Outreach Effectiveness Tracking

Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$4,490

Project of

Outreach, public affairs and web

Fund Source

Parks & Trails Fund

Status

In Progress

Counties Affected

Todd

Renville

Nobles

Lincoln

Yellow Medicine

St. Louis

Red Lake

Murray

Winona

Steele

Pope

Dodge

Watonwan

Sibley

Carver

Crow Wing

Isanti

Waseca

Cook

Houston

Le Sueur

Brown

Clay

Grant

Lake

Mower

Big Stone

Polk

Chippewa

Freeborn

Koochiching

Mille Lacs

Beltrami

Sherburne

Pine

Faribault

Kandiyohi

McLeod

Anoka

Wadena

Roseau

Otter Tail

Jackson

Marshall

Traverse

Rice

Norman

Lyon

Swift

Redwood

Nicollet

Wright

Stevens

Ramsey

Wilkin

Stearns

Dakota

Washington

Carlton

Cottonwood

Hubbard

Clearwater

Hennepin

Lake of the Woods

Blue Earth

Chisago

Goodhue

Lac qui Parle

Morrison

Benton

Pipestone

Cass

Fillmore

Kittson

Meeker

Becker

Scott

Pennington

Douglas

Kanabec

Martin

Aitkin

Wabasha

Rock

Olmsted

Mahnomen

Itasca

Project Overview

Media relations are one communications tool used to provide information about Legacy-funded efforts to connect people to the outdoors, especially young families. Contracting with a media-tracking service helped the Division of Parks and Trails evaluate the effectiveness of its media relations efforts and identify potential opportunities to improve its geographic and demographic reach.

About the Issue

The Division is working to increase awareness about outdoor recreation opportunities among groups currently underrepresented at state parks and trails (families with young children, people with disabilities, people whose primary language is not English). The “I Can!” series of programs (i.e. “I Can Camp!”) provides beginners with the instruction and equipment needed to build camping, fishing, paddling, rock climbing and archery skills. Letting potential participants know about the programs by sending news releases to statewide newspapers and radio and TV stations is one of the most cost-effective ways to raise awareness about and build participation in these new programs.

Project Details: Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

M.L. 2015, First Special Session, Ch. 2, Art. 3, Sec. 3(a)(1)

Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$4,490

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

News releases sent to media outlets across the state will result in regular and prominent media coverage about Legacy-funded programs.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Overall media coverage during the tracking period covered by this contract increased from 647 Parks and Trails stories in statewide news media in 2010 to a total of 673 Parks and Trails stories in 2011. To cite a specific example, when the DNR issued a news release about the “I Can Camp!” program in 2010, the media tracking service reported coverage by at least 18 media outlets, including the Star Tribune, WCCO TV, Minnesota Public Radio, the Rochester Post-Bulletin, the Duluth News Tribune, St. Cloud Times, the Brainerd Dispatch, and the Fergus Falls Journal.

Project Details: Fiscal Year