Outreach (DRAFT!)

This page documents the things we do that could loosely be considered outreach. What else could be included? See 'Other Outreach Activities' at the bottom.

The Outreach Committee (per bylaws) shall:

• promote participation in CVNA activities and committees
• assist in notifying the membership of meetings, elections, events and other relevant matters of concern
• correspond by several venues judged most effective, including but not limited to: collinsview.nextdoor.com, collinsview.org and swni.org websites (also SW News)

Ongoing: Neighborhood Association Use of Nextdoor

Nextdoor.com is used semi-officially by CVNA for posting of meeting notices, and always linking to collinsview.org for special reports, details, minutes, SW News blurb, and so on, rather than posting files on nextdoor itself.

• We need to make a definitive list of ways CVNA uses Nextdoor.
• We should we have have a standard style / template for such postings.
• We should make a concerted effort to get all houses on Nextdoor. Nextdoor will send physical Postcards in USPS mail to peeps not on Nextdoor, inviting them to join. Someone who knows how to do that should make a report, that we can work from.
• Here is a page about Nextdoor (on CV website): [LINK]

Editorial comment: While many people may be on Facebook or Twitter, many are not. Nextdoor seems to have way more coverage, but it has a lot of noise on it, just like Facebook and Twitter. I think there is no way to feature CVNA posts, without making a 'Group' on Nextdoor. Groups were fantastically a flop it seems. It seems like Neighborhood Associations ought to have some special 'standing' with Nextdoor - as city bureaus do, but Neighborhoods themselves do not. --jm

Ongoing: Use of Nextdoor for 'service to the community' items

Our outreach person regularly posts 'service to the community' items to Nextdoor. These items may come in to our neighborhood email address. (?)

• Oregon Health Authority Covid #s, articles, and rules relating to such
• Items from various City and State bureaus that would affect our neighborhoods, such as PBOT traffic travel and construction advisories
• BPS, BES, City Council hearings on items worthy of SW residents' attention, like votes and requests for input for infill and density moves (as well as other City Council flaming torches on agenda items)
• Health advisories from DEQ, like the 2020 smoke
• Water bureau (testing and other items of interest)
• Restriction on shellfish and fishing, swimming etc due to health concerns
• VA items that are of interest to veterans
• Zoo activities, opening and restrictions and other city-wide family activities or closure of such (Parks)
• Consumer alerts about scams from the FDA

Concept: Mail Chimp mailing list for a CVNA-only newsletter

The idea is to publish a periodic Collins View newsletter in a nice format. Southwest Neighborhood Inc (SWNI), our district coalition office, pays for this service. The newsletter has yet to launch, but we are building up the list. Click on [SIGN UP] to sign up.

Question: Could MailChimp be used as a primary tool for people who are serious about being informed of CVNA matters, but who can't attend meetings? (Ie de-emphasize NextDoor).

Concept: A Welcome Basket

The concept of a 'Welcome Wagon' basket is being developed and tested...

Welcome Letter

Card with the CVNA info on one side and
Fred Meyers Community Rewards on the other.

Recent copy of the SW News.
Note: They can (must) call SWNI and sign up for free.

Local businesses
Example goodies
Tryon creek grill (Menu)
Market of Choice 'Savories' magazine
Fred's awards info/card?
Mention business directory on the web site.

NET
red/green Help/OK signs
water dropper and chlorine table
emergency phone numbers magnet

How can we reach newcomers?
Periodically ask newcomers to self-identify on Nextdoor.
(This is actually encouraged by Nextdoor when account is created.)
The outreach chair would contact them and ask if they'd like the stuff.

On-Going: This Website, CollinsView.org

We have this website, and it is underutilized. For example the Fred Meyer Rewards card has a page, but that seems to be forgotten quickly.

Whenever the opportunity arises, neighbors should be directed to the site for info.

Website are passive in that people must to go to them. They don't just jump out at the user like social media posts do. People need to be reminded to go to ta website, or otherwise 'driven' to look. But at least it is available on line, 24x7.

Monthly: 'Lawn' Sign

The photo at the top of the page shows one of the 'lawn' signs put out to remind peeps that a meeting is coming up. These are standard lawn sign size on a metal wicket. The signs are put up a few days ahead by an outreach volunteer. (These signs have our website address)

Monthly: CVNA Agenda

The Agendas page [LINK] on the Collins View website links to Google Drive which archives previous agendas. The page gives instructions for accessing.

