3. 3
Strategic Positioning Statement
For Bloomsburg area residents in economic need who have
exhausted all other resources. AGAPE is a volunteer based, non-
profit organization aiding community members with a multitude of
services ranging from financial assistance and transportation to
clothing, furniture and food. AGAPE offers 14 programs and
services to the area and is looking to expand to reach a wider
group of people.
4. 4
Situation Analysis
Currently AGAPE offers 14 programs to help members of the
community, as well as providing financial and in-kind help though
donations. 94 cents of every dollar donated is directly put towards
programs and operations for helping others.
The marketplace is primarily the Bloomsburg- Danville area,
though they reach other areas throughout both Columbia and
Montour counties. The agency is looking to increase the area
they provide service in to the Northumberland region in the future.
A multitude of steps can be taken to show the good done by the
organization, and therefore hopefully increase the number of
donors and volunteers willing to aid this agency.
Factors influencing the forward progression of AGAPE are
as follows: The economy, and the area that AGAPE served is
small-Bloomsburg/Danville area, lack of donors. In order for this
organization to grow they will need to expand, i.e. create a
satellite location in an area that can be supported by AGAPE, but
5. 5
in return support AGAPE with its needs (money and donations).
Northumberland would be a prime location for this branch
location.
Between monetary and in-kind donations AGAPE has
approximately 8,000 donors. Volunteers are always needed and
are appreciated greatly. Some of the programs offered are: Clean
life, Free life, emotional and spiritual support groups, counseling,
transportation, “Building Bridges out of Poverty” -which is a 16
week workshop created to help their clients better understand
their situation and aid them in becoming self-sufficient again. The
agency also provides weekly hot meals those who are in need,
and ran “Project Frozen” in February where they set up a warming
station from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
SWOT Analysis
Competition: The Hope Center and Good Samaritan. Both
organizations do similar things as AGAPE, yet not as much or to
the level that AGAPE does. The competition lies in the need for
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donor dollars. How do donors decide which good- doing
organization to give their money to when they are all doing good
and similar good at that? Need to stand out in the crowd!
Strengths: Have good public perceptions. .94/$1 goes to
help people. They have strong loyalty. 14 programs offered to
community.
Weakness: Donations are given from a very narrow area.
Need a larger donor base. They give 2 times more to the Berwick
area but less donations are received from that area. There are
only 3 paid employees who collectively make approx. $40,000/
year. Have bad internal communication.
Opportunity: Potential expansion to Northumberland region.
Reach out to Berwick for more money and donations. There are
various communications mediums available to help spread the
word and gain more active publics.
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Threats: MONEY MONEY MONEY! Donors! Key personnel
with unpaid positions- if they left AGAPE would be in trouble.
Sometimes taking on more than they can handle.
Media Relations: Current relationships have been established
with the following news media outlets: WHLM, WNEP, SEVC and
Press Enterprise (a little).
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Communication Objectives
Objective 1:
To increase AGAPE’s social media presence on a variety of
platforms in order to raise awareness among its key public
audiences.
Objective 2:
To improve the public’s perception of AGAPE in order to gain
more volunteers and donors for the agency.
Objective 3:
Reach a wider pool of donors from other local regions, i.e.
Berwick, Hazelton, and Northumberland County.
Objective 4:
To communicate with a wider range of individuals who are in
need, in a greater geographical area.
Objective 5:
Increase awareness through news media. Simultaneously
increasing relations with those news outlets.
9. 9
Key Publics
Internal:
Board Members
Paid employees (3)
Volunteers- on all levels
External:
Investors / Donors- both of monetary and in-kind donations
Volunteers
Clients
Bloomsburg University Students
Bloomsburg area community
Berwick, Northumberland, Sunbury and the various other
local towns within the region.
10. 10
Recommended Strategies
News Media Relations:
Make connections with local news media outlets who offer
print, online, radio and television coverage within the region.
Special Events:
Continue to execute previously organized events, as well as
find new events to participate in and/or organize.
Social Media:
Establish various social media accounts.
Maintain website- increase its potential and usability.
Interact with prospective clients, donors and community
members.
Collateral Material:
Update collateral media such as brochures and posters.
Maintain the brand through the collateral material.
Fundraising Approach:
Take advantage of all local fundraisers.
Look for new opportunities.
Partner with other organizations to optimize results of the
fundraiser while simultaneously increasing awareness of the
agency.
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Tactics
News Media Relations:
Make connections with WBUQ, BUnow, The Voice, and The
Press Enterprise that would allow this agency to
communicate with its key publics in a variety of ways.
Events:
Get involved in town. Work with other non-profits such as
Downtown Bloomsburg Inc. or the Berwick Pool Association.
Partner together, creating mutually beneficial relationships
that can be long lasting.
Renaissance Jamboree
o Obtain a table for the event. Bring collateral material as
well as having a slideshow/ video of what AGAPE is
about in order to make the public an aware or active
audience.
o Use this as a fundraising opportunity as well.
AGAPE Palooza
o Continue to build on this event. It has become an
annual event for AGAPE.
o Create a different theme for each year’s event.
o Host a fundraiser at the event.
o Interact with the public by having a virtual scavenger
hunt. They could tweet pictures or post to Instagram
using a hashtag of your choice. Make it fun!
Raise the Region
Host a summer kick-off event on site.
o Invite members from inside the community as well as
other local areas i.e. Catawissa, Northumberland,
Danville, Sunbury etc.
12. 12
o Again, capture the audience’s attention by having an
interactive activity. By having them take photos of the
event/ them at the event that is building your credibility.
o Showcase the 14 programs offered by AGAPE at this
time.
Set up tables and have volunteers and board
members available to talk to individuals.
Social Media:
Create a blog using Wordpress
o It is free to sign up, however there are paid themes if
you are interested in one of those.
Create an Instagram account
o Along with this, create a hashtag that is congruent with
the brand. i.e #lovefromabove or #AGAPElove.
Create a Youtube account
o Create a welcome video. Have members of the board
as well as volunteers and employees featured on the
video. A simple 1-2 minute video.
o In the video, describe what AGAPE is. What programs
are offered? Where are you located? Hours of
operation. Mention the various social media accounts
that you have. Encourage interaction.
o Post the video on all social media platforms including
the website.
Update website
o Add all new social media links.
o Create a tab for photos. People needs to see the work
that you are doing and how it is impacting their
community in a positive way.
13. 13
o Have the upcoming event listed on the homepage front
and center in hopes to increase the number of people
who attend the event.
Create VNRs (Video News Release )
o These can be about AGAPE, events such as Palooza,
updates on donor status. Fundraisers that will be taking
place.
o Post them on the blog, website, and social media
platforms.
Collateral Materials:
Brochures
Flyers
Posters
Press Releases
o Ensure that all collateral media maintain the brand
image. Update if not.
o Distribute materials to local business and the media
outlets.
o Create pdf files of each and post on the website.
Constituent Relations:
Send our personalized emails to current database of
volunteers updating them on upcoming events.
Increase awareness by informing them of the new social
media accounts available.
Send out personalized invitations to Palooza as well as
the summer kick-off event.
o Create a collateral material for this. Example: Poster
or flyer that can be distributed throughout the county.
