followers to mobilize politically.
Humanitarian Focused Charitable Giving Foundations and Organizations
1) Motivating Self-Interests: The desire to advance their foundation’s goals and mission,
generally in a humanitarian and environmental way. The foundation wants assurances
that any grant money is effectively implemented by the nonprofit. A key reason why a

13
foundation approves grants is if the nonprofit is able to carry out operations that the
foundation does not have the expertise to implement on their own.
2) Relationship to Crossing Water/The Crisis: Familiarity with environmental and public
health sciences, generally when confirming that Crossing Water is a legitimate and
reliable organization to contribute money to.
3) Influencers: Independent reports about fiscal responsibility, academic journals, peers,
research through the required disclosure forms a nonprofit submits, history of effective
yields, experts.
4) Channels: Documentations from both the nonprofit and independent verification of the
nonprofit through official documentation from charity sites, academic journals focusing
on philanthropy, news sites focusing on humanitarian and environmental justice.
According to secondary research and interviews with philanthropic experts, most foundations are
using their own independent research to confirm that their funds will be put to the highest return
on social investment (Farrow, Appendix 6 and 7, 2017). Foundation researchers are looking for
financial and operational stability and reliability, as well as responsiveness to the publics that the
nonprofit is serving (Faulk, L., and Ashley, S., 2014). This can work to Crossing Waters’
advantage, as the organization has a strong rapport with both the residents of Flint, but the
volunteers that compromise it. Foundation researchers are interested in seeing the nonprofits’
intent strongly matching and advancing their own missions (Mann, V. J. 2015). Financial and
social components of the applicant are key, and secondary research indicates that if financial
stability in an application is not an option, foundations will also value a strong probability of
social impact (Epstein, M. J., Yuthas, K., p 39, 2014).
Big Idea: Crossing Water has a unique history of a grassroots volunteer organization that has
consistently provided care and advocacy for all Flint residents. The organization’s empowering
story of taking citizen action to help others will resonate with individuals and organizations who
are driven by social justice.
“Clicking ‘Like’ won’t change anything.
Take real action in Flint by helping Crossing Water.”
Strategy: Promote Crossing Water as an organization that represents socially active citizens.
Brand Positioning: Those who are interested in volunteering in a social service and public
health perspective are politically engaged and altruistic. Crossing Water is unknown to many
outside of the Flint region, especially outside of the field of social workers. However, those who
have contributed outside of the area are quick to be convinced that the grassroots organization
reliably advocates and cares for the underserved residents of Flint once Crossing Waters’
mission is explained.
Crossing Water wants both individuals who can contribute their time or money and foundations
to choose to support their volunteer efforts and gain a comprehensive understanding of what is
happening in Flint. A key message Crossing Water wants to get across is the households of Flint
that have little to no resources coming to their aid for the immediate future and the organization
is here for these residents.

14
Framing: Use the framework of News to inspire and inform those who are unaware of the
ongoing challenges Crossing Water is facing in Flint. By giving to Crossing Water, key publics
can do more than sign an online petition or hit ‘Like;’ they can aid Flint’s most vulnerable.
Explain the Issues of how Crossing Water is directing essential needs, from food to medical
services, to the citizens of Flint.
Use the Attributes framework to differentiate Crossing Water’s fieldwork and training from the
grassroots level from local and national aid organizations that are also addressing the Flint Water
Crisis. Crossing Water’s comprehensive knowledge of lead poisoning in impoverished portions
of the United States is a program that can be emulated across the country to strengthen other
Foundations’ mission statements.
Messages:
Volunteers to Aid in Crossing Water Field Operations:
Primary Message 1: Hear the call and join our movement: Crossing Water needs your valuable
knowledge to provide critical aid to the community of Flint, Michigan.
Secondary Message 1: Crossing Water deploys volunteers like you to the 100,000 homes of Flint
to provide essential items such as food and clean water while bringing the community together.
Secondary Message 2: In the wake of the Flint Michigan Water Crisis, the community has a
strong need for essential services, from plumbers and medical professionals to social workers.
Crossing Water is deploying Rapid Response Service Teams to 100,000 homes in Flint who need
you the most - will you join us?
Primary Message 2: What can you to fight injustice? Crossing Water trains and deploys
volunteers into the community of Flint, Michigan to distribute safe water filters, education, and
care to those who need it most.
Secondary Message 1: Flint’s Water Crisis is not over yet, and state emergency providers have
not reached some of Flint’s most vulnerable households. Crossing Water needs your help to give
essential services to those who need it most.
Secondary Message 2: You too can take real action by volunteering for Crossing Water, a
grassroots organization based in Flint to help alleviate those suffering from the Flint Water
Crisis. Your time and skills can help those in need.
Online Individual Contributions to Crossing Water:
Primary Message 1: Take action to right a wrong: Give to Crossing Water and help us provide
clean water and essential care to the citizens of Flint.
Secondary Message 1: Many of Flint’s residents have gone three years without safe water and it
will take at least two more years before Flint can drink from the tap. By donating Crossing
Water, you can show America what it’s like to see citizens take real action.

