Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Program

Final Grant Report:

Expanding Surface Water Awareness in Regional Communities through
Partnerships with Businesses
Project No. 306-09-08
Contract No: A92536

This project was funded in part under the Coastal Zone Management
Act, by NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,
in cooperation with Minnesota’ Lake Superior Coastal Program.
Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Summary of Work 4
• Public Education Campaign
• Marketing Plan

Results 5

Deliverables
• Invoices – Public Service Announcements
• Quarterly Progress Reports
• Final Report

Additional Results

Challenges 6

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Introduction

The Regional Stormwater Protection Team (RSPT) was formed in 2002 by state, county, and
local municipalities to coordinate public education and outreach efforts for their MS4 permits.
Other organizations and agencies also joined the effort. Today the group has 27 members in
Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The RSPT consists of the cities of Duluth, Hermantown, Proctor, Cloquet and Superior; Villages
of Oliver and Superior; Midway and Duluth Townships; University of Minnesota Duluth and its
Sea Grant Program and Natural Resources Research Institute; University of Wisconsin Superior;
Lake Superior College; St. Louis County; South St. Louis County Soil and Water Conservation
District; the MN Department of Transportation; MN Pollution Control Agency; MN Department
of Natural Resources, WI Department of Natural Resources, the Fond du Lac Reservation; and
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District.

The RSPT mission is to protect and enhance the region’s shared water resources through
stormwater pollution prevention by providing coordinated educational programs and technical
assistance. The RSPT meets monthly to plan and coordinate their activities.

Since its inception, the group has conducted its work using dues and other contributions from the
members. The group has also received funding from several generous grantors including
Minnesota’s Coastal Program. In an effort to expand its support base, the group decided to try to
bring businesses into the fold in the form of partnerships. By involving businesses, the RSPT
also hopes to expand awareness about the water quality problems caused by stormwater pollution
to a greater audience. Until now, most of the group’s focus has been on the public in general.

Summary of Work

Initially, the RSPT had intended to carry out this grant on an aggressive time schedule, but due to
some staffing changes, the group will do the work in two parts, through two grants. This report
summarizes the work done under the first grant.

The two main activities conducted under this grant were:

1.) Continuation of the RSPT’s public education campaign through the airing of Public
Service Announcements via the three major networks in the area (KBJR/KDLH, WDIO
and FOX).
2.) Development of a marketing plan by a consultant and accompanying marketing materials.

Public education campaign

In Spring of 2007, the RSPT continued its public education campaign by purchasing over 200
T.V. spots for Public Service Announcements on the three major networks in the area. The 30-
second spots feature the animated characters developed by RSPT in 2003 and end with the
message “It all comes down to your water.” The ads were run during the popular evening
newscasts in order to reach the largest audience possible. As expected, the networks matched the

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PSAs 50/50 as is their policy for non-profit groups such as the RSPT. Invoices showing the
airing of the ads are attached to the reimbursement form as deliverables.

Marketing Plan

During late 2006 and early 2007, a small committee of RSPT members met several times to
develop a vision for the businesses partnership program. As cited in the initial grant application,
the goal of the program is to partner with major industries, small businesses, hotels and
restaurants to promote the importance of protecting the quality of the region’s waters. The
committee envisioned that part of this effort would be to assist businesses in implementing a
variety of Best Management Practices (BMPs) into their business practices such as constructing
a rain garden on their business property, sponsoring signs, workshops or events put on by the
RSPT, or providing public education activities or awareness comapaigns related to preventing
stromwater pollution to their employees or customers. For example, businesses could place
education materials in their lobby, hotels could offer guests the opiton of not washing sheets
every day, or auto dealers (there are many in Duluth) could use pervious pavers or asphalt for
their show ots.

To ensure that the group used resources most efficiently, we hired a professional marketing/PR
firm to help us develop an effective, professional quality message. Once the subcommittee
developed a vision, they wrote a Request for Proposals and put it out for bid. Two firms
responded to the RFP. BARR Engineering, an engineering firm with a local Duluth office, was
selected by the committee. BARR Engineering then subcontracted part of the work out to Jeanne
Lamb Public Relations.

