How do we create community engagement?

1 T E AM 1 D R E A M

T H E B A C K G R O U N D

Boosting participation and nurturing deeper connections with the community is one of the biggest challenges of non-profit organisations.

Creating a clear and sustainable strategy is the key to unlocking effective, engaging communities. This process starts with understanding the ever-evolving landscape between brand and customer interaction. Addressing customer needs is the most crucial starting point in creating a meaningful relationship with any target market. Communicating relevance through diversified engagement channels will influence customers to participate in any programme.

Read how we helped grow 1Team 1Dream into a thriving community in Lake County, California.

T H E S O L U T I O N

Together with Maryann Schmid, we created the business strategy and the communication plan and ideated Hands Up Lake County, a business competition and platform which invited residents to pitch their start-up ideas and undergo training to stand a chance to win a business grant.

We based 1Team 1Dreams' visual identity on two important facets of the organisation—love and pride for Lake County and its people. Brand imagery focused on the community's beautiful landscapes, its stakeholders, and participants. To drive awareness, we created the website, press releases, signage, brochures, and other merchandising materials, all linked to lead generation tools.

Once all the assets were in place, we started developing the network. We utilised connections with local stakeholders to promote engagement opportunities. Our outreach included local media coverage in radio and print, social media, consumer surveys and regular newsletters.

From 2020 until today, we have continued to maximise engagement by offering a blend of online and offline methods to reach a wide range of people. We have applied an integrated CRM approach, which allows us to keep track of participant information, from their interests to contact information for future engagement initiatives.

To further support the Hands Up Lake County competition, we created a separate approach targeting investors to help fund the programme. We developed communication materials, personalised invitations, and multiple channels for sponsors to get involved. Since the programme started, funding has grown tenfold, and today, the business grant offered is up to $150,000. We expect this to grow more in 2025 under the leadership of Peter and Maryann Schmid.

T H E B R I E F

In 2018, Peter and Maryann Schmid saw how devastating the Mendocino Complex Fire affected the livelihoods of everyone they knew. This inspired them to act—they founded 1Team 1Dream, a non-profit organisation dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and small businesses on sustainable business practices that can collectively strengthen Lake County as a community.

As 1Team 1Dream was a very new organisation in 2020, the Schmids needed a structured approach to driving awareness and converting residents to participate in the programme. Another challenge was to establish ongoing cycles of involvement to keep the community engaged over time.