US-ATAARI Disaster Donations Communication Toolkit _FINAL 18_Aug 2016_Notes

Overview of the APEC Disaster Donations Communications Toolkit

US-APEC Technical Assistance to Advance Regional Integration (US-ATAARI)

A joint project of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, and Asia-

Pacific Economic Cooperation

Tara Hamilton and Karen Gruebnau

ICF International18 August, 2016 | Lima, Peru

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT ICF INTERNATIONAL: WHO WE ARE• A leading provider of professional services and

technology-based solutions for government & commercial clients around the globe who helps define and achieve success.

• More than 5,000 employees serve government and commercial clients from more than 65 offices worldwide.

• A small sampling of our sector expertise:‒ Climate Change and Sustainability‒ Impacts, Risk, and Adaptation‒ International Development‒ Strategic Communications + Marketing www.icfi.com

http://www.icfi.com/

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT AGENDA• Why do we need the toolkit?• Structure of the toolkit• Key elements of the toolkit• How to use the toolkit• Key things to do before disaster strikes

– Develop a communications strategy– Develop a media plan– Determine how you will measure success

• Questions & answers

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT THE TOOLKIT• Operationalizes the APEC Guidelines for Appropriate

Donations in Times of Disaster and promotes appropriate donations across the APEC region.

• Informed by input gathered through case studies.• Comprehensive resource designed to help your organization or agency raise public awareness on appropriate donations through publicity and media coverage.

• Draws from resources developed by USAID through the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI).

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT WHY DO WE NEED THE TOOLKIT?Best estimates indicate that up to 60 percent of material donations are inappropriate and not needed by disaster victims.

Donated clothing on a basketball court following Hurricane Sandy, in the Bronx, N.Y. Source: HelpAfterSandy.org

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT WHY DO WE NEED THE TOOLKIT?

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT WHY DO WE NEED THE TOOLKIT?It is crucial immediately following a disaster: • To explain to the public and the media clearly and

repeatedly why monetary donations are the most effective, and

• To provide information on how to make those cash contributions.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT KEY THEMES AND BEST PRACTICES • Internal communication requires different processes

than external communication. • Governments and NGOs must work together to successfully

communicate about donations and reach intended audiences.

• Social media can play an important role in getting up-to-date information to potential donors on the needs of disaster-affected communities.

• Having an approved communications plan before a disaster strikes is critical to communicating with constituents in a timely manner.

• It is important to be transparent on how donated funds are used.

• Economies with fewer resources can still apply the same lessons learned by scaling the outreach appropriately.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT KEY THEMES AND BEST PRACTICES • Have communication tools available before a disaster hits that

can be easily customized based on the specific needs associated with that disaster.

• Ensure the entire organization shares common goals about appropriate donations and everyone knows his/her communications role.

• Use existing communications tools to save time and resources. • Be consistent in all your communications that monetary

donations are preferred.• Conduct robust documentation to ensure donations are reaching

their intended recipients and help encourage similar donations when other disasters strike.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT STRUCTURE OF THE TOOLKIT

• The toolkit begins with outreach strategies and tips to work effectively with various forms of media, to help you:

– Clearly communicate the benefits of monetary contributions in the wake of a disaster, and

– Explain to potential donors that monetary donations of any size can make a big difference in the relief effort.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT STRUCTURE OF THE TOOLKITThe toolkit:• Offers guidance on how to:

– Work effectively with the media

– Develop an appropriate donations communications strategy

– Leverage social media• Provides a series of customizable

templates to help communicate the “cash is best” message following a disaster.

• Includes instructions on how to use the templates.

The templates can be modified for a specific situation, disaster, target audience, and region.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT KEY ELEMENTS OF THE TOOLKIT Media outreach and promotion overview and tips

Developing a media plan Tips on developing a media list Public relations & letter to the editor tips Media advisory and news release tips

Social media tips Building your network Anatomy of a social media post Managing social media during disaster Social media response guide

Tips for sharing public service announcements (PSAs) with local media

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT KEY ELEMENTS OF THE TOOLKIT Customizable resources with

instructions:– Fact sheet – Media outreach email

template– Organization outreach email

template– Radio PSA scripts– Media advisory template– Letter to the editor template– Reporting out template

(template to provide snapshot on use of funds)

– Visual resources

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT HOW TO USE THE TOOLKIT• Review the guidance and tips;• Develop a communications strategy, a

media plan, and a social media response guide [discussed later in presentation];

• Customize templates in toolbox based on specific situation, disaster, target audience, and region; and/or

• Develop your own outreach materials based on the guidance provided in the toolkit.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT HOW TO USE THE TOOLKIT• Step-by-step

instructions on how to customize the materials are provided in the toolkit.

• To customize the materials, add your organization or agency’s specific information.

• Refer to the various media tips included in the toolkit.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT


Use this space to insert your organization name or URL as a secondary and/or local resource.


DEVELOP YOUR OWN INFOGRAPHICS • Create simple infographics that demonstrate the impact of the disaster, or• Show the specific benefits of donating money. • Develop them so they can be shared easily on social media.

Infographic demonstrating the costs associated with transportation and distribution of in-kind disaster donations. Credit: Stephanie McNicol, Arizona State University. Submitted as part of the 2015 PSAid contest sponsored by CIDI.



Susie SmithCommunity Disaster Response1234 Main AvenueAnywhereville, State, [email protected]

HOW TO USE THE TOOLKIT• Include a banner or badge in your email signature. • Download the banner and/or badges from www.CIDI.org,

open the file, and copy and paste them into your email signature.

• An easy, eye-catching way to promote the cash-is-best message.

