EXPANDING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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."

BY: PETE HEXTER Founder & CEO, Bloom

Few 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.

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, 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 resonate with most Americans. Most are looking for and supporting associations that can help mold our youth into productive, patriotic, caring leaders.

FFA has it all, great history and tradition that continues to support agriculture and the ongoing development of leadership skills of its members. Today, there is a perfect window of opportunity for FFA chapters to be heard, strengthen their brand in the community, and take positive action to enhance public awareness.

Here are some suggestions for extending your chapter’s reach into the community:

ONE - Start with educating your members on their community, its history, and the current challenges it faces.

TWO - Identify service organizations that currently serve, their community initiatives (i.e., Habitat for Humanity, Kiwanis Club, Rotary), and help your members understand these organizations’ community roles.

THREE - Challenge your officers (or other members) to reach out to different community organizations and meet with them.

FOUR - Many organizations have monthly luncheons and welcome the opportunity to learn about community youth-based missions. FFA’s strong history of making a difference in our kids’ lives is a story everyone wants to hear.

FIVE - Be sure to include the expanded role of FFA beyond just agriculture. focus on one of FFA’s core values - leadership. Most people are looking for and want to support youth groups that will assume future leadership roles.

SEVEN - The more personalized you make your communication, the stronger the appeal, so include chapter and individual members’ accomplishments.

EIGHT - Volunteer to work with other leading community organizations on projects.

NINE - Whenever possible, wear FFA branded apparel during these activities.

TEN - Communicate chapter events and accomplishments to news outlets and social media.

In summary, 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. Thanks to ag teachers and their ongoing dedication, I feel confident thousands of great young FFA-associated leaders are emerging every year.