Situation Analysis

Ronald McDonald House Charities

Rikki Carter Rachel David Sonny Patten Tyler Patton Jackie Romanies

Problem Statement Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest has been implementing and contributing to programs involving children with medical needs and their families in Lubbock, Texas, since 1988. RMHC s main goal is to provide relief from the financial burden families may face by providing them with a welcoming environment to reside while their child is receiving care. RMHC accomplishes its goal through the implementation of its three core programs: the Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC s three tier approach provides assistance to more than thousands of families each year. Although its key public is out-of-town, it has received an immense outpouring of support from within the Lubbock community. Eighty-six percent of RMHC s donations come from donors on a local level. Even though RMHC is currently accomplishing their goals, and providing help to many families, it is important to remember that it can only continue to thrive into the future through constant donations of time and money, and overall organizational awareness. Internal Factors

Mission Statement Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest creates, finds, and supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and their families. 1

Vision Statement Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest knows the importance of loving support in a child s recovery process, because of this RMHCS utilizes its resources to enable families to stay together and promote a supportive environment that encourages wellness.

Value Statement Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest values the ability to provide compassionate care and encouraging support to children and their families during times of turbulence through the generosity of the local community.

Organizational History y y The Ronald McDonald House in Lubbock opened for its first family on March 10, 1988. In 2004, the Ronald McDonald House and the Permian Basin came together to form Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest. In 2006, the Medical Center Hospital in Odessa, Texas, became home to the world s 100th Ronald McDonald Family Room. In July 2006 the 101st and nd 102 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms opened in Covenant Women s and Children s Hospital and the University Medical Center s Children s Hospital in Lubbock.2 On August 28, 2007 a Ronald McDonald Care Mobile began serving the children of the Permian Basin area. This mobile clinic serves about 3,000 children on an annual basis.2 RMHC has direct responsibilities of 26% of the state of Texas serving over 12,000 people annually.2

Organizational Functioning y Structure: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest operates using a reverse pyramid structure based on service, children and their families at the top and company officials at the bottom. Operations: The primary operation of RMHC is to provide the ability for families to stay together, supporting each other during times of medical crisis. Services: RMHC provides children and their families with supportive care while keeping families together and encouraging wellness. Funding: The organization only receives 14% of their funding from the McDonald s corporation, while the other 86% is acquired through donations.3 Locations: The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest encompass Lubbock, the South Plains, the Permian Basin, the Big Country, the Concho Valley, and Eastern New Mexico.2

Position The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest is a charity that puts family first, but it is currently lacking consistent support from contributors due to lack of awareness and misconceptions about the organization s funding.

Reputation The Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest seems to meet and exceed the worldwide standard of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, however they seem to be unrecognized in their footprint area as an organization that directly gives back to and supports the local community.

External Factors Competing Forces With over 70 nonprofits in the Lubbock, services are offered in various areas such as health, education, advocacy, 4 living and much more. With several nonprofits targeting similar publics in the same region of Texas, Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwest directly competes with every nonprofit for funds, donations, volunteers and support. Due to their mission and prominence, we have identified two nonprofits that serve as RMHCS main competitors. 1. American Cancer Society- Hope Lodge Lubbock: The goal of Hope Lodge is to, offer cancer patients and their caregivers a place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city. 5 Hope Lodge also provides a nurturing, home-like environment where guests can retreat to private 5 rooms or connect with others. The existence of Hope Lodge Lubbock and its location next to RMHCS directly competes with RMHC because both organizations have a similar mission, goals, opinion leaders, and key publics.

2.

