DSA Final Communications Plan

Situation

The Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) is a nonprofit committed to revamping and

restoring the historic downtown area of Springdale, Arkansas. In 10 years, the organization has

developed a prospering downtown area that includes restaurants, events, small businesses and

entertainment for the public. It has a small team of three that coordinates these opportunities, but

it greatly depends upon volunteers, sponsors and donors to make its events a success. Since its

expansion, the organization is in need of more volunteers, donors and event ideas to generate the

awareness it needs to compete with other local downtown areas. Our communications plan will

aid one of the organization’s needs by increasing the number of volunteers and awareness of the

DSA’s continuous volunteer opportunities amongst the University of Arkansas (U of A)

population.

Summary

Our project’s intended goal is to increase the DSA’s volunteer base by at least 15% by

June 2022. Specifically, our group proposes a plan that will help increase awareness of the

numerous volunteer opportunities DSA offers amongst the U of A’s collegiate population. The

university offers a good pool of interested young men and women who need volunteer hours for

various classes and activities. By collaborating with the university’s Volunteer Action Center

(VAC), the school’s Greek life organizations and creating corresponding social media graphics,

that an intern will distribute, our group will create awareness amongst the collegiate population

and a consistent volunteer base.

Target Audience

The target audience for this plan is college students between the ages 18-24 attending the

U of A in Fayetteville. The DSA should plan to partner with the VAC on the U of A campus.

According to the VAC 2018-2019 annual report, volunteers completed a total of 141,314 service

hours during the year and had a total of 1,873 volunteers at the end of 2019. Approximately 25%

of U of A students engaged with the VAC in some way. Implementing a volunteer outreach plan

with the VAC will allow the DSA to reach this already dedicated volunteer base.

The DSA should also communicate with the U of A Greek life student population. Many

Greek life organizations on the U of A campus encourage their members to volunteer by

requiring them to reach a specific number of volunteer hours each semester. There are 25 Greek

life organization chapters at the U of A. The members of these chapters make up 31% of the U of

A student population. Targeting both Greek life members and VAC volunteers will allow the

DSA to reach a diverse population of individuals with various interests, values and lifestyles.

Main Message

Our main message is to encourage college students from the NWA area to volunteer at the DSA.

There are many different places to volunteer in the area but the DSA is an inviting and fun place

to volunteer where you can meet new people with similar interests and lifestyles. Highlighting

the fun events like Brews & Tunes will pique the interest of college-aged students looking to

volunteer in the local community.

Relevant Research
We met with Jill Dabbs, the current executive director of DSA, to acquire helpful insight into

what strategies and tactics are most effective. We hope that implementing similar methods with

updated goals and tools such as social media targeting will help reach our goal of increased

volunteer action. We have also researched specific times and methods to post on social media to

ensure the most views of important information with our intended audience. Our research

indicates that Instagram will be the best platform for the DSA to use to reach college-aged

volunteers. Instagram is an ideal platform to use to reach the collegiate population because more

than 80% of college students use social media as their main social media source (Jaschik, 2019).

The graphics posted on Instagram need to be highly visual to achieve high engagement (Arens,

2019). We have also found that the VAC would be the best group to collaborate with to acquire

interested volunteers from the U of A student body.

Desired Results/ Goals

The goal of this campaign is to increase volunteer traffic by 15% before June 22nd. When the

volunteers decide to help the DSA, we want to have those volunteers regularly attend events.

These volunteers will be made up primarily of U of A students due to a partnership with the VAC

and Greek life organizations.

Tactics
We will create a social media plan to increase awareness of Downtown Springdale Alliance

within the college-age demographics and increase volunteers by 15% by January 2022. We will

do this by scheduling a series of social media posts on the DSA’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

We will post biweekly on the Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) Facebook page, on

Thursdays and Fridays at 2 p.m. 2 p.m.is the most popular time to post on Facebook, thus

ensuring that people are active and online at that time. We will post on the DSA Volunteer

Instagram page as well. We will be creating a series of Instagram posts to be posted biweekly,

Monday at 1 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

The posts to Instagram and Facebook will include information about upcoming volunteer

opportunities offered by the DSA. Posts will be posted biweekly on the Instagram feed and

stories will be published daily or every other day to spread the word about the DSA volunteer

opportunities. We will be posting a mix of high-quality photos of volunteers in action, and

high-quality, interesting graphics. Posting on social media will encourage college students to get

their volunteer hours with the DSA.

