Working with the press to get information about your organization
and your activities in the news helps:
• Spread the word
• Build community support
• Increase your membership
• Raise money
• Bring people out to meetings and events
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A press release is a short document
that provides information about your organization’s events
and activities to a newspaper, magazine, TV or radio station.
The news agency may use the information in a story, they might
contact you for an interview, or they may not use it at all.
Sometimes, if the press release is well written, it might get
printed with only minor changes.
Keep a press file with copies of every published article
about your organization. These can be included in handouts at
public events, added to grant proposals, and used in almost any
form of outreach.
Build relationships with reporters and editors. You’re
doing the news agency a service when you provide clear, organized
information about community news. They do you an important service
by helping you spread the word. Be sure to thank them every time
you get good press.
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The Elements of a Press
Release
Red numbers in the sample to the right
mark the thirteen elements of a press release, which are described
below.
1. Use this heading to show the document is
a press release, not a letter or memo.
2. List the news agency where you’re
sending the release. Whenever you can, use a reporter’s
or editor’s name. If you’re doing a general press release
to hand out at an event, skip this line.
3. Provide your organization’s name,
a contact name, and a phone number so they can get more information.
4. Include the date.
5. Provide a headline.
6. The first sentence is the ‘lead’--it
should grab the reader’s attention.
7. The second sentence gives a factual summary
of the article. Some people only read this far, so make your
point right away.
8. Be sure to provide a brief description
of your organization for readers who may not know much about
you.
9. Use quotes from members, leaders, or other
supporters to strengthen your points or provide detailed information.
Text carries facts; quotes carry feeling.
10. Write like a reporter--just the facts.
Who, what, when, where and why. Don’t praise yourself--just
write objectively, and let your work speak for itself.
11. Write like you’re talking about someone
else--she, they, the organization--not we, us, our organization.
Keep it short: 400 words or less. Use short paragraphs of only
one or two sentences.
12. In the last paragraph, explain how people
can contact you or get more information.
13. Four number signs together signal the
end of the press release.
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1 FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
2 To: Rhea
Porter, Asheville Citizen-Times
3 From: Center
for Participatory Change
Contact: Craig White, 828-299-9437
4 Date: April 20,
2003
5 REGIONAL
NON-PROFIT ANNOUNCES NEW GRANTS PROGRAM
6 Community
groups in the mountains now have another source of support as
they begin new projects or start new organizations.
7 The
Center for Participatory Change (CPC), 8 a nonprofit that supports grassroots
efforts throughout Western North Carolina, announced Thursday
that it has started a new fund to provide start-up grants of
up to $1000 for community-based groups and or organizations.
The Self-Development Fund is part of CPC’s effort to
build a stronger democracy by helping residents of rural areas
organize community groups and work on community development projects.
9 “Every
community has informal leaders,” explains Thomas Watson,
one of CPC’s Co-Executive Directors. “These are the
people who have ideas for improving their community and a commitment
to hard work. But sometimes they need additional skills or resources
to make those ideas happen. CPC’s training programs can
help teach the skills, and now the Self-Development Fund can
help provide the resources.”
10 Recipients
of Self-Development Fund grants receive services in addition
to funding. CPC staff work with the group on choosing a project,
writing the application, creating a budget, carrying out the
work and evaluating their success.
“Our goal is to build strong organizations,” says
Paul Castelloe, CPC’s other Co-Director. “By the time
they get a grant, a group will have not just the money, but also
the experience of writing a grant, a sample proposal that they
can submit to other foundations, and a successful history of
fundraising. All that helps them sustain their efforts when the
start-up funds run out.”
11 CPC
has no restrictions about the type of projects that qualify for
funds, as long as they’re planned and implemented at the
grassroots level. However, due to the intensive nature of CPC’s
involvement, groups must have prior experience working with CPC
before they are invited to apply.
12 More information about the Self-Development
Fund is available online at www.cpcwnc.org, or by calling Paul
Castelloe at 828-299-9437.
13 ####
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