MC 307: Baseline Research on NPOs

This research assignment should result in a brief overview of your nonprofit organization, written as an essay, that a member of your team will present in class on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

If you have questions or problems finding an organization, call Nancy ASAP! 293.1489

About this assignment: Your baseline research should include enough essential information to give you a good grounding in your NPO's mission-related programs and its public relations activities. You may also want to use your first interview to get biographical background on your prime contact, since this will be the basis of a biographical sketch assignment.

Try to obtain copies of current publications, recent news releases, public service announcements and promotional materials. These won't be turned in as part of your initial research assignment, but will give you reference material for future projects.

Remember that you'll be drafting PR objectives. (Each project will be part of a strategy toward achieving an objective.) Keep this in mind during your interview. You may want to probe your contact for purposes, goals or expectations of what each element of the current program is intended to accomplish.

Among the projects you'll be producing during the semester:

	Overview of your NPO (due next week)
	Biographical sketch of key contact
	Research on NPO's relationship with local media
	Research on NPO's multiple publics
	Hard news release (event or announcement)
	Soft news release/feature (timeless story on product or service with high human-interest appeal)
	Broadcast promotional ideas (outside of news coverage)
	TV story pitch
	Public service announcement
	Brochure
	Newsletter
	Direct-mail package
	Final report — assessment and critique with suggestions for improving or expanding the NPO's current program

Information and issues to cover in your first interview for your own background file (not to be turned in):

Name of NPO
Full Address
Contact's name and title
Telephone & Fax
E-mail
Website

	Mission
	Main activities (related to mission)
	Major issues facing organization today (problems/opportunities)
	Source/s of financial support
	Main activities related to support (If fund raising is an element, how is it achieved?)
	Constituencies Primary Secondary
	Community spokespeople and opinion leaders
	Membership structure (if applicable)
	Volunteers (if applicable)
	Main PR needs/objectives (relate each to its constituency)
	Components of current PR program Media relations Publications Direct mail Annual report Telemarketing Other
	How does your contact rate her/his present program?

Last edited by Nancy Edmonds Hanson on 10/04/04 (nancy@hansonphoto.com)

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Public Relations Processes

Baseline Research on Your NPO

Information and issues to cover in your first interview for your own background file (not to be turned in):


	Public Relations Processes Baseline Research on Your NPO