We will also partner with the VAC, a student-led organization that partners students with

volunteer opportunities throughout Northwest Arkansas. We propose collaborating with the VAC

to promote DSA events. This will include a regular place in its weekly email blast informing

students of volunteer opportunities and several Instagram posts. When students see that the DSA

offers volunteer opportunities that are both fun and exciting, the number of college-age

volunteers is likely to increase.

The University of Arkansas has a large Greek life population. Members of these chapters are

required to complete volunteer hours which makes them a good target audience. We propose
reaching out to sorority and fraternity philanthropy chairs to raise awareness of volunteer

opportunities available through the DSA. Jill Dabbs, or a representative of DSA, will also visit

Greek life organizations during chapter meetings to discuss volunteer opportunities with

members. Getting the word out during these Greek life meetings will increase awareness of the

DSA and volunteer opportunities through the DSA within the U of A Greek Life microculture.

Informational flyers will be designed to raise awareness for the DSA volunteer opportunities.

These fliers will be placed in dorms, Kimpel Hall, the Union, Champions Hall, Hillside

Auditorium, J.B. Hunt Center for Academic Excellence, the Business Building (WCOB) and

Mullins Library. This will ensure that the collegiate populations not hit by the VAC or Greek life

will be aware of the DSA and its many volunteer opportunities.

Timetable

Social media posts will be created and posted biweekly starting in August 2021. Facebook and

Instagram posts will be scheduled according to relevant popular posting times. Facebook posts

will be released on Thursdays and Fridays, and Instagram posts will be released on Mondays and

Wednesdays.

Jill Dabbs or another representative of the DSA will schedule meetings with Greek life

organizations in August 2021 and the following two weeks of September 2021. Scheduling the

meetings during these weeks will grab the attention of new and returning students early and

inspire them to pursue volunteer opportunities throughout the fall and spring semesters. A

collaboration with the VAC will begin in August 2021 and end in June 2022.

Resources Required
To execute our plan successfully, we require multiple resources. These include social media

graphics and photos that can be acquired from the DSA photographs taken from events and

Canva or other online social media post creators. We will also require extra meeting time to meet

with different Greek Life organizations and the AC. While giving presentations to Greek life

organizations and the VAC, presentation skills and tools such as google docs and google slides

will be required.

Deliverables

In order to achieve the desired results, we will reach out to the following areas of campus

through email, on-campus promotion and social media.

1. Volunteer Action Center

a. We will draft an email reaching out to the VAC to start a relationship with the

organization.

2. Greek Life
a. We will draft an email reaching out to Greek life philanthropy chairs. This email

will ask to attend chapter meetings to briefly pitch the DSA volunteer

opportunities to members.

b. We have also compiled a list containing contact information for each of the

chapters on campus.

3. Social Media Intern Job Listing

a. We will create a sample job listing for a social media intern. This will be created

to post on Handshake, a website connecting employers with college students and

graduates.

b. We will include instructions for how to set up a Handshake account.

 4. Volunteer flyers

a. We will create an informational flyer to be posted around campus. This will target

collegiate populations not hit by the VAC or Greek life.

b. Posting these around campus in various dorms and lecture halls will be part of the

social media intern’s responsibilities.

5. News Release
a. A news release will be created to send to the Arkansas Newswire, UATV and the

Traveler before big events like Brews and Tunes and Live at Turnbow to garner

more awareness for volunteer opportunities. We will create a news release for

Live at Turnbow

6. Social Media
a. The social media intern will be responsible for taking photos at events and

creating graphics to post.

b. Sample graphics will be created to share on Instagram and Facebook.

7. Givepulse

a. GivePulse is a very popular way for volunteers to find opportunities in their area.

DSA already has an account, but we have included instructions on how to create

an event and list it on the site

Evaluation

The goal of this campaign is to increase volunteers by 15% by January 2022 to establish a

consistent volunteer base. To track the progress of the objective, a volunteer spreadsheet will be

kept for all events beginning in August. One sheet will house volunteer numbers from the

previous year’s events to provide baseline data. In January 2022, an evaluation will measure the
increase of volunteers with a keen focus on repeat volunteers. If the number of volunteers has

increased by 15% by January 2022, the objective is achieved.