15
Secondary Message 2: Crossing Water has an operations center that deploys essential medical
and technical services to those who need it most in Flint, Michigan. $10 will provide water to a
family for two days, $20 will provide clean water to a family for a month, $140 will provide
clean water to a household for a year, $1500 will provide an institutional filter to an organization
to support the drinking needs of a neighborhood.
Primary Message 2: Be a part of something real. By giving to Crossing Water, you are
supporting community leaders who provide safe water and essential services to Flint’s most
vulnerable.
Secondary Message 1: Many of Flint’s residents still do not have access to safe reliable water
from the tap and will not have their homes repaired for at least a year. Crossing Water has been
distributing water, filters, and other essential supplies for over two years and will be able to
sustain their operations with your financial help.
Secondary Message 2: Flint’s residents are relying on unreliable water filters and bottled water
for at least another year to dodge lead poisoning. Many of these residents are infirm and struggle
to get enough safe water to their homes, but Crossing Water gives safe water to these residents
through individual donations.
Humanitarian Focused Charitable Giving Foundations and Organizations:
Primary Message 1: Flint’s Water Crisis is far from over, and those suffering cannot wait.
Crossing Water is in need of grants to ensure that the most vulnerable are given drinkable water
for all residents and lead testing to provide reliable medical care.
Secondary Message 1: Crossing Water’s grassroots Rapid Response Teams are given
comprehensive training to provide essential items and educational outreach to Flint households
who are still exposed to lead in their water. All proceeds go to operational costs to keep Crossing
Water’s Teams deployed in the community.
Secondary Message 2: Crossing Water is going to the homes of Flint who are still exposed to
lead and advocating for families who have not received the comprehensive care they need.
Crossing Water always ensures that those who are the most vulnerable are represented and
respected.
Primary Message 2: Support a grassroots solution to a terrible crisis: Crossing Water is a
volunteer led nonprofit that is independent of political interests, and their top concern is those in
need.
Secondary Message 1: After the Flint Water Crisis, the residents of Flint have lost faith in their
government. Crossing Water is a grassroots organization that is free of any political agenda from
the government and exists to ensure that every household has safe water.
Secondary Message 2: Many of Flint’s houses are still reliant upon bottled water and have
limited resources and to provide safe water for their families. Crossing Water is providing
immediate care and resources to those who need it the most at the grassroots level.

16
Strategies and Tactics:
*Note: Due to confidentiality requirements and security concerns, all posts would not be case-
specific to households that Crossing Water visits, nor will posts reveal where water storage sites
are.
Volunteers to Aid in Crossing Water Field Operations:
Strategy 1: Raise Michael Hood’s awareness via Facebook and Twitter that Crossing Water is
seeking activist-minded students and professionals wanting to advance their experience and
accreditation for social work in Flint, Michigan.
Tactic 1: Create specific Facebook series about the training process and how it is used in
real scenarios. Ask that Crossing Water veteran volunteers repost to their social media
accounts.
Tactic 2: Create an E-Newsletter that highlights the backgrounds of Crossing Water
volunteers in social media posts and how they connect with the organization’s mission.
Send to current and past volunteers and request that they forward the E-Newsletter to
their friends.
Tactic 3: Create engaging social media posts about what Crossing Water volunteers do in
their professional and educational work and how their volunteerism advances their goals-
Ask that Crossing Water veteran volunteers repost to their social media accounts.
Strategy 2: Showcase current Crossing Water volunteers’ sense of dedication and camaraderie
with other deployment team members to highlight potential volunteers of the opportunity to bond
with fellow grassroots activists.
Tactic 1: Post interviews highlighting the backgrounds of Crossing Water volunteers on
social media posts. Ask that Crossing Water veteran volunteers repost to their social
media accounts.
Tactic 2: Create an online series highlighting what brings veteran volunteers back to
dispatch team days. Accentuate that the work is hard, but rewarding. Ask that Crossing
Water veteran volunteers repost to their social media accounts.
Tactic 3: Create a video of Michael Hood explaining the work that Crossing Water
volunteers do before and after a dispatch day at the dispatch center. Highlight the work
that administrative and support staff’s work that is not house visitation but still essential.
Ask that Crossing Water veteran volunteers repost to their social media accounts.
Online Individual Contributions to Crossing Water
Strategy 1: Reinforce that there is still a dire need for Crossing Water’s services to gain support
from individual contributors who may be unaware of the underserved residents in Flint who are
still at risk of lead poisoning.
Tactic 1: Create a factsheet featuring Crossing Water leadership highlighting how the
recently settled lawsuit is not going to be fully implemented for years in some Flint
neighborhoods and that their services are important now more than ever because the
lawsuit will cut funding to home delivery service. Ask that Crossing Water followers
repost to their social media accounts.
Tactic 2: Pitch to MLive an opportunity for Director Michael Hood to be interviewed by
journalist Ron Fonger to talk about the underserved houses in Flint who will not be

17
getting access to safe water for over a year. Accentuate the story of Crossing Water
consistently helping households that have not seen any compensation from recent
lawsuits, and that Crossing Water is run by citizens and financed by donations.
Tactic 3: Select a volunteer to give a tour of Crossing Water’s dispatch center to
showcase what items are directly distributed to homebound residents and how the
supplies are still sorely needed. Ask that Crossing Water followers repost the video to
their social media accounts.
Strategy 2: Raise awareness among individual contributors that Crossing Water is taking real
action to help right the wrongs in Flint, thereby encouraging individuals to contribute financially
so they too can enable positive change.
Tactic 1: Pitch to MLive that Crossing Water was featured in a Pantsuit Nation
documentary that was highlighting citizen action. Offer interview access with Crossing
Water leadership. Be sure to sync any multimedia with Crossing Waters’ social media
accounts.
Tactic 2: Create a factsheet that tells the story of how Crossing Water began and the
highlights of their recent successes and achievements in the past year. If possible, design
a timeline of Crossing Waters’ history.
Tactic 3: Create a graphics based factsheet that showcases the highly efficient ways
Crossing Water uses their resources and finances to ensure to online contributors that any
donations are going towards Flint residents. Repost to Facebook and feature in an E-
Newsletter and link Guide Star and Charity Navigator entries.
Charitable Giving Foundations and Organizations
Strategy 1: Convince grant giving foundations through increased visibility on nonprofit network
sites that Crossing Water is a legitimately established organization committed to effective
management of resources.
Tactic 1: Design a Guidestar entry page for Crossing Water to format the dollars to
services that Crossing Water has with minimal overhead. Feature information about
Crossing Waters’ use of specifically individual donations and in-kind donations from
volunteers, and how every helps.
Tactic 2: Apply for a nonprofit status on Charity Navigator in efforts to get a rating from
the website, which encourages transparency of the financial operations of cause
organizations.
Tactic 3: Design an annual report of the financial activity of Crossing Water for 2016.
Place links on Crossing Water’s website and feature links on both Facebook profiles and
E-Newsletters.
Strategy 2: Showcase to grant giving foundations through external facing media that Crossing
Water has cultivated a rare rapport in the Flint Water Crisis and is advocating for underserved
homes.
Tactic 1: Feature in Crossing Water’s annual report that the organization has been
consistently and reliably advocating for Flint households that have been forgotten in the
Flint Water Crisis. Have special posts of any upcoming progress with representatives in
lawsuits where Crossing Water has assisted in improving relations with officials and
residents.