• Hyperlink the email signature to your agency’s Web site.• Share the email signature with your staff and partner

organizations so everyone is promoting a unified message on all communications.

mailto:[email protected]

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT THINGS TO DO BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES• Develop a communications strategy specific to disaster

donations.• Develop a disaster relief donations media plan.• Determine how you will measure if the strategy and the

tools worked in a particular context.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO DISASTER DONATIONS• Raising awareness of the

importance of appropriate donations – and getting the media to cover your donation appeals – requires a good strategy.

• The strategy should correspond with your community and/or economy’s general disaster relief planning efforts.

• Use the resources in the Appropriate Donations Communications Toolkit to help you implement the strategy.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO DISASTER DONATIONSThe strategy should establish:• Objectives: Set objectives that ensure your

communications strategy aligns with your organizational goals to ensure most donations are monetary rather than materials.

• Audiences: Identify those audiences with whom you need to communicate to achieve your objectives.

• Messages: Develop messages that resonate with those audiences and move the objectives forward.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO DISASTER DONATIONSThe strategy should establish:• Channels and messengers: How will the messages be

delivered and who will deliver them?• Timeline: When will the messages be developed and

delivered?• Methods and materials: What are the means by which

the messages will be delivered?• Monitoring and evaluation: Data collected before,

during, and after the implementation process can be used to monitor and evaluate the success of the communication activities – and can be used to fine-tune and revise the messages, methods, or materials as needed.


• Keep messages positive. • Show appreciation and gratitude to donors. • Keep donor priorities in mind. • Provide simple examples. • Be transparent on how the donation will be used. • Extend communications beyond the request for

donations; share stories describing what is happening. • Highlight the positive impact of donations on the victims

of a disaster.

DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO DISASTER DONATIONSConsider these suggestions when developing MESSAGES:

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT DEVELOP A COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY SPECIFIC TO DISASTER DONATIONSConsider using the toolkit’s Communications Strategy Checklist to build your strategy. BeforeEnsure disaster response communications plans encourage

appropriate donations.Know where to direct people to make monetary donations.Decide on and set up social media hashtags, handles, site

names, etc. DuringContinue to blog/post regularly to keep messages current

and targeted.Dispel/counter “misinformation” that may be circulating.AfterTrack social media using “social listening” tools.Collect data/metrics to evaluate what was successful and

what was not.


• The media plan should correlate with your community and/or economy’s general disaster relief planning efforts.

• A media plan outlines how you will research, contact, and provide information to the media type most suitable for broadcasting your disaster relief donations messages.

• A media plan is specifically focused on sharing information with media outlets, whereas a communications strategy is a broad-brush approach for what, how, when, and with whom you will communicate.

DEVELOP A DISASTER RELIEF DONATIONS MEDIA PLAN

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT DEVELOP A DISASTER RELIEF DONATIONS MEDIA PLANKey elements of a media plan:• Develop a list of media contacts: Use existing

lists and add additional newspapers and television and radio stations, as well as community news organizations, Web sites, or blogs that could promote your news.• Establish clear messages: A clear, basic

explanation of the issue or event you want to communicate to the media and the public.• Identify communication channels: Plan for how

you will contact the media, and who is best suited to do this.


Key elements of a media plan:• Develop and finalize outreach materials: The Toolkit provides guidance on how to use media alerts, press releases, letters to the editor, and more.• Clarify roles and responsibilities among staff and partners: Establish ahead of time who will handle what aspects of media outreach.• Include details on when and how to implement the plan: Spell out clearly what will trigger implementation of the plan (when), and the steps to implement it.

DEVELOP A DISASTER RELIEF DONATIONS MEDIA PLAN

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT PUBLIC RELATIONS TIPS• Managing public relations

during a disaster can be difficult.

• Agencies and organizations involved in disaster relief are responding to a multitude of demands and emergencies.

• This stress can be relieved by having a few key pieces in place before a disaster hits.

Tips to engage reporters: Make a reporter’s life easy.

Reporters are always on a deadline. Think about images, footage, or hard data you can provide to make their job easier.

Monitor Twitter. Watch Twitter for what is trending; pitch a story supported by social media interest.

Local comes first. Local affiliates want to be seen as local news focused on local people.

Nourish media relationships. Send an occasional email to your contacts. Tell them you re-tweeted their story or send a link to an existing story and suggest how to rework it from a different perspective.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT HOW WILL YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? Gather information during the

crisis to evaluate whether the outreach is working.

Evaluation can help recalibrate plans as needed during the crisis.

Evaluation should be an embedded part of communications efforts, rather than undertaken as an afterthought.

Evaluation can identify lessons learned that can refine protocols and processes for the next crisis.

Decide before disaster strikes how you will measure success of communications and appropriate donations efforts.

Plan

ImplementRefine

Evaluate

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT HOW WILL YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?Possible METRICS to monitor and evaluation communications efforts:• Donations: Decrease in donation of physical goods in the

aftermath of disasters in relation to monetary donations. • Social media “hits”: Facebook: number of likes, friends,

post views, post likes and comments; Twitter: follower growth, audience reach, re-tweets and mentions, hash tag use.

• Press coverage by partner/member communications• Letters and email: Number of constituents that received

outreach letters and/or that received/opened outreach email.

• Web site traffic: Visits to the organization/donation URL. • Radio: Number of placements, monetary value of

placements.

APEC APPROPRIATE DONATIONS COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT HOW WILL YOU MEASURE SUCCESS? It is also important to gather

data on collected donations and how they were used to be as transparent as possible with donors and to the public.

Customize the Reporting-Out template to help assemble information on how donations were collected and used.


QUESTIONS?


THANK YOU!Karen GruebnauICF Internationalhttp://www.icfi.com/[email protected]

Tara HamiltonICF Internationalhttp://www.icfi.com/[email protected]



US-ATAARI Disaster Donations Communication Toolkit _FINAL 18_Aug 2016_Notes

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