 How to List a Volunteer Event on GivePulse

Steps
1. Log in to your GivePulse account
2. Click “List an Event” at the top of right hand corner of the page
3. Input information into the form
a. Name: Put the event name here
b. Type: select “Volunteer Opportunity”
c. Continue selecting options based on the event
d. Description: provide a detailed description of the volunteer opportunity and of the
event
4. Click “causes”
a. Select “community” located under General Services
5. Click continue
6. Input DSA’s group information
a. Group Name: Downtown Springdale Alliance
b. Group Type: Scroll to select Non-Profit
c. Description: Downtown Springdale is a nonprofit that was formed in 2011
with a mission to promote a vibrant Downtown Springdale. We focus on
activating our spaces, cultivating relationships within our downtown &
creating events unique to Springdale that bring the community together.
7. Select Create Group and List My Event!

Done! Your event is listed on GivePulse and volunteers can start signing up!
 Greek Life Contact Information
https://uagreeks.uark.edu

Sororities

Alpha Chi Omega

Emma Dannenfelser, Vice President Kappa Delta
Philanthropy Gillian Kister, Vice President of Community
[email protected] Service
[email protected]
Alpha Delta Pi
Caroline Eddy Kappa Kappa Gamma
[email protected] Kate Hatfield, Vice President of External Affairs
Amy Truitt, President
Alpha Omicron Pi [email protected]
Reagan Burnside
https://website-app.chapterspot.com/widgets_del Phi Mu
ivery/contact_form?group_id=11024&member_i Public Relations Chairman
d=1192266 [email protected]

Aubrey Kate Merrell, Chapter President

Chi Omega Psi
[email protected]
[email protected]
Pi Beta Phi
Delta Delta Delta Emma Ferguson, Director of
Cameryn Cuppeli, President Service/Philanthropy
[email protected] [email protected]
Carly Russell, President
Delta Gamma
Avery Hasten, President Zeta Tau Alpha
[email protected] Molly Dirksen, President
[email protected]
Mackenzie Marten
[email protected] Lauren Randall, VPIII Philanthropy
[email protected]
 Fraternities

Alpha Gamma Rho Phi Delta Theta

[email protected] Joseph Huett, President
[email protected]
Beta Theta Pi
Dylan Lanter, Philanthropic Chairman James "Trey" Keith, Vice President
https://website-app.chapterspot.com/widgets_del [email protected]
ivery/contact_form?group_id=8449&member_id
=1286294 Phi Gamma Delta
Nick Zondlak, President
Anthony Kammerer, President [email protected]
https://website-app.chapterspot.com/widgets_del
ivery/contact_form?group_id=8449&member_id Pi Kappa Alpha
=1033322 Connor McClanahan, President
[email protected]
Farmhouse
Hunter Lindemann, President Sigma Alpha Epsilon
[email protected] Bennett Perkings, President
[email protected]
Kappa Alpha Order
Jack Berg, President Sigma Chi
[email protected] Matthew Nichols, President
[email protected]
Kappa Sigma
Tanner King, President Quinn Odom, Vice President
[email protected] [email protected]
Bart Jones, Vice President
[email protected] Sigma Nu
Dalton McWilliams, President
Lambda Chi Alpha [email protected]
Andrew Bartgis, President Davis Hogue, Vice President
[email protected] [email protected]

Lathan Gregg, Vice President Sigma Phi Epsilon

[email protected] Max Jackson, President
[email protected]

Sigma Pi
Charles McGuill, President
[email protected]
 National Pan-Hellenic Council
Alpha Kappa Alpha
Kalyn Jackson, President
[email protected]

Alpha Phi Alpha

Mario Ortiz II, President
[email protected]

Delta Sigma Theta

Skyye Robinson, President
[email protected]

Kappa Alpha Psi

Di' Granger, President
[email protected]

Omega Psi Phi

Braylon Alcorn, President
[email protected]

Phi Beta Sigma

Khalil Buckmire, President
[email protected]

Zeta Phi Beta

Tyra Talley, President
[email protected]
 Volunteer Action Center Reachout
Contact: [email protected]

Dear VAC,

My name is XX and I work with Downtown Springdale Alliance. I am writing to you

because we have many exciting volunteer opportunities up in Springdale that I think
students at the University of Arkansas would be interested in.