18
Tactic 2: Design an advocacy timeline about Crossing Water Leadership’s evolution
about aiding underserved households in the field and through litigation and policy.
Specifically talk about the recent news that Michael Hood and Laurie Carpenter are now
in negotiations with the City of Flint and Michigan officials to implement better outreach
to all households impacted by lead.
Tactic 3:Highlight Crossing Water’s appearance in documentaries from Pantsuit Nation
in a special post on the organization’s Charity Navigator and Guidestar entry page when
the documentary is completed.
Future Opportunities
As of late April 2017, Crossing Water has still not received an acceptance letter from the IRS for
a tax-exempt status, however leadership meetings with pro-bono lawyers report that the process
is in the final stages. Should these efforts be successful, Crossing Water can benefit from
increased funds for a more robust communications campaign. Future potential progress, such as
a partnership with Marc Edwards about educational outreach and developments from future
lawsuits, are events that can be highlighted in 2017. The federal lawsuit that was concluded in
April 2017 is still in the preliminary stages for implementation, and can significantly impact
Crossing Waters’ mission. Should Crossing Water leadership find it prudent, Facebook ads and
official partnerships with social service schools in the Michigan area are additional opportunities
for this nonprofit to spread its message. However, this is only possible if Crossing Water has
bolstered their finances.

19
Calendar
Note: Calendar is on a 14 day cycle and is subject to change based on volunteer availability and
external factors.

25
Budget

26
Evaluation
1) Objective: Raise awareness about Crossing Water’s comprehensive Rapid Response
Team training and field work among social service schools by 15% in fiscal year 2017.
Metrics:
o Pre-campaign awareness numbers vs. post-campaign awareness numbers
o Number of unique users via Facebook Analytics
o Social media impressions/ psychographics using analytical tools provided by
Facebook Analytics
Evaluation:
o Conduct pre/post campaign survey within the specified demographics to gather
awareness data and if users are considering to train and volunteer for Crossing
Water.
! Compare volunteer turnout before and after campaign implementation.
o Conduct digital/social media audits throughout the campaign to see if potential
volunteers are now considering training and volunteering for Crossing Water.
o Monitor Facebook reviews
2) Objective: Raise awareness about Crossing Water’s role in the Flint Water Crisis to
current individual contributors by 25% by fiscal year 2017.
Metrics:
o Pre-campaign awareness numbers vs. post-campaign awareness numbers.
o Number of unique users via Facebook Analytics
o Social media impressions/ psychographics using analytical tools provided by
Facebook Analytics
o Impressions and psychographics using analytical tools from Guidestar and
Charity Navigator software.
o Monitor online comments on news articles pitched to MLive
Evaluation:
o Conduct pre/post campaign survey within the specified demographics to gather
awareness data and if users are considering contributing to Crossing Water.
o Conduct digital/social media audits throughout the campaign to see if potential
volunteers are now considering training and volunteering for Crossing Water.
o Number of referrals and shares on Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and Facebook
platforms.
o Tone of online comments on news articles pitched to MLive
3) Objective: Increase brand awareness and credibility among grant giving foundations by
15% by the end of fiscal year 2017.
Metrics:
o Pre-campaign awareness numbers vs. post-campaign awareness numbers.
o Impressions and psychographics using analytical tools from Guidestar and
Charity Navigator software.
o Monitor online comments on news articles pitched to MLive

27
Evaluation:
o Number of referrals and shares on Guidestar, Charity Navigator, and Facebook
platforms.
o Conduct focus group with Crossing Water leadership in charge of grant writing to
see if this communications plan improved their outreach to foundations.
o Tone of online comments on news articles pitched to MLive
Creative Materials
Note: Exact numbers are still pending. The following are templates for possible final drafts.
1: Print and Online Brochure Materials for Volunteers and Individual Contributors: 3
Design Concepts
To feature quick facts about Crossing Water’s Mission Statement, quick numbers about activity,
and how Crossing Water is funded.
Concept 1

28
Concept 2
Concept 3

29
2: Social Media Post for Facebook
Followers on Public and Secret
Account
3: Volunteer Highlight Sample
for Facebook Post
Interview a volunteer and have
brief quotes about why they like
to return to Dispatch Days. Have
a direct link to Crossing Water’s
site. Applicable for Volunteers
Strategy 2 Tactic 2.

30
4: Crossing Water Programs for Foundations
Update with lawsuit details, if possible, as well as programs and partnerships. Applicable for
Foundations Strategy 2 Tactic 3

31
5: Factsheet of Financial Information

32
6: E-Newsletter Table of Contents for Crowdrise Database

33
Image and design credits: Crossing Water website, Canva images, all designed using Canva
Platform
All images of Flint, Michigan were taken by the author in February 2017.
References
2017 Edelman Trust Barometer. (2017, January 17). Retrieved February 18, 2017, from
http://www.edelman.com/news/2017-edelman-trust-barometer-reveals-global-implosion/

Adams, D. (2016, May 20). National Guard to wrap up Flint water operations by end of May.
Retrieved April 05, 2017, MLive,
www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/05/national_guard_to_wrap_up_flin.html

Adams, D. (2017, March 15). Only 30 percent of homes answer door for Flint water crisis
workers. Retrieved April 12, 2017, MLive,
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/03/residents_urged_to_speak_with.html
Anderson, M. W. (2014). The new minimal cities. Yale Law Journal, 123(5), 1151.
Berman, M., and Dennis, B. (2017, January 24). Flint Water Falls Below Federal Lead Limits,
but
Residents are Still asked to Use Filtered Water. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from
Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-
nation/wp/2017/01/24/flint-water-falls-below-federal-lead-limits-but-residents-still-
asked-to-use-filtered-water/