Over the summer of 2007, the consultant met with the RSPT as a whole several times as was laid
out in their proposal. The focus of these meetings were:

• Meeting 1: Brainstorming about what the marketing plan should include/look like.
• Meeting 2: Report on the focus group convened by the consultants and on the initial
contacts made by the consultant to area businesses. The intent of both of these
activities was to gauge the interest of businesses in participating in a partnership
program with the RSPT. The initial interest from businesses was very positive - over
25 businesses indicated that they would be very interested in participating
immediately. This was very encouraging for the RSPT and we are very excited to
start the second phase of the project with a new grant so that we can “cash-in” on all
of our hard work.
• Meeting 3: Update on development of marketing plan – presentation of program logo
and letterhead. The logo and letterhead are invaluable in lending a professional
appearance to the program.
• Meeting 4: Final presentation of marketing plan and marketing materials to the group.
As directed in the scope of work, the consultants also provided a CD with all of the
marketing materials so that the RSPT could alter or update them as needed.

With the help of the consultants, the group decided to call this program the Superior Streams
Partner Program. The goal proposed in the marketing plan is: 70 partners providing $35,250 in

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support. The consultant also provided a list of businesses, contact information, and notes from
their intital contacts with businesses, from which the group can begin its recrutiing efforts. Please
see the marketing folder provided on the CD for more information. The consultant also divided
the list into 2 tiers – those businesses likely to join based on the nature of their business or
interest expressed during initial contacts, and other businesses.

In the second phase of this project, the RSPT will use the marketing plan, letterhead, logo and
marketing folder to begin the recruitment process for business partners. This will be achieved
through one-on-one meetings conducted by a contracted part-time consultant (see “Challenges”
for more on this). Potential partners will be asked to sign a pledge to do two things:

1.) engage in some sort of stormwater management activity whether that be public education
or a BMP installed on their property, and
2.) support the work of the RSPT with a monetary donation.

In return, RSPT will provide:

1.) public recognition of partners’ efforts,
2.) continued support and information through listserves or other venues about stormwater
pollution, and changes in regulations or ordinances,
3.) advice on proper use or installation of BMPs,
4.) other assistance as requested.

All of the marketing materials that were produced for us are included on the CD provided with
this report.

Results

So far, this initiative has been successful and the RSPT now has some useful and professional
quality tools with which to go forth into the next phase of the project: recruiting partners. We are
very thankful to the Coastal Program for its support. It is helping us take our group to the next
level.

The Superior Streams Partner program is intended to not only provide the RSPT with a stronger,
broader financial base for continuing its programs, but also, to expand the reach of the RSPT's
outreach/awareness program by bringing businesses into the fold and encouraging them to use
practices that will not harm water quality. In return, the RSPT intends to recognize their efforts
publicly and give them access to the wide array of skills and knowledge that is available through
a partnership with RSPT members.

Deliverables

1. Invoices showing airing of PSAs/TV ads: Please see the invoices submitted with the final
reimbursement request.
2. Quarterly Progress Reports: The quarterly progress reports were submitted by the
grantee.
3. Final report: Please accept this final report as the deliverable.

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Additional Results

Though not noted as deliverables in the grant application, the marketing consultant provided a
marketing plan, marketing folder, an official logo, and letterhead for the group to use in its
business recrutiment efforts. The marketing folder serves as promotional piece that can be
provided to a potential partner at a recruitment meeting. It has five stepped, information inserts,
including a pledge form. A CD with all of the marketing materials has been included with this
report.

Challenges

We faced several challenges in carrying out the tasks that make up the first phase of this project.
One major hurdle that we faced came up in the marketing subcommittee meetings, when
members expressed concerns that they would have a conflict of interest in soliciting donations
from businesses who were regulated by their agency. To resolve that problem, we will use
member dues to hire a contracted, part-time consultant to conduct one-on-one meetings with
businesses and hopefully bring them on board as partners. This will involve developing a job
description, posting a notice for the job, interviewing potential candidates, hiring the best
candidate, familiarizing them with the program and the group’s goals, and developing a contract.

Another challenge the group faced was the retirement of Marnie Lonsdale, Project Coordinator
for the City of Duluth Stormwater, who was the main driver for this project. She was not
replaced until October, and, as a result, we lost some of the momentum in the project over the
summer of 2007. Nevertheless, the group continued to move forward during the transition and
we are very excited about the opportunities this grant has provided for us and the benefits it will
bring as the group grows into its next stage.

One final challenege was the issue of tax-deductibility for monetary donations provided by new
business partners. The RSPT is not a non-profit, so if the tax deductibility of any donations to the
group prove to be necessary in order for the group to reach it’s goals for this program, then the
group will need to pursue non-profit status. This idea has been discussed at several RSPT
meetings during the development of the marketing plan. A decision is yet to be made.