Redmond, Wash., February 27, 1996 — These dramatically designed materials and their special initiatives have received the Microsoft Publisher Community Marketing Awards. Four nonprofit organizations were recognized for the success of their marketing efforts and creative use of computer software to capture their community’s imagination and support for a unique project. Those being honored are:
Conner’s Cause for Children , Encinitas, CA;
Citizens Council (Turn off the Violence) , Minneapolis;
Citizens Committee for New York City, Inc.
(Youth Unlimited) ,
and the Los Angeles Children’s Museum .
The winners will receive a complete Desktop Marketing Department including a multimedia computer, Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 5P Printer and Microsoft®
Publisher software. Created with The Points of Light Foundation and Society for Nonprofit Organizations, the awards provided opportunities for nonprofits to showcase their recent marketing efforts with computer-generated designs. For example, Conner’s Cause for Children, Encinitas, CA, is a
“one computer organization that creates newsletters, brochures, invitations and flyers to rally the community,”
says Sheri Sachs, executive director.
“These materials have helped us raise more than $68,000 in less than two years.”
The mission of Conner’s Cause is to ease the financial burden for families who have children with life threatening illnesses.
It was founded in the memory of Conner, a four-year-old, who without prior warning, was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor and whose treatment resulted in $15,000 in bills not covered by the family’s insurance company.Another award-winner is the Turn Off the Violence campaign administered by the Citizens Council in Minneapolis that has distributed more than 50,000 posters, brochures and guides. Unique to the materials is the organization’s computer generated logo that has turned the letter
“V”
in the word violence into a heart.
“
Hundreds of thousands see that heart-shaped logo every October,
“says Ginny Orth, director of volunteer services.”
As importantly, schools and communities across the country use the materials yearly and learn how to reduce violence by changing their attitudes, language and behavior.
“Another honoree is the Los Angeles Children’s Museum whose mission is to provide children with a safe, fun environment in which to learn about the world around them.”
We like to give children how-to brochures, flyers and newsletters that they can take home,
”
says Helene P. von Schreiber, marketing and public information director.
Among the creative materials that the museum designs: a newsletter that suggested ways for kids to turn junk mail into paper.
“Our need for such materials was one of the reasons we used a grant to buy computers and software,”
adds von Schreiber.
“Now we can be highly creative ‘in-house.'”
That creativity has been so productive that the museum’s membership has risen 25 percent and the return rate on their mail campaign has increased five percent over last year.
“The fourth winner is the Citizens Committee for New York City, Inc. (Youth Unlimited) who helps disconnected and alienated youth. The youth-run program uses computer-generated materials designed by kids that capture the language, feel and look of their”
world.
“Most are boldly graphic, and one manual’s cover actually reflects the image of its reader.”
In l995, we know we positively affected the lives of more than 17,500 youth,
“says Gregory Gittrich, assistant communications coordinator,”
because we tapped into the needs of young people and spoke to them through words and images that they understood.
”
Six hundred nonprofits entered the awards program in one of four categories based on their annual operating budget. Each entrant was evaluated based upon its program’s creativity and originality, the marketing materials’ design, and the results of the campaign. (Use of Microsoft Publisher was not required to enter nor to win the awards.)
Conner’s Cause for Children won in the operating annual budget category of
“Under $100,000;”
the Citizens Council of Minneapolis in the
“$100,000 – $500,000”
category; the Los Angeles Children’s Museum in the
“$500,000 to $1 million”
category, and the Citizens Committee for New York City in the
“$l million to $5 million”
category.
“These honorees demonstrate that creative marketing with computer software can make an important contribution in the success of a nonprofit campaign whatever your budget size or misson,”
says Katie Burnham, Executive Director, Society for Nonprofit Organizations.
“We’re excited by the level of creativity that all entries showed, and want to commend Microsoft Publisher for making a commitment to the nonprofit community through these honors, and through the donation of Microsoft Publisher software to nearly 500 Volunteer Centers,”
says Pat Bland, Senior Vice President, The Points of Light Foundation.
“We are very impressed with the caliber of the entries and the results of these campaigns,”
says Tammy Shiley-Locke, Microsoft Publisher product manager.
“We hope the creative ideas, designs and resourcefulness of the four winning organizations will assist other nonprofits in developing marketing materials that increase awareness of the good works that community-based organizations are doing.” “We congratulate the honorees because by telling their stories, they will inspire other nonprofits to ‘make a difference’ in their communities and in our country,”
concluded Pam Brown, USA Weekend
“Make A Difference Day”
editor and a judge for the awards.
Founded in l975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MFST”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Founded in 1990, The Points of Light Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization whose mission is to engage more people effectively in volunteer community service to help solve serious social problems.
Founded in 1983, The Society for Nonprofit Organizations is a national membership organization whose mission is to draw together all elements of the nonprofit world to encourage open communication and sharing, to identify the common ground that can unify, and to foster a sense of community in the sector.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
