Safe water is sometimes taken for granted, especially in a landscape that appears to be pristine. Serving as a volunteer board member for Valley Stewardship Network has taught me a great deal about what’s at stake and what threatens the precious resources on which our community, economy, and all creatures depend. The urgency of the need to protect our water called for an updated communications toolkit.
Leasing a shared storefront with two other conservation organizations really got the ball rolling. The Main Street presence and the shared traffic greatly enhanced our visibility, but Valley Stewardship Network needed more to engage program participants, members, and funders.
We developed a plan that included a more inclusive positioning of the organization to help all area residents identify with the interconnected watersheds in which they live.
Then we created new membership materials, newsletter template, and a responsive website that serves numerous functions for the nonprofit. The new website offers information about the region’s natural resources, interactive exploration of satellite maps, registration and payment for workshops and events, e-commerce for merchandise, and payment options for memberships and donations.
Coincidentally, we got the site up a day before a surprise visit from a major funder who was considering Valley Stewardship Network for a collaborative project. They admired the website and also awarded the project to VSN! Clear communication that’s done in a distinctive and simple way does much to build trust.
The new membership brochure helps everyone to identify with their watershed.
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