Stevensville Main Street Association

2019 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS - STEVENSVILLE MAIN STREET ASSOCIATIONECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: WORKED WITH TOWN OF STEVENSVILLE AND CONTRACTOR GEODATA SERVICES TO COMPLETE A MARKET ANALYSIS AND TRAINING IN ESRI/ARCGIS SOFTWARE TO USE IN ASSISTING BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL CUSTOMER MARKETS, AND TO ASSIST BUSINESS EXPANSION/RELOCATION EFFORTS BASED ON EXISTING BUSINESS MIX AND WORKFORCE SKILLS.BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: PROVIDED DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO 40+ EXISTING AND POTENTIAL BUSINESSES IN AREAS OF MARKETING, AVAILABLE OFFICE/RETAIL/INDUSTRIAL SPACE, WORKFORCE TRAINING/APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS, TRAFFIC COUNTS, REGULATIONS/PERMITS, BUSINESS RESOURCES, CONNECTIONS TO OTHER BUSINESSES, ETC.BUSINESS NETWORKING MEETINGS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS: HOSTED MONTHLY SMSA MEETINGS WITH GUEST SPEAKERS, BUSINESS NETWORKING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PROJECT/EVENT UPDATES; AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, BUSINESS RESOURCES, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR FRONT-LINERS.BUSINESS REFERRALS AND PROMOTION CAMPAIGNS: RESPONDED TO 40-60 CONSUMER INQUIRIES PER MONTH, PROVIDED BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATION REFERRALS VIA PHONE, WALK-IN, FACEBOOK, AND EMAIL. LISTED MAJOR EVENTS ON LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATEWIDE, AND NATIONAL TOURISM/EVENT WEB SITES AND CALENDARS. SENT NEWS RELEASES TO LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATEWIDE MEDIA (PRINT, BROADCAST, ONLINE) ABOUT STEVENSVILLE EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS. IMPLEMENTED ONGOING FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN WITH ORGANIC AND PAID REACH OF 10,000+ VIEWERS PER WEEK, PROMOTING SMSA EVENTS, BUSINESS SPECIALS, LOCAL ATTRACTIONS, COMMUNITY NEWS, AND FEATURED BUSINESS OF THE WEEK POSTS FOR MEMBERS WITH LINKS TO THEIR WEB SITES OR FACEBOOK PAGES. PROMOTED THE FARMERS MARKET, CODING 4 KIDS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS SPONSORED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS YOUTH SPORTS TOURNAMENTS, HIGHLAND GAMES, WESTERN HERITAGE DAY, 50-MILE YARD SALE, MUSIC AT THE MISSION, CREAMERY PICNIC, TALENT SHOW, PLAYHOUSE, FAIR, 9/11 COMMEMORATION, CHARITY FUNDRAISERS, CAR SHOWS, ETC. COORDINATED TV-DIGITAL AD CAMPAIGN WITH 21 BUSINESSES AND GLACIER COUNTRY REGIONAL TOURISM COMMISSION, REACHING 700,000+ TELEVISION/ONLINE VIEWERS THROUGHOUT MONTANA, NORTH IDAHO, AND BEYOND.SMSA WEB SITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE: ENHANCED SMSA WEB SITE WITH INTEGRATED ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT CRM SOFTWARE, BUSINESS/ORGANIZATION LISTINGS, FEATURE PAGES, AND ANALYTICS REPORTS. INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA REACH TO 2,300 FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS. USED WEB SITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO COMMUNICATE WITH BUSINESSES, MEDIA, AND CONSUMERS.TASTE OF STEVI EVENT, FEBRUARY 9, 2019: FIRST FRIDAY/SATURDAY SHOWCASE OF LOCAL RESTAURANTS, BARS, LOCALLY-MADE PRODUCTS, AND TOURISMRELATED BUSINESSES IN ADVANCE OF SPRING/SUMMER TRAVEL PLANNING FOR GRADUATIONS, FAMILY REUNIONS, ETC. THIRTY-FIVE BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED IN FRIDAY