Process:

1. Agenda is prepared by chair and other board members...
2. Agenda should be communicated one (1) week before the meeting:
   to the board via board email address
   

   For the Board, email to board@collinsview.org could have the agenda attached as a PDF.

   For Nextdoor, the upcoming meeting should just be announced, noting any special speaker or program.

3. A PDF of the agenda must be sent to SWNI to archive as a record. SWNI puts it on Google Drive, and notifies us that the agenda is on Google Drive.
4. The Web Guy places a copy of the PDF and links to it on the CVNA website home page for quick reference. (So that we don't have to wait for SWNI to place on Google Drive.)
5. The PDF should be formatted nicely, and could be printed for use during the meeting.
   Ideally, Agenda should fit nicely on one full pages, or two pages if necessary.

Problem: If the agenda is prepared on the Wednesday before the meeting, and sent to web guy and SWNI that afternoon, there is little time for SWNI to post and the other steps above to take place.. especially if there is a holiday or vacation day for someone.

Monthly: CVNA Minutes

Google Drive has all the Minutes. The Collins View website does have any Minutes and does not need updating with the Minutes. See: [Google Drive].

We follow a process similar to the Agenda process above, for Minutes.

Process:

1. Chairs and board members submit items ahead of meeting.
2. Secretary notes important points during meeting.
3. Minutes compiled and prepared by Secretary after the meeting.
4. Minutes circulated for approval or amendment.
5. Minutes approved at following meeting.
6. Amended/Approved Minutes sent to SWNI for record.

Secretary should keep the minutes in a word processing document of some kind, but export as PDF for distribution in email and placing on the web / google drive.

Explanation: Each 'hood in the SWNI coalition contributes an article for the monthly SW News — originally a tabloid paper, now an on-line PDF of the whole tabloid.

See SWNI's home page to read the whole newsletter [SWNI Home Page], and see our collection of [CVNA articles].

Article in SW News layout consists of

1. COLLINS VIEW
2. Sub-headline something like this:
   Collins View Neighborhood Association Zoom meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 7:00 pm.
   Please contact outreach@collinsview.org for details.
   Website: collinsview.org
3. Headline - maybe just a bold phrase at the start of the article?
4. text - should be less than 500 words.
5. photo or two, layout at SWNI discretion.

The topic should be of general interest to the neighborhood. (CV-related issues, history, events, ...)

Process:

1. The Outreach person or other volunteer drafts an article.
2. Secretary: one or two weeks prior to meeting, the Secretary circulates the article to the Board, Subject: Please Read Article before Meeting.
3. At the meeting, The Board votes to accept the article as written, or with suggested changes.
4. The Board Editor proofs the newsletter article and returns it to the Secretary.
5. The Outreach person sends the DOCx/PHOTOS to newsletter@swni.org
6. The Outreach person sends the DOCx/PHOTOS and/or PDF to web guy.
7. The Web Guy places the Article (as PDF) on Collins View Website and updates the article index.
8. Outreach person posts notice on Nextdoor with link to pre-publication article on web.
9. 'SWNI' SW News editor includes our article in the SW News and distributes it.

Note: If there are photos with the article, The web guy inserts any photos into the docx and generates a PDF which includes the photos. That PDF is placed on the website.

Current File Naming Convention for web:

         JAN2019.pdf

Tip: Starting in 2019, articles will be located at an address like this http://collinsview.org/SWNews/JAN2019.pdf

Annual(?): Canvassing

Prior to the annual picnic, NET, FoRVNA, and other volunteers go Door to Door canvassing the 'Hood with postcard-sized flyers!

Two double-sided cards are delivered with these five topics: Collins View Neighborhood Association, Fred Meyer Rewards, and the Picnic each have one full side. NET (Neighborhood Emergency Team) and FoRVNA (Friends of River View Natural Area) share a side on one of the two cards.

Annual: Our Action Plan

The mandated Action Plan could be used for outreach purposes, to promote the associations work.

Maybe there are ways people could be involved /other/ than attending meetings! Like working on some related projects and reporting in writing or even on Nextdoor.

Link to our Action Plan PDF is on the Projects & Issues [PAGE].

Strategy: Special Topics

A compelling set of special topics could help get newcomers to turn out for meetings or become involved somehow in one of our committees (NET, Parks, Safety, ...)

Other Outreach Activities

The [picnic] has been our biggest outreach event in the past. participation in potluck / cookie exchange at our December meeting has waned.

What else are we doing for outreach? What else could do we do?

Example: Placing 11x14 or 8x14 posters around the neighborhood (businesses, college, other public places).

Page reviewed/updated Dec 4, 2020