HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-14-2015 PCC Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Promotional Coordinating Committee
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
5:30 P.M.
City Hall – Council Hearing Room
The goals of the City of San Luis Obispo Promotional Coordinating Committee are to (1) improve the
quality of life available to all residents of and visitors to San Luis Obispo and (2) promote, in a
manner consistent with long-range community goals, the development of San Luis Obispo as a
regional and tourist center.
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Jill LeMieux
PUBLIC COMMENT: Each speaker is limited to three minutes of public comment. At this time, you
may address the Committee on items that are not on the agenda but are of interest to the public and
within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Promotional Coordinating Committee. The Committee
may not discuss or take action on issues that are not on the agenda other than to briefly respond to
statements made or questions raised, or ask staff to follow up on such issues.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on December 10, 2014
C.2 Community Promotions Budget Report
C.3 Public Relations Report
C.4 Grants-in-Aid Support Report
C.5 Visitors Center Report
C.6 SLO Happenings – Campaign Report
C.7 TOT Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. CITY OPEN SPACE REPORT 20 mins
City’s Natural Resource mananger, Bob Hill and Dr. William Riggs will present the report on the
findings for City Open Space Property Facilities Assessment, User Trends, and Opportunities for
Trailhead Beautification.
2. SLO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE QUARTERLY REPORT 15 mins
The SLO Chamber of Commerce will present the quarterly activity reports for the contract for
GIA, Public Relations, and Visitor Center Services.
3. 2014 SLO HAPPENINGS FINAL REPORT 15 mins
Verdin will present the final activity report for the 2014 SLO Happenings program.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. 2015-16 GIA APPLICATION REVIEW 15 mins
The committee will review the final 2015-16 GIA application for any final changes. If approved,
the application will open on Monday, February 2, 2015.
2. SLO HAPPENINGS TASKFORCE UPDATE 20 mins
The taskforce will update committee on the progress made at the recent taskforce meetings and
the draft outline of RFP considerations.
3. 2015-2016 COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS BUDGET REQUEST 20 mins
The committee will formulate the initial request for the programmatic budget increase for the
2015-17 financial plan.
4. TEAR OFF MAPS DESIGN UPDATES 10 mins
The Chamber of Commerce will present the design updates to the tear off map for the committee
approval and release of funding.
PCC LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
At this time Committee members make announcements, report on activities, refer to staff issues for
study and report back to the Committee at a subsequent meeting.
1. GIA UPDATE – LIAISON REPORT
2. TBID BOARD REPORT – TBID Minutes December 10, 2014
3. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
ADJOURN.
POSTING STATEMENT: I, Molly Cano, Tourism Manager, do hereby certify that on January 9, 2015 by
5:00 p.m., a true and correct copy of this agenda was posted on the bulletin board outside City Hall. Internet
access to agendas and related material is available at www.slocity.org.
Promotional Coordinating Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
5:30 pm at City Hall
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Jill LeMieux
PRESENT: Palazzo, Pearce, Levi, LeMieux, Collins, Rizzo
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager Meeting to order at 5:31 pm
PUBLIC COMMENT Ermina Karim from the SLO Chamber introduced Pam Roberts as the new Visitor Center Manager to the committee. Pam has extensive experience with retail sales and the operations and management of a busy visitor center having previously managed the California Welcome Center in Pismo Beach. Dominic Tartaglia from the Downtown Association informed the committee that the Downtown Association would be returning the 2014-15 GIA funds granted to their organization. The association was very grateful for having received the funding however due to major unforeseen changes in staff and projects during the fiscal year they are unable to follow through on the project the funds were intended to be used to promote. He thanked the committee and expressed his desire for the Downtown Association to be considered for GIA funding in future years.
CONSENT AGENDA ACTION: Moved by Pearce/Rizzo to approve the consent agenda.