Bishop, B. (2017, March 03). Perspective: Americans have lost faith in institutions. That’s not
because of Trump or ‘fake news.’ Retrieved March 10, 2017, from The Washington Post.
Brengarth, L., and Mujkic, E. (2016). WEB 2.0: How Social Media Applications Leverage
Nonprofit Responses During a Wildfire Crisis. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 589-
596. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.010
Bump, P. (2016, March 06). Lead contamination exists throughout the U.S. — but Flint has a
special history. Retrieved April 12, 2017, from The Washington Post.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016
17 Edition, Social Workers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-
service/social-workers.htm.
Carpenter, L. “Click here to support Crossing Water: Working Together for Flint”
from Crowdrise Fundraising Page.
Catlin, R. (2017, March 10). Cher is fighting Trump, making a movie about Flint and, once

34
again, rocking casinos. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from Washington Post.
Cavna, M. (March 15, 2016). 'Doonesbury’s' Trudeau on timely wounded warrior project scandal
strip: 'sometimes I get lucky'. The Washington Post.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Childhood lead poisoning data, statistics, and
surveillance. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/ data/index.htm. Revised March 25, 2016,
Retrieved January 31, 2017.
Chan, J. B. (2016, January 22). Do Not Drink: The water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Podcast.
Reveal The Center for Investigative Reporting. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/do-not-drink-the-water-crisis-in-flint-michigan/
Cornish, A. (2017, April 18). Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Call To Action: 'This Fight' Will Take
Everybody. Retrieved April 20, 2017, from NPR,
http://www.npr.org/2017/04/18/524508983/sen-elizabeth-warrens-call-to-action-this
fight-will-take-everybody
Covert, B. (2016, February 17). Race Best Predicts Whether You Live Near Pollution. Retrieved
January 30, 2017, The Nation.
Cuthbertson, C. A., Newkirk, C., Ilardo, J., Loveridge, S., and Skidmore, M. (2016). Angry,
scared, and unsure: Mental Health Consequences of Contaminated Water in Flint,
Michigan. Journal of Urban Health, 93(6), 899-908. doi:10.1007/s11524-016-0089-y
Dennis, B., and Greeson, B. 'If I could afford to leave, I would.' in Flint, a Water Crisis with No
End in Sight. The Washington Post. October 22, 2016.
Desmond-Harris, J. (2016, November 07). Pantsuit Nation, the giant, secret Hillary Facebook
group, explained. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from Vox, http://www.vox.com/policy-
and-politics/2016/11/7/13546830/pantsuit-nation-hillary-clinton-election-secret-private-
facebook-group

Dupnack, J. (2017, March 27). Agreement reached in civil lawsuit involving Flint Water Crisis.
Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.abc12.com/content/news/Michigan-Flint-to-
replace-18000-lead-tainted-water-lines-417224903.html
Edwards, M. (2016, November 10). “Understanding the Flint, MI Tap Water Crisis- Drinking
Water Research Foundation.” Lecture presented at Alan A. Leff Memorial Lecture Series
in Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN.
Ellison, G. (2017, April 19). Township gives Nestle unanimous thumbs down on pump station
permit. Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-
rapids/index.ssf/2017/04/township_gives_nestle_unanimou.html

35
Epstein, M. J., Yuthas, K., and ProQuest (Firm). (2014). Measuring and improving social
impacts:
A guide for nonprofits, companies, and impact investors (First;1; ed.). San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Faulk, L., and Ashley, S. (2014). Financial analysis for measuring and comparing risk in
grantmaking portfolios. The Foundation Review, 6(3), 60. doi:10.9707/1944-5660.1212
Feltman, R. (2017, February 21). Flint: a day by the bottle. Popular Science.
Fonger, R. (2017, March 30). Flint warns 31 more water customers: Pay up or lose service.
Retrieved March 30, 2017, from MLive.
www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/03/flint_warns_31_more_water_cust.html

Fonger, R. (2017, March 27). Settlement guarantees Flint service line replacements, not water
deliveries. Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/03/flint_water_lawsuit_deal_guara.html

Fonger, R. (2017, March 31). Flint water has more lead than 98 percent of state, despite Snyder's
claim. Retrieved April 06, 2017, from MLive.
www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2017/03/newest_data_shows_lead_level_i.html

The Foundation directory online professional. New York :Foundation Center.
Giving USA Foundation, and Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
(2016). Giving USA 2016: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2015, 61st
Annual Issue. Chicago, Illinois: Giving USA Foundation.
Grassley on the Red Cross' response on Haiti earthquake relief. (2015). Lanham: Federal
Information and News Dispatch, Inc.
Greene, D., and Inskeep, S. (2017, January 26). After Massive Marches, Activists Look To
'Channel Energy' At Local Level. Retrieved February 07, 2017, from
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=511745387
Gurman, T. A., and Ellenberger, N. (2015). Reaching the Global Community During Disasters:
Findings from a Content Analysis of the Organizational use of Twitter after the 2010
Haiti Earthquake. Journal of Health Communication, 20(6), 687-696.
doi:10.1080/10810730.2015.1018566
Hardin, E., AghaKouchak, A., Qomi, M., Madani, K., Tarroja, B., Zhou, Y. Samuelsen, S.
(2017). California drought increases CO2 footprint of energy. Sustainable Cities and
Society, 28, 450-452. doi:10.1016/j.scs.2016.09.004
Joslyn, H. (2016). The 5% solution: Charities in shrinking communities are working to get in on
the wealth transfer to younger generations. Chronicle of Philanthropy, 29(2), 30.

