A newsletter from Biodiversity Project Winter 2013
PUBLI C OPINI ON & COMMUNICATIONS N EWS
Understanding the Baby Boomer Audience
able news shows and morning talk shows frequently Nixon’s presidency, are more likely to vote for Democrats. feature segments about baby boomers. Stories like, “Baby Younger boomers are more likely to vote for Republicans. boomers expected to benefit from health care law”; “What The younger half of the boomer generation came of age baby boomers need to live to 100”; and “Make-up tips for during a period of disillusionment with Democratic baby boomers” fill the airwaves for good President Jimmy Carter and during the reason (even if not all the stories are good). beginning of the popular presidency of The baby boomer generation is defined by Republican Ronald Reagan. the U.S. Census as people born between 1946 • While the percentage of self-described and 1964. This era of relative peace and prosconservative boomers has increased since perity, between the end of World War II and 2000 (from 35% to 42%), they are becomthe start of American combat troops being ing more comfortable with gay marriage. sent to Vietnam, birthed 77 million people. In 1996, boomers opposed gay marriage The oldest baby boomers turned 65 in 2011 by more than two-to-one (66% to 26%). and AARP has estimated that by 2015, 45% In 2011, boomers opposed gay marriage of the population will be 50 years old or older. by a only a modest margin (48% to 42%). There’s no question: baby boomers • Since the 1990s, more boomers (54%) represent a significant segment of the general prefer limited government programs to a population and, as such, a major audience more engaged government (35%). for many environmental and conservation • 50% of boomers said the US was the greatorganizations. As their children leave the est country in the world in a 2011 survey. nest and their financial security (hopefully) Yet, 91% said they were very patriotic. As a significant segment of • While boomers are pessimistic about curstrengthens, baby boomers can be a prime the general population, baby rent events, they are hopeful for the future. audience from which to recruit both volunteers and donors. boomers are a major audience In 2011, 46% of boomers said life in the Biodiversity Project has compiled some for many environmental and US has gotten worse since the 1960s, yet general baby boomer research from groups 48% believe that our nation’s best days are conservation organizations. like Pew Research Center, AARP and the US ahead of us. Census to help paint a picture of this large demographic. These fun statistics only brush the surface of the boomer Though these easy-to-find statistics don’t tell us how baby generation. But from them, and other reports, research and boomers feel about environmental issues, they do tell us about data, we can strategically target communications and messages their values, which is what Biodiversity Project uses to connect to the baby boomers by drawing on some values. For example, audiences to behavior change campaigns. For example: we know that 91% of baby boomers self-identify as patriotic. • A larger majority of baby boomers are white compared with Thus, message that relate to pride in a local place or town or younger generations. In 2011, 73% of boomers were white, endangered species could be salient. 10% were Latino and 11% were black. Compare that with We also know that a slight majority of boomers prefer the Millennial generation (people who are approximately limited government, so messages about personal responsibility, 13-30 years old in 2013), which is 58% white, 20% Latino liberty and fairness might ring true. For example, “We all must and 14% black. do our part to keep Wildwood Park clean because we all benefit • It is very likely that a baby boomer is or has been married. from its walking trails.” Today, 67% are married, 19% are separated or divorced. By researching an audience and connecting messages to their Only 11% have never been married. values, environmental organizations can reach out to baby boomer audiences and bring them into the fold. • Older baby boomers, who came of age during Richard
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Communications Workshops: What You Didn’t Know You Didn’t Know n these pages we often write about our big projects, like managing communications for coalitions with diverse members and implementing national public communications campaigns. But an equally important part of Biodiversity Project’s mission is to build the communications capacity of other groups that are working to protect natural lands and resources. Building capacity comes in many shapes and sizes. One way we fulfill this part of our mission is by holding workshops and delivering presentations at conferences across the country. These workshops, which range from 60 minutes to six hours, allow us to provide basic information to help nonprofits look at their communications in a new way. Biodiversity Project Communications We create a learning experience Director Rebeca Bell gives workshop tailored to audience members directions at a November 2012 Communications Workshop. and help them with the most common communications pitfalls that they encounter. Biodiversity Project hosted two half-day workshops in November 2012. One workshop walked through several components of our communications strategy process, focusing on understanding your audience (see cover story for more
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What’s New at Biodiversity Project?