NIGHT EVENTS, INCLUDING EIGHT LOCAL LODGING PROPERTIES (B&BS AND VACATION RENTALS) WHO SET UP DISPLAYS DOWNTOWN FRIDAY EVENING, AND OFFERED TOURS ON SATURDAY. RESTAURANTS AND BARS REPORTED BEING STANDING ROOM ONLY FRIDAY NIGHT, AND OTHER BUSINESSES REPORTED STEADY TRAFFIC. THE STEVENSVILLE HOTEL GAVE TOURS TO 95 PEOPLE FRIDAY EVENING AND SATURDAY. OTHER LODGING PROPERTIES REPORTED 25-45 TOUR PARTICIPANTS SATURDAY.NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION CAPACITY-BUILDING EDUCATION AND BITTERROOT GIVES CAMPAIGN, MARCH-MAY 2019: OBTAINED A $4,900+ RAPP FOUNDATION GRANT TO SUPPORT LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. REACHED OUT TO 35 NONPROFITS TO ENCOURAGE INVOLVEMENT IN BITTERROOT GIVES NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, MULTIPLE TRAININGS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING PROVIDED BY MISSOULA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, AND GOVERNANCE TRAINING FROM THE MONTANA NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION (SEE BELOW). TWENTY LOCAL NONPROFITS PARTICIPATED IN MAY 3 CELEBRATE STEVI! SHOWCASE, EIGHT PARTICIPATED IN BITTERROOT GIVES FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND TWELVE PARTICIPATED IN TRAININGS. UPDATED AND PRINTED GUIDE TO STEVENSVILLE COMMUNITY SERVICES (NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS) TO PROVIDE TO NEW RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE TRAINING, APRIL 17, 2019: HOSTED A FREE ONE-DAY TRAINING FOR RAVALLI COUNTY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ON NONPROFIT BOARD GOVERNANCE, ATTENDED BY 20+ ORGANIZATION REPRESENTATIVES. SPEAKER WAS LIZ MOORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MONTANA NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION.CELEBRATE STEVI! EVENT, MAY 3, 2019: COORDINATED AND PROMOTED AN EVENT THAT SHOWCASED DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND 20 LOCAL NONPROFITS ON THE FIRST FRIDAY IN MAY. THE NONPROFITS SET UP DISPLAYS IN DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AS PART OF THE BITTERROOT GIVES CAMPAIGN. THE EVENT DREW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO DOWNTOWN, RAISING THE VISIBILITY OF THE NONPROFITS, AND RESULTING IN NEW DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS. BUSINESS GRAND OPENING AND AFTER-HOURS NETWORKING EVENTS: CELEBRATED NEW BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY WITH GROUND BREAKINGS, RIBBON-CUTTINGS, AND OPEN HOUSE/BUSINESS AFTER-HOURS EVENTS. DOWNTOWN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, MAY-JULY 2019: COORDINATED WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS STAFF/CONTRACTORS FOR NORTHWESTERN ENERGY AND MDT TO HELP INFORM BUSINESSES AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT LOGISTICS, DATES, AND POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE WITH BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND/OR PARKING.SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2019: FOR THE THIRD YEAR, ASSISTED BUSINESSES IN PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY PROMOTIONS. THE SMSA OFFICE CLOSED IN LATE NOVEMBER, BUT THE EVENT WAS HELD THE SATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AS PART OF THE NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY EVENT.STEVENSVILLE COUNTRY CHRISTMAS, DECEMBER 6, 2019: ASSISTED WITH PRE-PLANNING FOR THE ANNUAL DECEMBER FIRST FRIDAY EVENT. PROVIDED THE PREVIOUS 2018 EVENT PLAN, BUDGET, AND VOLUNTEER LIST TO