36
Kamenetz, A. (2017, February 12). Did Betsy DeVos Make You Want To Run For School
Board? Retrieved February 16, 2017, from NPR.
Lithwick, D. (2017, January 28). The Lawyers Showed Up. And They Won. Retrieved February
22, 2017, from Slate.
Lutz, Eric (December 5, 2016). "'Time' 2016 Person of the Year Short List: Here are the
nominees and their chances". www.mic.com. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
Mann, V. J. (2015). What to do if your grant isn't approved. Nonprofit World, 33(1), 10.
Mathis-Lilley, B. (2017, February 17). More Evidence Emerges That Flint Water Also Caused
Fatal Bacteria Outbreak. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from Slate.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2017/02/17/flint_water_linked_to_legionnaires_o
utbreak_cdc_findings_may_suggest.html
McCoy, T. (2015, August 25). How companies make millions off lead-poisoned, poor blacks.
Retrieved February 24, 2017, from The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/how-companies-make-millions-off-
lead-poisoned-poor-blacks/2015/08/25/7460c1de-0d8c-11e5-9726-
49d6fa26a8c6_story.html
Mediaite: Michigan Governor Admits Flint Water Crisis is His 'Katrina', Newstex, Chatham,
2016.
Noah, T. (April 19, 2017) Marc Edwards. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. New York, New
York. Comedy Central.
Michigan urged to spend $4B more each year on infrastructure. (2016). The Bond
Buyer.
Morris, J. C. (2017). Planning for water infrastructure: Challenges and opportunities. Public
Works Management and Policy, 22(1), 24-30. doi:10.1177/1087724X16668182
Oosting, J., and Gerstein, M. (2017, March 21). Dozens of Mich. water systems top Snyder's lead
limit. Retrieved March 22, 2017, from
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/21/dozens-mich-water-systems-
top-snyders-lead-limit/99434962/
Pellicer , L., and Judge, P. (2017, March 22). Flint Water Crisis Whistleblower Continues Fight
For Water Rights. Retrieved March 23, 2017, from The State of Things, NPR.
Pieper, K. J., Tang, M., and Edwards, M. A. (2017). Flint water crisis caused by interrupted
corrosion control: Investigating "ground zero" home. Environmental Science and
Technology, 51(4), 2007

37
Piven, F. (2017, January 19). Throw Sand in the Gears of Everything. Retrieved January 30,
2017, from https://www.thenation.com/article/throw-sand-in-the-gears-of-everything/
Ramirez, C. E. (2016, September 13). Michigan No. 2 State in Nation for Syrian Refugees.
Detroit News. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/09/12/michigan-state-
nation-syrian-refugees/90291798/
Sanchez, R. (2016, March 11). Flint Water Crisis Lawsuits: 5 Things to Know. Retrieved from
CNN. February 23, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/11/us/flint-crisis-lawsuits-five-
things/
Sanghvi, A. 2007. Simplify payroll headaches for 501c3. The Practical Accountant.
Scharping, N. (2017). Can America Avoid Another Flint? Chicago: Discover.
Schimmelpfennig, S. (2011, March 29). The Dirty Truth about Disaster Fund Raising. Retrieved
March 21, 2017, from The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Smolkin, Rachel. 2009. Cities without newspapers. American Journalism Review 31, (3).
Stack, L. (2017). Lead levels fall in flint, but water isn't yet safe: National desk. New York Times.
State of Michigan, Michigan Civil Rights Commission. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – Flint
Water Crisis Report (February 17, 2017).
Stewart, M. C., and Gail Wilson, B. (2016). The Dynamic Role of Social Media During
Hurricane
Sandy: An Introduction of the STREMII Model to Weather the Storm of the Crisis
Lifecycle. Computers in Human Behavior, 54, 639-646. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.009
Taylor, D. Kay. 01/10/2017. Surveying Resident and Faculty Physician Knowledge, Attitudes,
and Experiences in Response to Public Lead Contamination, Academic medicine, 1.
(ISSN: 1040-2446).
"Thirsty for Democracy: The Poisoning of an American City": Special Report on Flint's Water
Crisis (2016, February 17). Documentary from Democracy Now!
University of Michigan School of Public Health. Retrieved February 22, 2017, from
https://sph.umich.edu/findings/fall2016/on-the-heights/sph-digest.html

Ungar, L. (2016, December 14). 4 million Americans could be drinking toxic water and would

38
never know. Retrieved April 20, 2017, from
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/12/13/broken-system-means-millions-of-
rural-americans-exposed-to-poisoned-or-untested-water/94071732/
US Census Bureau. Percentage of People Who Live Below the Poverty Level in the Most
Populated Cities in the U.S. in 2015. Statista. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
Zaniewski, B. L. (2017, February 09). Michigan Ending Discounts for Flint Water Bills.
Retrieved February 23, 2017, from Detroit Free Press.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2017/02/09/flint-
water-credits-michigan/97710076/
Zarowny, N. (20, May 12). Vice. What It's Like to Live Through Flint's Water Crisis When You
Don't Speak English. Retrieved February 24, 2017, from
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/what-its-like-to-live-through-flints-water-crisis-
when-you-dont-speak-english

39
Appendices
Appendix 1
The Flint Michigan Water Crisis in Detail

• The Crisis began after Flint’s water source was transferred from Detroit to the Flint River
to reduce costs, triggering lead contamination to Flint. (Michigan Civil Rights
Commission, 2017)

• State provided bottled water in early 2015- Environmental Protection Agency confirms
high levels of lead in June 2015. (Michigan Civil Rights Commission, 2017)

• Michigan government only issued states of emergency three months after independent
analysis found unsafe water in December 2015. U.S. federal emergency declared in
January 2016. (Edwards, 2016)

• 100,000 people have gone almost three years without access to safe water. (Berman, M.,
and Dennis, B, 2017)

• There is no safe level of lead in water- exposure can cause rashes, baldness, miscarriage,
neurological damage, and is fatal at high levels. (Taylor, K, 2017)
• Children exposed to lead have increased risks of brain and nervous system damage,
development problems. Lead poisoning causes learning, behavior, hearing, and speech
problems that are permanent. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016)
• The crisis has caused a Legionaries’ outbreak, which spread to over 100 Flint residents
and caused 12 deaths. (Sanchez, 2017)

