NRDP Success Stories

1
NRDP Success Stories

• Presentation to NRDP by Ella Ennis and Dave Barr,
  NPO
• NRDP Conference
• June 2, 2003

2
Success StoriesWhy Do We Need Stories?

• Success Stories show the RESULTS of SRDCs in
  their state and beyond
• Success Stories are how we PROVE to funders that
  SRDCs are WORTH funding
• SRDC UniquenessHigh WorthHigh Sustained
• Success Stories are a RECORD of SRDC activities
• Success Stories are EXAMPLES of potential work
  for other SRDCs as well as solutions for others
  in similar situations

3
Success Story Process

• Biannual collection (in the past 6 stories per
  year, minimum of 2 stories in 2003)
• Rough draft written
• NPO/SciComm collection
• Editing (NPO, SciComm, SRDCs working TOGETHER)
• Final draft
• Distribution
• Legislative briefings, web page, NRDP Update,
  Brochures, Annual Reports, Newsletters, news
  releases

4
Success Story Writing Process

• Topic Choice
• Topics should be
• Chosen from work plan priorities
• Relative to mission of Council
• Able to demonstrate the Impact of Council work
• Not a recycled story
• i.e. 3rd, 4th, and 5th Annual Conference
• Initial Draft
• Follow SciComm/NPO Instructions
• Revisions
• Final Draft
• Upload to Web and Distribution

5
Success Story Marketing Venues

• Well written success stories are transferable to
• Written/Broadcast Press Releases
• Newsletters
• Web pages
• Annual Reports
• Brochures
• Meeting Handouts

6
Okay, So Whats WRONG with my Success Stories

• There are NO bad success stories, just stories
  that could use some improvement
• 3 Major Problem Areas with currently submitted
  success stories
• Unclear description of the Purpose
• WHAT HAPPENED?
• Unclear description of Partners SRDCs Roles
• WHO DID WHAT and WHY?
• Unclear description of the Outcome,
• WHAT WAS THE IMPACT?
• WHAT CHANGED or IMPROVED?

7
Elements of a Success Story

• Title for the Story
• Problem, Need or Possible Opportunity
• Purpose and Point (what and why)
• Partners Participation (who contributed, how
  cooperation, coordination or collaboration)
• Process and Progress (how work was accomplished
  how its going)
• Products, Programs or Policy Highpoints
• Passion, Pride
• Perceptions and Possibilities

8
Crafting the StoryTell em, Tell em, Tell em

• Title Tell em the major point of the story!
• Introduction Tell em what theyre about to
  read!
• Body Tell em the details!
• Conclusion Tell em a summary of the progress or
  outcome!
• Highlights Tell em a quick recap of the
  accomplishments!

9
MT-RDP COORDINATES RESOURCE TEAM ASSESSMENTS FOR
THREE RURAL COMMUNITIES

• The Montana Rural Development Partners (MT-RDP)
  recently coordinated teams and communities for
  Resource Team Assessments. Polson, Forsyth, and
  Conrad have recently completed MT-RDP
  assessments. So far, this brings the count of
  completed Resource Team Assessments in rural
  Montana to six, with a seventh team ready to
  visit Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in November
  2002.

10
MT-RDP COORDINATES RESOURCE TEAM ASSESSMENTS FOR
THREE RURAL COMMUNITIES

• Team members include MT Department of Commerce,
  MT USDA/RD, Larry Keown Associates, MT Department
  of Agriculture, MT Department of Natural
  Resources and Conservation, HUD, Northwestern
  Energy, Bear Paw Development, and North Central
  RCD.
• As word spread across Montana of the value of the
  Resource Team Assessment process, many
  communities requested an MT-RDP team visit. As a
  precursor to the assessment, Executive Director
  Gene Vuckovich visited each community to review
  the assessment process and set dates for a team
  visit. The Council organized teams for each
  community by drawing on a pool of trained team
  members.

11
MT-RDP COORDINATES RESOURCE TEAM ASSESSMENTS FOR
THREE RURAL COMMUNITIES

• Each assessment community is in a different phase
  of completion. Cut Bank, MT-RDPs first Resource
  Team Assessment, is in the planning stages for a
  follow-up visit from the team to determine what
  has been accomplished. Currently, reports are
  being written for Polson, Forsyth, and Conrad
  that will be shared with the community during a
  town meeting.
• There is total agreement among all of the team
  members that the MT-RDP Resource Team Assessment
  process is a valuable benefit for everyone
  involved. The community finds new strength,
  enthusiasm, and resources while the team members
  are able to promote and educate the public on
  their programs.

12
MT-RDP COORDINATES RESOURCE TEAM ASSESSMENTS FOR
THREE RURAL COMMUNITIES

• Highlights
• Coordinated Resource Team Assessment for three
  rural towns.

13
IRDC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT FOWLER, INDIANA

• As part of the Indiana Rural Development
  Councils (IRDC) Community Visitation program, 12
  IRDC representatives traveled to Fowler, Indiana,
  in early June 1999. The Visit Team met with 10
  groups that included local officials and citizens
  and represented a cross-section of the community.
• Through IRDC's facilitated discussions, Fowler
  residents' opinions about their community emerged
  and key problems and resource needs were
  identified. Community strengths and weaknesses,
  future goals, and possible action steps were
  among the topics discussed during the meetings.
  "We appreciate the IRDC team's leadership efforts
  in Fowler," said Jay Davis, Fowler's Town Council
  President.

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IRDC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT FOWLER, INDIANA

• IRDC will draft a report for the community that
  summarizes points discussed during the visit and
  lists resources available to Fowler to initiate
  action on any of the issues. Community leaders
  can use this report as the basis for an action
  plan and as a tool to encourage further
  discussion in the community. "It is the first
  step toward some much-needed improvements in our
  rural communities," noted one resource provider.
• This is the second year IRDC has offered the
  Community Visitation program, which allows local
  communities to meet with IRDC resource providers
  in an informal, open setting. Selection of cities
  to be visited is based on need, past efforts, and
  community involvement.

15
IRDC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT FOWLER, INDIANA

• "As a pilot project last year, the Community
  Visitation Task Force determined that needs of
  rural communities differ greatly," said
  Scottsburg Mayor and IRDC Chairman Bill Graham.
  "This program allows IRDC members the opportunity
  to understand the challenges facing one rural
  community while providing local leaders with a
  resource for action."
• The visit to Fowler was the first of four
  scheduled in 1999. The towns of Borden,
  Otterbein, and West Baden also were selected for
  visits this year.

16
IRDC REPRESENTATIVES VISIT FOWLER, INDIANA

• Highlights
• Sent a 12-member visit team to Fowler, IN to
  discuss the communitys strengths and weaknesses,
  future goals, and possible action steps.
• Will visit Fowler three additional times in 1999,
  to complete a four-visit schedule.
• Will draft a report that summarizes the
  discussions that can be used to develop an action
  plan.

17
Final Thoughts

• Council work is IMPORTANT and merits telling the
  story
• All people respond well to a good STORY
• Success Stories are one way to show SRDC success
  to
• Congress
• Existing and Potential Funders
• Existing and Potential Partners
• The Public