Consistent with years past, 1Q media coverage centered on SYF’s national scholarship program. Local publications and media outlets promoted the scholarship opportunity across Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, among other regions.
Notably, these placements – totaling 19 in a matter of weeks – were the result of collaboration with the public relations firms that support Simon across the country. SYF provided press release templates and detailed information about awards for each center, enabling the public relations firms to pitch and place these stories. The media coverage likely contributed to SYF receiving nearly double the number of Simon Youth Community Scholarship applications compared to 2018.
In addition to scholarship coverage, a national feature and two local features served to elevate SYF’s profile among key audiences. In January, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) – a nonprofit organization focused on the development of comparative data to enable higher-performing philanthropic funders – published a blog on SYF’s use of beneficiary (student) voice and how it has helped SYF in our mission to help students reach graduation day.
The blog post, which was shared on social media by influencers and leaders including the Executive Director of CEP, includes information about SYF’s mission and impact, as well as an interview with SYF President and CEO Dr. J. Michael Durnil. The placement of this piece was optimal, as Michael will speak on a panel at CEP’s Annual Conference in May, serving to prime this audience of funders and investors.
Meanwhile, the story of Ashley Griffin, a December 2018 graduate of Simon Youth Kelley Academy in Knoxville, Tenn., and SYF’s deep investment in the Knoxville Academy, was prominently covered in Knoxville Today. In the article, Ashley credits her teachers with enabling her to graduate. In addition, the article highlighted SYF’s $100,000 grant to help relocate the Academy, and the Academy’s principal as the recipient of SYF’s 2018 Administrator of the Year award. Finally, the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance noted the addition of Tim Parnell to SYF’s Board of Directors, increasing awareness of SYF’s role in the nonprofit community.
1Q 2019 News Highlights
Kelley Academy celebrates new home (December 26, 2018)
Knox TN Today
http://bit.ly/SYFKnoxville
Avoiding Bias through Beneficiary Voice (January 22, 2019)
Center for Effective Philanthropy (Blog)
http://bit.ly/SYFCEPblog
Simon Youth Foundation Announces the Election of C. Timothy Parnell, CHC, to its Board of Directors (February 4, 2019)
Indiana Philanthropy Alliance
http://bit.ly/SYFTimParnell
Simon Youth Foundation’s application period for National Scholarship Program ends next month (January 3, 2019)
American Towns
http://bit.ly/SYFAmericanTowns
Simon Youth Community Scholarship Program Searching for 2019 Recipients (January 4, 2019)
Southern New Jersey Today
Scholarship offer for high school seniors from owners of West Town Mall (January 4, 2019)
WVLT 9 / CBS (Knoxville, Tenn.)
http://bit.ly/SYFKnoxvilleCBS
Simon Youth Foundation’s application period for National Scholarship Program ends next month (January 10, 2019)
Marietta Daily Journal
http://bit.ly/SYFMarietta
Apply for a Scholarship From The Westchester Mall (January 14, 2019)
Westchester Magazine
http://bit.ly/SYFWestchester
Lakewood Student Scholarship Offered From Colorado Mills Mall (January 15, 2019)
Patch (Lakewood, Colo.)
http://bit.ly/SYFColoradoMills