• There are over 14 lawsuits at state, federal, and local levels addressing state officials and
businesses involved in the misconduct- the filers might not receive any compensation.
(Sanchez, 2017)

• Michigan has been urged to spend $4 billion dollars a year to all infrastructure systems,
however the funding gap is largest in transportation. A call for federal funding has been
made, but is unlikely to close the budget gap significantly. (Bond Buyer, 2016)
o The proposed program to repair Michigan’s infrastructure costs $50,000,000,000;
Flint has received $400,000,000 in aid for infrastructure and health care programs.
(Scharping, 2017)
o Most additional financial resources will not be dedicated to the immediate Flint
area. (Bond Buyer, 2016)
• Flint is not the only American city facing an infrastructure crisis, specifically with water:
over 33 American areas have been in some variation of a water crisis, in which tap water
was not safe to either drink or wash with. (Democracy Now, 2016)
• Water pollution is a poorly misunderstood topic for many Americans, as it is difficult to
detect and presumed to be safe nationwide. (Democracy Now, 2016)

40
Appendix 2
SWOT Analysis Graph
Strengths
• Leadership has strong public speaking skills
• All costs go directly to operations, which
makes for easy disclosure
• Mission statement has an empowering story
about grassroots citizen action
• Organization is active in public education
campaigns for adults and youth
• Excellent and unique rapport with local
community
Weaknesses
• Michiganders familiar with The Crisis have
limited resources to contribute
• Pending IRS 501c3 status, which complicates
grant application process
• Most resources are dedicated to operations,
not communication and outreach
• Directors are burdened with many various
communication requests
• Previous social media posts insinuate
animosity towards law enforcement
Opportunities
• Dedicated local volunteer base can be
expanded
• Featured in Democracy Now and Pantsuit
Nation documentaries about grassroots
organizations
• Water security interest is in drought prone
states and cities with aging infrastructure
• Increase in call to action for grassroots action
after 2016 Election
• Vocational schools in area have shown
interest in volunteering skilled labor
Threats/Challenges
• Flint is seen as ‘old news’
• Water infrastructure is complicated and
misunderstood by the public
• Strong mistrust in all levels of government
and local businesses
• Pending lawsuits for those involved in water
crisis cover-up and will not be concluded soon
• National media does not consistently cover
Flint’s ongoing crisis
• Federal bills to give additional aid pending
and may insinuate that The Crisis is solved
• Competition for funding from similar
organizations
• Many Americans are not familiar with Flint
households in extreme conditions

41
Independent Research
Appendix 3:
Focus Group with Veteran Volunteers and Recently Trained Volunteers
Dispatch Day February 28, 2017, Crossing Water Dispatch Center
Attendance:
Pantsuit Nation Documentary Filmmakers: 3
Administrative Staff Members: 5
Volunteers: 28
• Returning Volunteers: 9
• Retired Social Service Workers: 5
• Fully Employed Social Service Workers: 4
• Undergraduate Students: 17
• Graduate Students: 2
Questions Asked:
1) How did you learn about Crossing Water?
2) What drives you to volunteer?
3) Do you see the Flint Water Crisis as a part of a larger theme in the political climate
nationwide?
4) How do you get your information about international and national news?
5) How do you get your information about Flint?
Key Quotes:
“I’m appalled. I’m appalled that a basic element of life was denied to these people who did
absolutely nothing wrong. They paid their taxes, and they are expecting their government to
provide these very straightforward services. And they were poisoned, some permanently, some
even died. And in America. I know this happens in other parts of the world, but this is supposed
to be the greatest country on Earth, and these people are now sick.”
“We should not have to be doing this. This was something that never should have happened.
What frustrates me is that what I am seeing in these homes are not what is getting to the news.
The filters are not cutting it, but it is the filters that all of these government officials and lawyers
are relying on to cover their own skin.”
“I heard about Crossing Water from those billboards on the sides of the highways when I drove
through Flint- the lead warnings were really only coming from them for a while. I was so
frustrated at the news making me feel so useless, and when I saw these National Guard troops
distributing water I thought ‘I can do that too, who else is in?’ Sure enough, Mike was the only
one really grappling on a citizen level. It is great work.”
“I learned about Crossing Water through my grad school program at University of Michigan. I
am studying social work, and I am mad as hell about this entire situation, and it blends
everything together perfectly. It is hard work, physically and just emotionally, but I am glad that
I do these response days.”

42
“I’m a retired social worker. Some of the things I’ve seen in the homes are really not just the
lead- it is the depression, the despair, and the really infirm people that I feel for. Some of these
homes really were already on thin ice, the lead just was the latest bad event for them. Some days
I really don’t want to go, whether it is cold outside, I’m tired, I just want to spend my afternoon
at home. But then I keep thinking about all those elderly people and kids that really are spending
their entire lives like this, and I realize that the least I can do is spend one of my days giving
back. I never regret going on dispatch days. And Mike is what helps me get back out there.”
“I study social work at University of Chicago, me and three other volunteers here. I think
Crossing Water is a way better volunteer option for me because the training I am getting here is
not wrapped up in academic theory- these are real people, real houses, and real problems that you
are trying to help with.”
“Initially I just gave 20 bucks to Crossing Water’s crowd funding page, but I realized that my
time and attention was just as important. A lot of these people know that they need the filers and
they know where the PODs are, but they are sick, infirm, homebound. I don’t do social work, I
am a water engineer, but frankly sometimes you just need to get a strong back, load up your car,
and get out there. It was way better than just clicking ‘Like’ on Facebook if a friend ranted about
Flint.”
“I am worried that these impromptu protests that are being posted on social media will not be
sustainable. We need some sort of structure. We need to be educated, trained, and then we can
really have change come. Running around with a protest sign was great for The Womens’
March, but Crossing Water has long term options to make a difference.”
“Several of the older volunteers really only have Facebook accounts to check in on Crossing
Water activities. E-mail would be easier for me, but we understand that the setup for Facebook
with [the leadership] is more straightforward, so Facebook is good enough for me.”
Appendix 4
Interview with Crossing Water Directors Michael Hood and Laurie Carpenter
February 28, 2017, Crossing Water Dispatch Center
“I started Crossing Water in 2013. It was initially an educational outreach plan that me and my
partner, Laurie, wanted to use as a labor of love. We had already read reports about funds
dwindling in the state, and lead exposure is a silent killer in America.
We’ve been seeing and hearing stories that are just not covered in the news. Partially because
there aren’t many journalists in Michigan, let alone Flint. It is also hard to explain without
exploiting those who are victims of poverty and poisoning. People use wet wipes for months on
end because of lack of safe water, some people are ashamed that they are living in condemned
buildings, and law enforcement is not prevalent enough in the very dangerous areas to make a
significant difference. There is just no trust, no rapport.
And that is law enforcement, we haven’t even gotten to the fly by night religious organizations.
They show up randomly, knock on peoples’ doors, and they are never heard from again. This