details). For the second workshop, we explored the often overwhelming field of social media through a joint presentation featuring Tegan Jones of Imagination Publishing. Other workshops have covered topics like message writing, advocacy outreach and full communications campaign planning. After our workshops, participants are often surprised by what they didn’t know they didn’t know. Many participants come to our workshops with a vague feeling that they should be doing something more specific, more purposeful, with their communications, but don’t know where to start. While one workshop or presentation won’t solve all of an organization’s worries, they can serve as the inspiration to start thinking about communications in a new way. As we start planning our next round of communications workshop for 2013, we’d like to know what communications topics are on your mind this year. Share your ideas with us by taking a survey in the Recent News section at biodiversityproject.org.
Biodiversity Project is pleased to begin work with a coalition of organizations in Wisconsin who are working cooperatively on a multi-jurisdictional approach to managing the Lake Winnebago system. We will work with the partners, who include Calumet County, Winnebago County, Fond du Lac County, Washara County, Outagamie County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin–Extension, to engage members of the public in these counties in the project. This project is a great opportunity for us to put into practice our organizational belief in collecting public opinion data and engaging constituencies in environmental action. Since the end of November 2012, Biodiversity Project has been working with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County to research and visit approximately 40 of their properties and write audience-centric articles about each. These accessible
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Biodiversity Project Connections
Workshop participants take notes and work through activities in workbooks.
articles will be featured on a new map tool the District is developing for their website. The interactive map will help potential visitors plan trips to the preserves. In March, Biodiversity Project will present at the 2013 Illinois Association of Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Conference in Normal, IL. Because preventing stormwater pollution requires people to make specific changes in their behavior, we have developed communications strategies and messages designed to connect target audiences with specific values-based messages. In this presentation, Biodiversity Project Communications Director Rebeca Bell will lead participants through a case study of unique audience-specific behavior change campaigns that can efficiently and effectively help stormwater managers achieve non-point source pollution reduction through public education and outreach.
CASE STUDY
A River Citizen in Every State (Plus Canada!) Using Cohesive Messages in a National Campaign
ince 2007, Biodiversity Project has coordinated a public education campaign called 1 Mississippi. The campaign is implemented by local organizations who are members of the Mississippi River Network. These organizations use the campaign to connect everyday people to the River, inform them about the trouble it faces and actions they can take to help protect it. The goal of the 1Mississippi campaign is to recruit River Citizens: people who pledge to take actions to protect the Mississippi River. Over the past five years, the campaign has grown to over 6,700 River Citizens by talking to people at farmers markets, festivals and concerts. By December 2012,
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Together, these River Citizens can change the course of the Mississippi River’s future. And a strong message can help get them there.
For more information on Biodiversity Project’s message-writing process, visit the Our Services section at biodiversityproject.org.
the 1 Mississippi campaign officially reached the milestone of involving River Citizens in all 50 states, plus Canada!
