PR

Standing PR Committee;

Mission: PR Vision Statement (adopted by committee on May xx, 2009)

(Limmerick version)
Figure out what The Geek has to say,
And then say it in a Geeky way.
Spread the word to Joe Shmoe,
To the press and SludgeCo.
And then listen for 'boos' and 'hoorays.'

(Haiku version)
Discern the message.
Spread the word far, wide and well.
Shut up and listen.

Programs: In charge of media outreach & relations, ads & marketing, the main Free Geek website, tabling events and networking with other organizations.

Email: pr at freegeek.org

Likely suspects: Laurel

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this budget needs to be aligned with books spending breakdown

Check: PR Facilitator/Scribe

Overview

PR is a standing staff committee which is responsible for media outreach & relations, ads & marketing, the Free Geek website, and networking with other organizations.

• Starting in November 2009 PR meets on the first an third Saturday of each month(opposite Staff meetings) with the option of scheduling working meetings on the remaining Saturdays.

Running a PR meeting

Please see Meeting Tips for essential habits of good facilitation. Also remember to use SMART guildlines to a basic check in on subject matter.

• Preparation
  • Check in with members well in advance of the meeting to see if there are any dependencies that are interfering with task completion
• Agenda contents - Should contain:
  • Previous commitments and Old business
  • New agenda items
  • Events and goals radar/timetable
• Agenda management - Agendas should only contain items with specific questions to be answered or with specific work to be delegated. Other items should be discussed out of meeting or moved into a working meeting.
• Assigning work for "working meetings"

Blurb about Free Geek

Is this a press blurb? This should be explained if it is going to be here Luiz 20:33, 17 October 2009 (UTC) -- this should mention hardware grants, internships, education program, thrift store, build, adoption, tech support and recycling...all in the body of the paragraph instead of the mission statement at the top.

FREE GEEK is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit community organization that recycles used technology to provide computers, education, internet access and job skills training to those in need in exchange for community service. We accept donations from the public of most electronic equipment, ranging from systems to printers to stereos. Free Geek does most of this work with volunteers (at any given time, about 200 are active). The volunteers disassemble the donated equipment and test the components, which are either recycled as electronic scrap or reused into refurbished systems. These refurbished computers are then loaded with Open Source Software. Free Geek has two symbiotic volunteer programs. The most popular is the Adoption program wherein any individual may contribute 24 hours of volunteering at Free Geek in exchange for a free computer. Alternately, any individual who wishes to learn how to build computers can join the Build Program. Free Geek instructors teach the Build volunteer the process of identifying hardware and assembling systems and, in exchange, the volunteer builds 5 computers for Free Geek and takes the 6th one home. Essentially, the Build volunteers assemble the systems the Adoption volunteers take home, while the Adoption volunteers help receive the incoming donations from the public and disassemble the rejected, obsolete technology. Free Geek is also committed to electronic waste recycling and selects those recycling businesses who engage in environmentally responsible practices to process the obsolete technology we receive. Free Geek is proud of being a democratically-run organization, and use consensus in our meetings. Our policy decisions are made by a group of volunteers and staff called the Council, and those policies are executed by our Staff Collective.

PR Budget

• Ads
  • May $250
  • $10/month for other 11 months
  • $600 in Nov for Willamette Week Give Guide

• Tabling
  • $20/month EXCEPT $75 in April for Earth Day
• T-shirts, stickers, and similar merchandise (includes business cards)
  • We buy t-shirts twice a year ~$1500

• Networking/learning conferences and memberships
  • AOR
    • membership: $135/yr
    • conference in June: $470 (2 people, $235 each) (usually free, but we don't know)
    • mileage to Redmond, OR in June: $150 (under C7)
  • International Computer Refurbishing Summit in Toronto
  • $75 in Oct Membership in Sustainable Business Network

• Direct Mail Nov (TBD)

• Grant Research
  • $175 in Dec for Oregon Foundation Databook & CD 2009 edition

• Brochure
  • $250 in Nov 1000 B/W copies of brochure on 28 wt paper--trifolded

• Front Desk PR
  • $125 in Oct for Banner at Front Desk
  • $150 in Oct 8X10 Prints of Community recipient/volunteer photos & frames

Related Items

(This is for notes that indicate expenses that affect your committee but are actually classified under a different committee.)

• Conferences July $100 oscon (probably goes in HR -> Training and Education)
• $100 for website developer (probably goes in C7 -> Staffing Costs)
• $200/YEAR for mileage to conferences (C7 mileage reimbursement expense)

Webadmin

Check out our web stats!

• Webhits over the past year
• Webhits archive
• Webserver stats (lists which words are searched to find us, operating systems used when browsing the site, etc.)

Links

• Who does what
• Monitored by Outreach
• Stats and Testimonials - tidbits to support various marketing, advertising, PR materials
• Computer Collection Events
• Conferences
• Corporate Sponsors - cultivating corporate sponsorship for Free Geek programs.
• Give Guide
• Media Liaison
• Mailings - asking for money via letters.
• Pickups Intake
• Presentations/Lectures
• Tabling
• T-Shirts
• Stickers
• Log of Ads
• GeekVideo - documentation, proliferation, replication... consternation?
• Webadmin
• Ambassador Basics
• Neighborhood Association
• Free Geek Slogans