43
work is hard. The water is heavy, the weather is bad, and the resources are low. PODs are getting
shut down, and this 211 service is being treated as a golden goose.
Genessee Health Systems is the main health provider for people in Flint, and they have gotten
the lions share for health funding. The main issue is that they don’t actually go to houses. The
homebound, the disabled, the people who may have used drugs or are not citizens, they rarely go
to their buildings. Those people need it the most, but Crossing Water can only refer them to
Genessee.”
Appendix 5
In-Depth Interview with Crossing Water Veteran Dennis Atkinson
February 28, 2017, Flint, Michigan, Response Team Duties
I was the ‘water donkey’ for Dennis Atkinson, a retired engineer who lives in Ann Arbor,
Michigan and frequently volunteers in Flint. I hauled approximately 27 crates of water, equaling
over 800 pounds, in a car that shadowed Mr. Atkinson. We visited 7 houses and visited 2 PODs.
“There was a study that tried to put a price tag on the entire generation of children that were
exposed to lead in Flint. They put it at around 200 million dollars. How can you try to calculate
that kind of damage when these kids will be permanently limited mentally and physically for an
entire town? And it was not their doing, it was through officials trying to penny pinch. It was
completely just bad luck, and the children got the short straw. It’s just crass how they proceeded.
You’ll see that a lot of the houses look abandoned. You see that those houses over there have
roofs that caved in from the heavy snow, the owner couldn’t afford to fix the roof, so it caved in.
Others like that one have a lot of black soot on the walls or the porch. They can’t afford to use
heating, or their heating got shut off from lack of bill payment, so they are using stoves. We try
to get them off the stoves, but it’s in the single digits so they get desperate. Then the house gets
caught on fire, they suffocate, or they can’t repair the house after the fire department takes the
fire out. Those houses are still inhabited, but they have people squatting in them. If they don’t
then people set the rest of the structure on fire to keep warm.
The problem with these houses is the Red Cross and law enforcement don’t go anywhere near
them. Mike will tell you the same thing- its in a lot of houses here. Unfortunately, those people
need the water and filters and food more than anyone else, so if we have enough volunteers and
feel safe, we can go in and check in on them. It is really risky, but the residents are so weary of
random people that show up and knock on doors and the homeowner has no idea who they are.
We’ve gotten through to a good amount of people though.
I volunteer here because I have fond memories of Flint when I was here in college decades ago.
It used to be a beautiful town, lovely people, and good jobs. Then the car companies fled, the
recession hit, and these people’s lives just collapsed. It was a series of bad events for them, and
when the Crisis hit, it was like a death knell. I want them to get back on their feet, I really do, but
I think it will take a lot more than a lawsuit. They need young blood coming back. I hope that
what we are doing right now can get them at least through this rough time before the pipes get
replaced. It’s just the least I can do.”

44
Appendix 6
Interview with Kristina Marchu, Development Associate, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
March 10, 2017, Washington, DC.
1) Are there particular news sources that grant writers and grant committees use?
Chronicles of Philanthropy and Foundation Center are the two biggies, along with nonprofit
membership organizations, ie APRA Association for Prospect Research) or others depending on
if you are in development, programs, etc. I set Google Alerts for key words that are useful to my
organization or foundation I am interested in so I can keep up with news that way as well.
2) How common do you like to see updates about the activities of non-profits? Monthly?
Quarterly? After a major event concerning the organization’s activity?
Definite updates and from where. I get news daily from the above as well as industry-related
news (ie I work for sustainable seafood so I get SeafoodSource News). I am also on foundation
news blasts. If it was for some major event then I would see it reporting in just about all news
sources for a short while before tapering off to other topics.
3) Are there additional components that grant committees search for in an organization that is not
in the application itself?
Too variable to say. Each grant committee has set rules agreed upon for the foundation which
can be unique to themselves. Imagine each foundation as a country; they all have set boundaries
and interests but behave in their own specific manners dependent on where their interests lie,
what political situation they are in, who their neighbors are (in this instance perhaps what other
foundation is in the same sphere/topic as they are) and what their natural resources are.
5) Do you think that the leadership of a nonprofit can increase the perceived sustainability of the
organization?
Broadly speaking yes. The more an organization can have staff that find themselves in a larger
leadership position or position of authority on an issue the more respected they seem and
potentially more reliable.
6) Do you think that particular categories of news articles featuring the organization could help
or hurt the application process?
Oh both for sure! Positive news can help with proposals and negative news can keep proposals
from progressing into accepted grants. Positive could be great work done on a project ('tooting
their own horn') whereas negative could be grant mismanagement, poor funding allocations, etc.
Negative news does not necessarily mean from project failure if spun correctly (ie look at charity
water mentioned below)