THE CIVIC CLUB AND DOWNTOWN BUSINESS LEADERS WHO COORDINATED THE IMPLEMENTED THE 2019 EVENT.STEVENSVILLE VISITOR CENTER: OBTAINED A $5,000 GRANT FROM GLACIER COUNTRY REGIONAL TOURISM COMMISSION TO PROVIDED STAFFING FOR EXTENDED VISITOR CENTER HOURS DURING PEAK SUMMER SEASON. HOSTED A VISITOR CENTER WORKSHOP FOR FRONT-LINE STAFF/VOLUNTEERS (SEE BELOW), CONTACTED NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES/REGIONS, TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND HISTORIC SITES TO OBTAIN BROCHURES, VISITOR GUIDES, AND MAPS, AND OBTAINED ADDITIONAL BROCHURE RACKS FOR EXPANDED DISPLAY SPACE. PROVIDED VISITOR CENTER SERVICES SIX DAYS/50 HOURS A WEEK (MON-SAT) FROM MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY, SERVING VISITORS FROM 26 STATES AND 2 FOREIGN COUNTRIES.TOURISM GRANTS FROM MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND GLACIER COUNTRY REGIONAL TOURISM COMMISSION: OBTAINED $9,000 IN GRANTS MATCHED BY $4,000+ FROM BUSINESSES FOR TOURISM PROMOTION, INCLUDING PRINT, TV, AND DIGITAL ADS TARGETING MONTANA RESIDENT VISITORS AND NONRESIDENTS TRAVELING TO WESTERN MONTANA.SCARECROW FESTIVAL AND BREWFEST, OCTOBER 5-12, 2019: PLANNED AND PRODUCED THE ANNUAL EVENT, WHICH EXCEEDED PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE WITH 54 SCARECROW ENTRIES, 6,000 PEOPLE FRIDAY NIGHT, AND 12+ BREWERIES AND 300+ PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE FIRST SCARECROW BREWFEST FUNDRAISER.RIPPLE EFFECTS MAPPING, APRIL 8, 2019: COORDINATED AND HOSTED A SESSION PROVIDED BY THE MONTANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS ASSOCIATION AS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE 2004 COMMUNITY RESOURCE ASSESSMENT IN STEVENSVILLE. IDENTIFIED ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE 2004, AND POTENTIAL PRIORITIES GOING FORWARD. COMPLETION OF THE MAPPING EXERCISE RESULTED IN ELIGIBILITY FOR A $1,000 MATCHING GRANT, WHICH THE GROUP DETERMINED WOULD BE USED FOR THE WAYFINDING SIGNAGE PROJECT.SMSA MEMBERSHIP: RECRUITED NEW BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN SMSA IN SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION GOALS AND ACTIVITIES. IN 2019 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, THERE WERE 15 NEW MEMBERS, FOLLOWING 38 NEW MEMBERS IN 2018, FOR A TOTAL OF 53 NEW MEMBERS IN TWO YEARS.PAYSCAPE: DEVELOPED A PARTNERSHIP WITH FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY FIRM PAYSCAPE, WHICH IN 2019 MERGED WITH NEXGEN IN WHITEFISH. A PORTION OF FINANCIAL (CREDIT CARD) TRANSACTIONS FROM NEXGENS STEVENSVILLE CLIENTS WOULD BE PAID TO SMSA AS A NETWORK MARKETING PARTNER. BITTERROOT GIVES, MAY 2-3, 2019: PARTICIPATED IN BITTERROOT GIVES FUNDRAISER, AND NETTED $1,400+ FOR THE WAYFINDING SIGNS PROJECT. OTHER LOCAL NONPROFITS RAISED $200-$1,100.MOTHERS DAY DESSERT AND GIFT AUCTION, MAY 10, 2019: PLANNED AND PROMOTED THE ANNUAL SMSA FUNDRAISER, WHICH NETTED $3,000+ WHILE SHOWCASING LOCAL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.CULPEPPER & MERRIWEATHER CIRCUS, JUNE 18, 2019: PROMOTED TICKET SALES FOR THE BIANNUAL EVENT, WHICH NETTED $3,300+ FOR SMSA OPERATIONS.SMSA GOLF TOURNAMENT, JULY 13, 2019: PLANNED AND PROMOTED THE ANNUAL SMSA GOLF FUNDRAISER, WHICH NETTED ABOUT $1,200 FOR SMSA OPERATIONS.SCARECROW FESTIVAL AND BREWFEST, OCTOBER 5-12, 2019: THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL NETTED $7,000+ FOR SMSA, WITH AN INVENTORY OF SALEABLE ASSETS (T-SHIRTS, BEER GLASSES) LEFT OVER FOR THE 2020 EVENT.