Marcus Simmons of Southfield, Michigan writes:
“The Motown Automotive Professionals nonprofit is in its start-up stage. We will provide no-cost automotive vocational training for socially and economically deprived young adults as they emerge from high school.
“I have been on the 6 o’clock news on two channels so far, and we have a website but we need more ways to get donations and support from corporate America. Can your Hounds help?”
Auto brand America is about to become extinct
if they can’t generate stylish hybrid cars.
Auto Brand America claim they see the relic
on the wall and will produce better hybrid cars.
Personally I think Auto Brand America should scale down and quit trying to be everything to everybody they can’t compete that way anymore. Ford for example should solely focus on improving the Mustang for example. That car was born and raised here, Toyota, Honda could never compete because there is only one Mustang.
Anyway, Auto Brand America might want to prove they are going to build hyrbrid cars by building mechanics specially trained to service hybrid vehicles.
If you can prove that you are training mechanics to be Hybrid auto specialist it would be a good pr move to show america they are sponsoring the hybrid repair training.
They want pr and you want money. They be willing to spend it with you (of course only as long as they have it, which may not be long). Otherwise you could hedge your bet with Honda and others by hooking with them.
Of course the angle with them would be a little different.
They’ll hook up with you to prove to America they are American and they are creating JOBS FOR AMERICANS and they are helping Americans reduce dependency on foreign oil (but not foreign automakers!).
Most housing authorities have employment initiative programs to help people on subsidized housing improve their economic futures. You might consider partnering with the local housing authority to provide this training to their residents. Housing authorities often have private/public partners who help them financially. Most housing authorities also have public affairs or communications departments that could help you publicize your training. Visit the HUD website to find out the name of the housing authority in your area. If things progress well with the housing authority, you might get some assistance from HUD to go into other areas of the country…
There are so many advantages to the corporate players in helping you–the trick is to present this as an opportunity to get not only positive publicity, but the trained workforce they need for the future.
Don’t go begging–you’re offering something extremely valuable in return for their co-sponsorship.
I spend quite a bit of time in my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First http://www.principledprofit.com on how to build these types of relationships.
I’d recommend leveraging every bit of news coverage you’ve gotten as a way to legitimize your cause and make it appear bigger than it is. For what you’re trying to accomplish, “perception is reality.” And as with publicity where one exposure begets another, so with sponsorships one contact can lead to another and another. Plunge in.
One of the difficulties facing small automotive shops as dealers take over more and more of the services for post-sale cars is finding competent and reliable mechanics/technicians. You might create an opportunity for these smaller shops to sponsor students or contribute to scholarships that will allow them to have first interview rights on graduates.
Dear Susan Yancy,
I have sumitted a proposal to the Southfield Block Grant authority. Our nest meeting with city hall is on Feb.20, 2007. Thank you for that suggestion.
Service clubs like Rotary, are always interested in local projects they can sponsor, and are filled with professionals from different companies. You may want to connect up with your local Rotary club and ask if you could make a presentation at one of their meetings. Corporate America has been recently complaining about the lack of skilled workers– great opportunity for you to step up and demonstrate a way to financially support a solution.
Green Mechanics
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in Washington came out with the top 12
Green Cars can you piggyback this news by
creating the First Green Mechanics!
Green Mechanics:
Specially trained on car waste disposal procedures and prevention that best protect the environment
Wear mechanics clothing designed as earth friendly
Use tools made from eath friendly products
Trained to make Green Cars run even better
Partner with Green Car dealers seems like
a win/win for publicity
Pitch a story about what you’re doing to Crains Detroit Business.
The hook? The labor shortage, of course. Explain how the local auto industry will benefit from your trained mechanics.
You can also offer a “tipo sheet” to the media titled “8 tips for hiring a top-notch auto mechanic.”
Marucs – I’m the Business Librarian at the Southfield Public Library. We have some books on fundraising & development for nonprofts. Some that I suggest are: the Michigan Foundation Directory (lists contact & application information for foundations); Operating Grants for Nonprofit Organizations; Fund-raising for Nonprofit Groups by Young. Also, take a look at our web site under Grants & Foundations http://www.sfldlib.org/pages/adults/results.asp?cid=13. Idealist.org is a great site for nonprofits. You can list your site there and they have nice info resources http://nonprofits.org/.
If the library can assist you in any other way, please call the Reference Desk at 248-796-4280
Take care,
Tera