BY: P E T E H E X T E R FOUNDER & CEO, BLOOM
EXPANDING COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT "Community engagement is a great way to extend the leadership development of your members, increase support of your chapter and brand presence in the community, leading to the expanded positive impact of FFA."
F
ew events in my life have made a more lasting impression on me than attending my first National FFA convention a few years ago. Our company had just committed to a national partnership with the National FFA Foundation, and I wanted to see firsthand what the return on investment (ROI) might be. The experience was one of the most inspiring opportunities I have been part of in my 50 years of business. It changed my perception of today’s youth, gave me renewed hope about future leadership in this country, and doubled Bloom’s commitment to providing resources to ag teachers and chapters at the local, state, and national levels.
and the scope of its contributions. I believe it is essential for everyone involved with FFA to understand increased support begins with chapters putting forth an effort to expand FFA brand awareness and elevate their community involvement. All these elements can become an extension of FFA leadership education. Certainly, FFA is not alone; organizations at every level face the same challenges, finding a voice, separating their brand and mission from other nonprofits vying for community’s recognition and support. The issue remains: communicating meaningful points of difference, especially when it involves cause marketing, is not easy in our media-saturated society. We live in a world where anyone can instantly create a “Go Fund Me” page asking for financial commitments. The positive news, FFA has assets many other nonprofits lack, and these assets
That is the good news. I continue to be amazed at how many people know very little about this incredible organization as I travel around the country. The rich history, the young lives it impacts every day, the thousands of communities it is part of, 8