Children s Miracle Network (CMN): CMN is partnered with UMC Children s Hospital and located at University Medical Center. CMN has been established in Lubbock since 1984 and helps to, provide state-of-the-art medical 6 technology to the children of the South Plains and Eastern New Mexico. Like RMHC, 100 percent of donations stay in the area and do not fund other partnered hospitals. 6

Case Studies Observing recent case studies of nonprofits can benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwest because it will allow insight on various challenges and tactics used to benefit the nonprofit organizations. All of the case studies were created and implemented by Red Rooster Group. 1. Educational Organization Uses Annual Report as Fundraising Tool: Student Advocacy7 Challenge: o Raise money on a limited budget Tactics: o Update the annual report to be active rather than passive o Focus and highlight stories of kids in the annual report o Discuss the advocates role and their impact Results: o Allowed donors to see tangible evidence o Served as a tool to reach out to their respective audiences and fundraise on behalf of the organization

2.

Nonprofit Fundraising Case Study: Brookly Autism Center -

Challenge: o Raise $50,000 via targeted email campaign, online donation form and short video Tactics: o Reach out to friends, family and past donors with personalized email campaign o Create landing page which was linked into the email to display video of how much the organization raised so far o Create donation page that was designed to be fast and easy and limited to need to know information Results: o Raise more than $75,000 and the return was a staggering 26 times

3.

Epic Change Used Tweetgiving: Epic Change9 Challenge: o Amplify the voices and impact of grassroots change makers and social entrepreneurs Tactics: o Share Gratitude- share what you are thankful for through Twitter using the hashtag #tweetsgiving o Give- contribute in honor of whatever you are grateful for o Spread the Love- follow @tweetsgiving and retweet as often as possible o Follow the Story- follow through email sign-up, Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds Results: o Tweetsgiving raised more than $10,000 in 48 hours in 2008 o In 2009, Tweetsgiving raise more than $41,000 and was mentioned more than 22,000 times on social networking sites

Emerging Trends Some most relevant trends to Ronald McDonald House Charities Southwest are in the areas of nonprofits, public relations and marketing. 1. Marketing Trends for 2012 11

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Nonprofit Trends for 2012 -

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Donor restricted giving: o Donors will increasingly seek opportunities to restrict their gift to the issue that inspires them the most Targeting in, broad-based acquisition out: o As restricted income becomes more popular, relevant dynamic content and audience segmentation will grow more important Social media: o Performance marketing will become more important in the social media realm; marketers are demanding results Gamification: o A technique of embedding tangible and intangible incentives; technique will explode

The six most important nonprofit communications channels: o Website o Email marketing/e-newsletters o Facebook o Print newsletters/direct mail o In-person events o Media relations/public relations Rankings and importance of social media sites to nonprofits: o #1- Facebook with 80 percent importance o #2- Twitter with 34 percent importance o #3- Video/YouTube with 30 percent importance o #4- Blogging with 27 percent importance

Relevant Publics

Families Facing Hardships with Children Receiving Care The most important public Ronald McDonald House Charities will encounter are the families they serve. The attributes of these families include a residence of 50 or more miles outside Lubbock city limits, a child that is receiving care in an area care facility, and possession of a referral through a nurse or social worker. Local Residents with the Means to Make a Fiscal Donation It is important to remember that this is a non-profit organization that is only able to thrive and function through the fiscal contribution of its supporters. This key public is made up of a variety of individuals who have the ability to donate, and want to assist RMHC in its efforts. One thing to note about these individuals is that they are donating because they choose to contribute, not because they are convinced to contribute. RMHC s goal with this public should be to nurture its ability to give, and acknowledge its contribution as an integral part of the organization s efforts. It is also important to recognize that this public involves individuals that possess the means to give monetarily. Local Residents with the Means to Make a Donation of Their Time Along with fiscal donations, it also a necessity that a non-profit such as RMHC receives donations of time though volunteering in order to function effectively. This public is made up of individuals in a variety of age-groups, and organizations from around the Lubbock community. Examples include family room volunteers that help provide care to incoming families, house volunteers that contribute to the day-to-day operations of the RMHC house, youth volunteers under the age of 17, and many more. Local Hospitals Examples of this public include University Medical Center and the Covenant Health System. These establishments will most likely be the first places families will come in contact with when entering the Lubbock area. It is also important to remember that families can only gain access to RMHC services through a referral obtained through a nurse or social worker, so the hospitals full support of RMHC is imperative. Local Media The local media is a very important factor in making the general public aware of the services RMHC offers. The local media has the ability to spread the word about the organization to potential donors, make the organization known to those who need it, as well as help establish the public s perception of the organization. It is important that the organization build a strong relationship with the local media in order to properly deliver messages to other publics and generate publicity about the organization and its efforts. Current Staff Members and Local Business Supporters Current staff members have already dedicated their time and effort to RMHC, and have no larger motivating factor than success. It is important to make these contributors aware first-hand of the direct effects of their contribution. Local business supporters also play an equally important role in the well-being of the organization. They contribute to publicity of the organization as well as provide the organization with individuals willing to donate time and money.

