In 1997, the Columbus, Ohio-based Hannah Neil Center for Children, which offers a variety of intervention programs for troubled children, was looking for a way to increase its philanthropic support.
Harry Leibowitz, president of Columbus-based Partners in Marketing and a Hannah Neil board member, suggested creating an award to honor those who have made a substantial impact on the lives of children.
With $25,000 in seed money from Leibowitz and more than a year of planning, the Hannah Neil World of Children Award exceeded the Center's goals by:
- Receiving 40 nominations, rather than the predicted 25;
- Securing five long-term sponsorships, including a three-year international sponsorship from the Gerber Foundation.
- Landing local print media coverage, including a major feature in the Columbus Dispatch, and an article in Business First. Possible future stories include The Maria Shriver show, which is interested in doing an in-depth story on the award.
- Netting a $140,000 profit from the first-year event when it had only hoped to break even.
"We wanted to do something to make child care-giving a noble profession," says Dale Hollandsworth, advertising manager for The Kroger Co., and a Hannah Neil Foundation board member. "In literature you can win a Nobel Prize or Pulitzer Prize, and you are rewarded for excellence; our goal was to award people who devote their lives to children."
Getting Started
The foundation created a World of Children Committee, led by Leibowitz, to develop the award program and find sponsors, which along with ticket sales would underwrite the cost of the award program.
Goals for media coverage were modest.
"The primary goal the first year was to gain some significant local attention and begin the process of creating national awareness," says Neil Mortine, executive VP of Loder Sullivan & Yoder Public Relations which represents Hannah Neil. "Our goals were realistic the first year: to get the thing started, sell out the room, honor a worthy person, get local coverage and create awareness nationally."
LSY worked pro-bono, contributing 200-250 hours of work over a year's time, worth about $35,000, Mortine says. "This way we could showcase our talents nationally," adds Mortine, who also sits on the foundation board.
LSY created a four-minute video, unveiled to Hannah Neil associates and board members at a luncheon in September 1997. The video was shown to the community during a donor recognition event in November 1997. It was then used to solicit a selection committee and funding from local and national sponsors.
Nomination brochures were mailed to 5,000 child-related associations and child advocates nationwide in January 1998.
In February, a call for nominations release was sent out via PR Newswire.
In April, a 10-member nationally known selection committee (including R. David Thomas, founder of Wendy's) chose six finalists and one winner.
LSY developed media lists of national, regional and local publications, programs and networks. Invitations included an offer of table sponsorship opportunities. "Save the Date" cards were mailed in July and invitations in September.
Releases announcing the Award and the winner were submitted on PR Newswire in October 1998 and November 1998. A VNR was uplinked via satellite on Friday, Nov. 6, 1998.
William T. Sergeant, chairman of the International PolioPlus Committee of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, was honored with the first award in November at a sold-out lunch ceremony for 800 at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus.
Corporate Backing
Securing long-term corporate partners was a key step. LSY targeted companies with an interest in marketing their products and services to children. Leibowitz approached dozens of potential sponsors and landed four high-profile long-term sponsors: Bob Evans Farms Inc., The Kroger Co., Kellogg's, and America West Airlines.
Howard Berrey, group VP for Bob Evans and Dale Hollandsworth, advertising manager at Kroger, also joined the Hannah Neil Foundation as board members.
Kellogg's was so pleased with the program, it wanted to take partial ownership and add their brand. In 1999, the award will be known as Kellogg's Hannah Neil World of Children Award.
"The Hannah Neil World of Children Award, is a great fit for this company, because it rewards those people who have devoted their lifelong work for kids," says Kenna Bridges, manager of corporate PR for the Battle Creek, Mich., company.
Kellogg's provided the $50,000 1998 stipend, as well as some staff support; in 1999. This year, it committed to a $100,000 winner's stipend and about $50,000 for operating costs.
Each sponsor was asked for $20,000 plus services, Leibowitz says.
"America West flew-in a lot of the dignitaries to the awards ceremony, such as members of the selection committee. Anywhere America West had service, they provided the airfare," says Leibowitz.
Lessons Learned
LSY Senior Account Executive Erin DeVassie says that with the income from 1998, they will be able to publicize the program further on a national, and eventually international, level. They are planning a satellite media tour, for instance, when the 1999 award is announced this November.
Mortine says this year they plan to track clippings, aiming for coverage locally, and in regional pockets.
"For 1999, we are moving towards a more national level. That first year was very time consuming and difficult, but we succeeded and now we want to build on that momentum and take it to the next level." (Harry Leibowitz, 614/844-5600; Neil Mortine, LSY, 614/825-1753)