In addition to the hard work of the 42 member organizations in the Mississippi River Network, the campaign has been successful because of the carefully-crafted campaign message and materials that appeal to audience members as River Citizens, regardless of where they live in the country. Since legislation and policy can be changed by public opinion, the campaign seeks out people, educates them on the issues and moves them along a path to advocacy. As with all good communications campaigns, 1 Mississippi began with research to get to know who the ideal audience members are and what they value. By understanding audience needs and values, Biodiversity Project builds education and outreach campaigns that meet people where they are. Values speak to why people should care about an issue. Answering the why question is central to effective messaging. 1 Mississippi developed a survey to understand what people valued, what level of understanding they already had and why they loved the Mississippi River. This public opinion research revealed several common themes, like cultural and historical significance and looking out for future generations, that form the foundation of the campaign’s message. 1 Mississippi is a great example of how Biodiversity Project’s process of incorporating public opinion research into messages and campaign strategies works in the real world. Looking ahead, the 1 Mississippi campaign and the Mississippi River Network will be working hard over the next year to achieve the next big goal: 10,000 River Citizens in 2014. In addition, the campaign will work with the already existing River Citizens to take community and policy actions.
1 Mississippi staff recruit River Citizens at events along the river.
Biodiversity Project Connections
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BIODIVERSI TY PROJECT STAFF PROFILE
Rebeca Bell
iodiversity Project Board of Directors and Executive Director Jennifer Browning are pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2013, Rebeca Bell will now serve as the organization’s communications director. In the three and half years since Rebeca started working with Biodiversity Project, her work has evolved to match her growing experience in developing tailored communications tools for environmental issues. Since joining Biodiversity Project, Rebeca has completed a Masters program at DePaul University in writing, rhetoric and discourse, a degree that complements her responsibilities here. Prior to returning to the Midwest for graduate school, Rebeca worked as a
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community organizer in her home state of Ohio, for a member of Congress in Washington, DC and for a national environmental organization. Cumulatively, these experiences have honed her environmental communications skills and her passion for convincing others that words matter, a mantra that she frequently repeats at trainings, in staff meetings and on conference calls. Biodiversity Project’s mission is to help other environmental groups and coalitions find the right words to inspire lasting behavior changes. Serving in this new capacity, Rebeca will be better situated to fulfill this mission. Congratulations, Rebeca!
Supporting a Nontraditional Nonprofit No single person or organization can change the world on their own. It takes an informed and engaged public to get things done.
tional messages and materials. We use values-based communications and social marketing tools to move people toward lasting behavior changes. We do this through:
researching, designing, implementing and evaluating communication and education strategies that connect personal values to environmental causes helping other groups reach their own communications goals through workshops, trainings and consulting hours.
That’s where we come in. Biodiversity Project helps nonprofit organizations, coalitions and government agencies understand and consider the needs and values of their audiences in order to create compelling and motiva-
Our unique mission makes us a nontraditional nonprofit organization. While we rely heavily on grants from large foundations like the McKnight Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation and for the peer organizations that hire us to help with their communications needs, we still depend on individual supporters to help cover the extra services we provide for free or at discounted rates to other nonprofits.
Please support our efforts today at biodiversityproject.org.
Biodiversity Project Communications to INSPIRE Environmental ACTION
4507 N. Ravenswood, Suite 106 Chicago, IL 60640 773-754-8900 www.biodiversityproject.org
Biodiversity Project Staff Connections is published Jennifer Browning by Biodiversity Project. Executive Director Send inquiries to jbrowning@biodiverse.org project@biodiverse.org.
Rebeca Bell Communications Director rbell@biodiverse.org Laura Brown Communications Coordinator lbrown@biodiverse.org
Board Chair: Sara Race Commonwealth Edison Evanston, IL
Megan Kelly Program Manager mkelly@biodiverse.org
Todd Cywinski Imagination Publishing Chicago, IL
Amy Sauer Mississippi River Program Manager asauer@biodiverse.org
Rey Phillips Santos City of Chicago, Department of Law Chicago, IL
Annette Gomberg 1 Mississippi Outreach Coordinator agomberg@biodiverse.org
John Sentell Lake Forest Open Lands Association Lake County, IL Gary Wilson Grimard Wilson Consulting, Inc. Oak Park, IL
1 Mississippi is a public campaign of the Mississippi River Network, a coalition working together to protect the land, water and people of the Mississippi River region. Biodiversity Project manages the coalition and coordinates the campaign.