S.W.O.T. Analysis Strengths Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest makes it their top priority to keep families of hospitalized children together and in a safe and nurturing environment. The organization has actively served the Southwest for nearly 25 years through their three programs, Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest is based in Lubbock, Texas, where the house and two family rooms are located. Each year, more than 600 families are served by the Ronald McDonald House.12 The family rooms, located in Lubbock, Texas, and Odessa, Texas, are an extension of the house, allowing families to clear their minds, relax and alleviate stress that often come with having a child undergoing medical treatment. The house and family rooms offer an array of services to help families feel more at home such as private guest rooms, laundry facilities, home-cooked meals, wifi access, and a variety of forms of entertainment. The Ronald McDonald Mobile Care program provides cost-effective medical, dental and health services to underserved children all over the country, touching millions of children and families. Each 42-foot long Ronald McDonald Care Mobile houses two patient examination rooms, a laboratory, a reception area and a medical records area. 13 The care mobile has provided services to more than 1500 children under the age of 21. The organization, which services more than 25 percent of Texas, makes it a priority to allow families to feel at home. Requiring no financial gifts, the organization is dedicated to providing a sense of normalcy and a homeaway-from-home for each family they serve. Opportunities Weaknesses Although Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest has much to offer, there is a high lack of awareness of its services. One of the obstacles with the organization is that it is run by volunteers, especially the family room. If there is a lack of volunteers, the family room cannot be utilized by families who have children in the hospitals. The only way to generate more volunteers is to create awareness within the Southwest region. There are very few organizations based in Lubbock, Texas, that offer as many services as the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest offer to the families they serve. Being that the organization is based in a city that houses several universities there is an opportunity worth capitalizing on. The organization s region is very large, reaching millions. Because the region is so large, there is an opportunity to gain thousands of volunteers and more donor money from supporters of the organization s cause. This will make it easier for the organization to help more families of the Southwest.

Threats Hope Lodge Lubbock, and American Cancer Society program, is an organization based in Lubbock, Texas, that offers similar services to the Ronald McDonald House, housing cancer patients. Also, the Children s Miracle Network in Lubbock helps to provide modern medical technology to the children of the South Plains and Eastern New Mexico.6 Although the intention is not to steer away volunteers of other organizations, we recognize their threat to RMHC, being that volunteers who dedicate their time to a specific organization may not want to branch out and volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House or the Ronald McDonald Family Room. This threat also includes donor dollars. The longer volunteers have donated to an organization other than the Ronald McDonald House Charities, the less likely they will be willing to start donating to the organization.