For example, we have events like Ozarktober Brews & Tunes, Live at Turnbow, The
Hogeye Marathon, and many more. We need volunteers to help with set up, tear down,
ticketing, registration, etc.

Please let me know who to get in contact with at your organization to discuss promoting
Downtown Springdale’s volunteer opportunities to the collegiate population at the
University of Arkansas through VAC.

Best,
XX
 GREEK LIFE EMAIL TEMPLATE

To: XXX (organization member)

Subject: Downtown Springdale Alliance volunteer opportunities

Good afternoon,

My name is Jill Dabbs, and I am executive director of the Downtown Springdale Alliance
(DSA). The DSA is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing Springdale by organizing
and funding community growth projects and events that bring our community together. We are
currently looking for volunteers for some of our upcoming events. I understand that your
organization encourages its members to get involved in the NWA community. We would like to
offer your members fun and fresh volunteer opportunities through the DSA.

We would like to schedule a time to send a representative to a chapter meeting so we can speak
to your members about our mission and provide information about our volunteer opportunities.
Please get back to us if this is something your chapter would be interested in.

If you are interested in learning more about the Downtown Springdale Alliance, please visit our
website https://www.downtownspringdale.org. You can contact me at any time if you have any
additional questions.

Thank you,

Jill Dabbs
Contact: Jill Dabbs, Executive Director
501-425-0478
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Volunteers Needed for Live at Turnbow Concert Series

in Downtown Springdale

SPRINGDALE, Ark. (April 23, 2021) – Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) is in need of volunteers
for an outdoor concert the last Thursday of every month, beginning April 29 at Turnbow Park. Set up for
the concert will begin at 5 p.m. Each concert will last approximately two hours with tear down and clean
up starting immediately following. Volunteers are welcome to help with set up, tear down and clean up or
both with a minimum time commitment of 30 minutes.

Volunteers are not required to register in advance for Live at Turnbow concerts but will be asked to sign
in at the volunteer tent. Advance registration can be found on DSA’s GivePulse account, an online
volunteer management and service-learning platform, or on www.downtownspringdale.org.

Volunteers (both those who registered in advance and those who are signing up that evening) should
arrive at the volunteer tent located in the Shiloh Square Pavilion at 5 p.m. to receive their volunteer T-shirt
and to start setting up the event.

A DSA representative will be available at the volunteer tent to sign-off for volunteers requiring official
verification of service hours.

For more information on how to get involved volunteering with DSA, visit
www.downtownspringdale.org,https://www.givepulse.com/group/295550-Downtown-Springdale-Alliance
or call 501-425-0478.

The Downtown Springdale Alliance (DSA) is a nonprofit formed in 2011 to be the central hub for
everything happening in downtown Springdale. DSA advocates for and promotes the growth of the
downtown area by creating events for the public, cultivating relationships with local business owners, and
utilizing spaces in creative ways to bring the community together. For more information, visit
www.downtownspringdale.org

###
 Sample Social Media Graphics and Captions

Instagram

Come join us every last Thursday for live

music from local musicians!

If you enjoy live music then this is the

perfect volunteer opportunity for you!

Just stop by the Volunteer Tent in Shiloh

Square Pavilion at 5 p.m. to register and
receive your volunteer t-shirt!

This is an informational graphic aimed at

attracting college students to volunteer at
Live at Turnbow.

Looking for fun and easy volunteer

hours?

Come join us at Magnolia Gardens for

some good brews and tunes! There’s
something for everyone, beer lovers and
music lovers alike!

Find us on GivePulse or check out our

website for more information!

This is an informational graphic calling

for volunteers to help at Brews & Tunes.
Facebook

Downtown Springdale is in need of

volunteers!

Check out our website or

GivePulse to find the volunteer
opportunity that suits you!

Join our Volunteer Group page to

stay in the loop on volunteer
opportunities and events in
Springdale!

This is an informational graphic

that should be posted on DSA’s
main Facebook page to grow an
already established volunteer base.
Informational Flyer
Social Media Intern Job Description
- Creates social media posts and graphics
- Takes photos at DSA events for future posts
- Distributes DSA themed fliers and places them in strategic
locations around the University of Arkansas campus
- Analyzes analytics from social media posts to determine
audience reach/engagement
- In charge of all posts, stories, and engagement on the DSA
Instagram and Facebook pages