45
Appendix 7
Interview with Brittany Zeman, Global Communications and Philanthropy Officer, Relief
International
March 12, 2017, Washington, DC.
1) Tell me some of the inner workings of foundations that give grants.
I can’t speak for all foundations, but many of the grant writers and evaluators do only just that.
That's literally their entire job and they are very specialized (for example, there's one guy who
works almost exclusively on a certain type of grants from UNICEF). My understanding is
international development grants are pretty thorny and require a high level of expertise to be able
to navigate successfully.
2) Do you see any patterns of grant applications as a whole?
Grant writing that is done on a domestic level is less complex. The international projects can get
really tricky because there are a lot of political factors that come into play- sometimes an
international incident occurs and an entire grant can be seen as unrealistic to execute.
3) For a project that is working on a very basic need that is seen usually in developing countries,
clean water, but is domestic, would you see any specific factors that can be in play?
I’ve noticed that with the emergency response projects that the people on the ground are
extremely difficult to get in touch with. They really aren’t going to give the Communications
Team a lot of detailed input because of technological and time constraints. I think for them they
kind of get caught up in the end product and can quickly get impatient at the planning stages.
Appendix 8
Dispatch Day Notes
February 28, 2017, Flint, Michigan
• There are a lot of elements of Crossing Waters’ dispatch days that are not online,
partly out of the sensitive and proprietary nature of the training criteria, but also
because of the highly sensitive nature of what dispatch teams encounter in the field.
• There is a lot of reliance of the dependability of volunteer resources that are not
entirely explained, such as simply having the carrying capacity to haul a lot of water
for a long period of time in extreme weather.
• Crossing Waters’ unique approach to crisis response at a grassroots level specializing
in water security, which is a growing threat nationwide- Crossing Waters’ program can
be used in other cities with water security problems. (Morris 2017)
• Rapid response teams have on average three people per team, with a total of six teams
being dispatched at a time. Most dispatch days are two Saturdays a month with
additional follow-ups if needed.
• Many of the Crossing Water households that need the most amount of attention are
from the elderly, disabled, homebound, and ill. The average weight of a crate of
bottled water is 30 pounds, which is difficult to transport for these households.

46
• There is an extensive email list of donors who have contributed on Crowdrise,
however there have been no updates sent to contributors in E-Newsletters following up
on Crossing Water’s activities.
• The resources needed to provide emergency equipment and operations are expensive
and needs consistent funding. This expendable income is not in the immediate area,
where the crisis is well understood, but from Michigan volunteers and contributors
outside of Flint.
Skilled Volunteer Organizations Include:
• National Association of Social Workers - Michigan

• University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration
• National Resources Defense Council
• Syrian American Medical Society-there is a large Syrian immigrant community in
Michigan. (Ramirez, 2016) The organization wants to take an active role in aiding
communities prone to poverty.
Informal and Impromptu Fundraising Contribution Sources Include:
• Big League Impact recently contribution of $10,000- still uncertain how the grant
writer found Crossing Water
• School book drives from local area schools have contributed funds- Crossing Water
staff have gotten their attention through word of mouth
• The Annenberg Foundation is in the process of finalizing a grant for Crossing Water
after Michael Hood presented to the University of Southern California about water
safety and Flint’s Water Crisis. California faces series of water shortages from drought
cycles. (Hardin, 2016)
• While The Mott Foundation offered a $12,000 dollar grant to Crossing Water in 2016,
the grant offer was declined due to the restrictions that Mott required to accept the
funding.
Appendix 9
Interview with Director Liz Harp, Documentary Filmmaker for Pantsuit Nation
February 28, 2017, Crossing Water Dispatch Center
“What Crossing Water is doing is the epitome of citizen action and humanitarian work not for
money, not for glory or fame, because clearly they are not getting any of that. They are doing it
because this Flint Water Crisis was not only an abject failure to provide this basic service all for
cutting costs, but the powers that be, both the government officials and companies, lied about it
when they were caught.
This element of humanitarian aid for [The Crisis] hit on so many problems in America, like poor
infrastructure, poor social service options, the elderly, and just the economy as a whole, Pantsuit
Nation took notice. We want to highlight their work and feature them on the site, but it takes a
long time to edit and get the green light from the administrators of [Pantsuit Nation].

47
Appendix 10
Summary of Survey Sent to Crossing Water Mailing List
A survey was administered via Survey Monkey to Crossing Water volunteers, contributors, and
Facebook followers. This survey asked for basic demographic and psychographic information as
well as suggestions and comments for communication insights. The graphs were synthesized
using Google Spreadsheets. The following contains responses from 52 people, as well as
highlights of some comments for Crossing Water.
Key Findings from Independent Research Based on Surveys
• Most respondents preferred to get news about Crossing Water through Facebook or
email, while e-newsletters were the third most common preferred media channel.
• The most common way respondents learned about Crossing Water was through a family
or friend, through social media, or the National Association of Social Workers in
Lansing, Michigan.
• Contributors and volunteers consistently said that what motivated to give their time and
or financial aid to Crossing Water was the organizations’ leadership and dedication to the
residents of Flint.
• Many comments noted anger at government officials and concern that other activist
groups were only policy based, not action based.
• Both individual contributors and volunteers expressed interest in the need to take
positive, grassroots action and not to just learn about it in the media.
• Most respondents found a connection with The Women’s March and wanted to continue
taking political action or enable people to enact change.
Key Comments:
“I think you should mobilize the considerable number of volunteers at CW to communicate with
politicians. Send out phone scripts/letter templates that we can use to reach out to our federal and
state representatives. Unfortunately the Flint water crisis is starting to fade away from public
consciousness not only nationally but here in Michigan too in areas outside of Flint. If my
Congressman or State Rep in Lansing or wherever else knows that their constituents are
concerned with Flint, then they are more likely to take action. Applying pressure on politicians at
every level of the government is important.”
“Never give up, regardless of what may or may not happen with government. Flint residents will
have several years of suffering and needs all the help they can get.”
“Continue developing ways to expand Crossing Water's presence and accomplishments with the
citizens of Michigan and the Nation in print and in prominence as a hard-working, effective
agency.”
“Crossing Water consistently supports our community against formidable odds (weather, a
legion of resident issues, temporary housing of commodities, distribution) They are extremely
welcome in our community.”

48
Graphs of Survey Results

Capstone Client- Crossing Water

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Capstone Client- Crossing Water

Similar to Capstone Client- Crossing Water (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Capstone Client- Crossing Water