# Presentation: 684706

## Grassroots Marketing

- Developing WIC as a
- Community Investment

## Outreach Successes

- Maintaining a caseload close to 50,000 per month
- Obtaining OAF for $297,174, Flex-E-Grant for $10,000 & $4,000 from Dept of Ed in 2007
- Good partnership with many community/faith-based agencies
- Met all performance measures for FY 2006

## Monthly Caseload

**Notes:**
FY 2006 Avg participation 49,703
Avg children is 25, 827
Avg infants is 11,929
Avg women 11,932

## Funding

**Notes:**
Funding for LA is determined by a three year formula whereas state funding is based on previous FY caseload.  States receive approximately $61 per participant per month which allows monthly avg of $35 for food and $26 for administration.
In 2001, admin budget $8.9; 2002 $9.3; 2003, $9.7; 2004 $9.3; 2005 $10

## Percent of Population Being Served

- Statewide WIC is serving 61% of eligible participants who also receive Medicaid; 68% of all eligible state residents

- Medicaid data contends the state could serve 74,336 participants
- This would contribute $7.7 million more to the administrative budget

**Notes:**
Nationally WIC is serving 57% of all eligible participants.

## Grassroots Marketing Strategies

- Inclusive to Agency
- Tell a Story
- Identify the Need
-  Creates Partnerships
- Has its Roots in the Community

**Notes:**
Not only want community awareness but community buy-in
Talk everywhere even if the population does not seem appropriate.  This is because only 20% of our marketing success is from newspaper and TV.
Invite the community into clinic for volunteering (i.e church group doing cooking demonstration, retired teacher doing read aloud
It is important to connect and engage with the community.  This requires face-to-face contact

What are the core values of the organization (i.e. respect)?  We need to market from the inside out and it has to start from the top.  Basically following the philosophy, vision and mission
Bring in reality, put a face to our program—this gets personal connection
Visit partners so you know what they are about and what their needs are; Each county may have a different need so that is why it is important for OR to be completed in each county
  Need Professional and personal contacts; create branding—when think of nutrition services they automatically think of WIC; get involved with their cause to have contact with the community (when you need a speaker call us, when you need items call us); show your passion; you want to get people to believe in you and your program not just telling people what we do and where we are; Correlate what we do to how it effects people not just numbers
Not just provide service but nurture the community; people want to be part of something working

## Grassroots Marketing Structure

- Posture
- Position
- Presence
- Performance

**Notes:**
Posture-  How are we viewed?  DO we influence the community?  Are you a leader in the field?  **Have to give to get so when agency has extra then give to the community
Position-Are we on the cutting edge?  Are we a gap filler?  Is this service something the community can’t live without?
Presence—Are you relevant and partnering?  Are we making a difference?  Do we fit in?
Performance—I feel the most important marketing tool is our staff—all the fancy brochures, etc don’t matter if staff is trashing the agency.  Customer service!!!!

## Key Indicators of Success

- Client Access
- Are we unique?
- Are we relevant?
- Does our organization facilitate change?

**Notes:**
Do they come?  Does each county have slight differences in services to fit the population?  Have you grown and changed with community needs?

**We want the government officials to see the importance of our program—community support is the way to do this.