Current Situation Development Already covering one of the most expansive regions in the state, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest has expanded its regional boundaries. 1 With coverage throughout Eastern New Mexico, the Permian Basin, Big Country and Concho Valley, RMHC recognizes the need to raise awareness about the charity s mission, services and local impact on communities in these areas. Current Position RMHC provides long and short-term housing and meal accommodations for families finding themselves displaced from their communities due to unexpected medical crises with their children. Understanding families may not require or be eligible for long-term accommodations, RMHC operates two family rooms located in Lubbock at Covenant Medical Center s Women s and Children s Hospital and the University Medical Center s Children s Hospital. With the charity s 25th-year anniversary approaching in 2013, Dina Jeffries, executive director of RMHC Southwest, expressed the need to fortify awareness and support in existing community networks and introduce and introduce 14 the charity to citizens located in new coverage areas. Punctual PR must develop and implement a campaign to coordinate existing networks to continue support for RMHC and establish the charity s identity in Eastern New Mexico, the Permian Basin, Big Country and Concho Valley. Direction Since recent regional expansion has included such a wide service area, RMHC Southwest must introduce itself to the community as a local charity helping local families. RMHC turned to Punctual PR to develop and implement campaign strategies and tactics to coordinate these new areas into a cohesive network covering much of the state and increase local knowledge of the charity s availability of services. Through a successful awareness campaign, RMHC Southwest will be poised to maintain existing public support levels and bring in new donors to expand family room locations in new territories in the region. Obstacles Prior to RMHC regional expansion, the organization already served one of the largest territories of any Texas 15-18 affiliate. With such a massive expansion covering so many new communities with seemingly low awareness of RMHC Southwest, budget constraints could restrict campaign tactics to maximize exposure. The Southwest region s size also creates a battle of perception regarding RMHC s authenticity as a local charity. For families residing in eastern New Mexico and newly incorporated communities, convincing them to support the charity or even utilize its services could be challenging. These obstacles will be overcome successfully through finely tuned, targeted strategies to reach each new community to raise awareness. The campaign must present a compelling logic for citizens to feel connected to RMHC as members of their respective communities, not just residents of their Southwest region.

Resources

1. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest :Our Mission. (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.rmhcsouthwest.com/mission.aspx Accessed on February 4, 2012. 2. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest: History. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.rmhcsouthwest.com/history.aspx Accessed on February 5, 2012. 3. D. Jeffries, Client in-class presentation, January 30, 2012. 4. Lubbock Nonprofit Organizations. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.lubbockhospitality.com/organizations/ 5. American Cancer Society. (2012). Hope Lodge. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/SupportProgramsServices/HopeLodge/index 6. UMC Health System. (2011). About CMN. Retrieved from https://www.umchealthsystem.com/CMN/aboutcmn.asp 7. Red Rooster Group. (2012, Jan 28). Educational Organization Uses Annual Report as Fundraising Tool. Retrieved from http://www.redroostergroup.com/2012/01/28/annual-report-as-fundraising-tool/ 8. Red Rooster Group. (2011). Social Media for Nonprofits: Who's Doing It & What Works. Retrieved from http://www.redroostergroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SocialMediaCaseStudies.pdf 9. Miller, K. L. (Producer). (2012). 2012 Trends. [Web Graphic]. Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/kivimiller/sets/72157628525820279/detail/ 10. McKinley, C. (2010, Jan 24). Five Marketing Trends for 2012. Retrieved from http://www.grizzard.com/fivemarketing-trends-for-2012/ 11. R Coach. (2011, Dec 15). What are the Top PR Trends for 2012?. Retrieved from http://www.theprcoach.com/what-are-the-top-pr-trends-for-2012/ 12. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest. Retrieved from http://www.rmhcsouthwest.com/house.aspx 13. Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Southwest. Retrieved from http://www.rmhcsouthwest.com/Care_Mobiles.aspx 14. Jeffries, Jan. 30, 2011. 15. City of Midland. (2 Feb. 2012). Retrieved from http://www.ci.midland.tx.us/ 16. City of Amarillo. (2 Feb. 2012). Retrieved from http://www.ci.amarillo.tx.us/ 17. City of El Paso. (2 Feb. 2012). Retrieved from http://www.elpasotexas.gov/ 18. City of Big Spring. (2 Feb. 2012). Retrieved from http://www.mybigspring.com/