Motion carried 6:0
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. GIA APPLICATION REVIEW & SUBCOMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT The committee reviewed the 2014-15 GIA application and directed staff on edits to the application. They asked staff to incorporate the in-kind offers for events that have termed out of funding, align the application questions similar to the Events Promotion application, and request that in-kind applicants also attend the mandatory application meeting. They also made the subcommittee assignments. The commissioners assigned to the 2015-16 GIA subcommittee are: Levi, Palazzo, and Pearce. The committee reminded that commissioners assigned to the joint TBID/PCC Events Promotions subcommittee are: Collins, LeMieux, and Rizzo (until a replacement is seated due to the expiration of his term).
2. SLO HAPPENINGS TASKFORCE UPDATE The taskforce updated the committee on the progress made at the taskforce meeting. Five members of the committee responded to the program survey which provided the committee with insight into commissioner’s feelings for the program direction. The survey did not provide
DRAFT
Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes
Page 2
any major visions but it did reinforce the priorities for the program and app. The committee discussed that it was important to get back to the roots of the original campaign and focus on residents and countywide market as the core audience. The taskforce will continue to work on the RFP criteria for the committee review in January.
3. 2014-2015 MID YEAR BUDGET STATUS UPDATE 20
min The committee received a status update from staff on the current budget allocations and available budget at the mid-point of the fiscal year. The committee discussed the intended use for the remaining funds GIA, Events & Activities, and Beautification line items. The committee asked staff to invite Natural Resources to present information on the program for their consideration. The committee aslo asked staff schedule a status update on the Wayfinding sign program. The committee is interested in pursuing additional funds in the next financial plan.
COMMITTEE COMMUNICATION
GIA Report: No report.
TBID Report: Pearce reported on the TBID updates.
Tourism Program Update: Molly Cano presented the Tourism Program update:
- Participated in the Wine Tourism Conference in November
o Great sessions on luxury buyer, development of Beer Tourism, working with wine journalists, and wine tourism panel
- CCTC updates: (Marketing Committee Chair)
o Board meeting in Pismo last month, working on the development of the map, hired a PR contractor and Molly Kern and I had a conference call with the contractor to highlight San Luis Obispo features
- SIXEL Conference Site Visit
o Participated in the site visit last week, the conference size is expected to exceed the original (80 RN) size
o Looking at Avila for the location however nothing has been confirmed
- Outlook Forum
o Registering this month
o Monday February 23 – Wednesday February 25
- Farmstead ED support
o Preparing 120 welcome bags for California Women for Agriculture Statewide Convention in January in SLO
- SLO will be a Host Town with Special Olympics in July 2015
Meeting adjourned at 6:31 pm
Community Promotions Budget 2014-15
Budget 2014-15 Amount
Budget 388,200$
2013-14 Carryover 3,000$
Total Budget 391,200$
Expenditure Last Updated 12/30/2014
Expenditure Allocated Expended Other Expenditures
Available
Balance Contractor
Grants-in-Aid Program 90,000$ 82,500$ -$ 7,500$ City Administration - GIA Recipients & FPAC
Grants-in-Aid Support 25,000$ 25,000$ -$ Chamber of Commerce
Events Promotion 48,000$ 36,500$ 11,500$ City Administration
2015 SLO Happenings Program 32,000$ 15,000$ 17,000$ Verdin - 6 mon contract
Visitors Center 95,000$ 95,000$ -$ Chamber of Commerce
PR Contract 58,000$ 58,000$ -$ Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Maps 8,000$ -$ Chamber of Commerce
Beautification* 4,000$ 4,000$
Support Cost 5,000$ 717$ 4,283$ City Administration
Returned Funds 4,109$ 4,109$ Event Funds returned from FY 2013-14 (History Center)
Administration 26,200$
Total 395,309$ 312,717$ -$ 48,392$
Remaining Balance 48,391.81$
*2013-14 carryover
Report to City of SLO- PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2014
Media Releases:
San Luis Obispo among America’s Best College Towns – Distributed release
regarding San Luis Obispo’s inclusion in Travel+Leisure’s yearly round up of best
college towns in America.
San Luis Obispo kicks off 2015 with Restaurant Month – Wrote and distributed
release regarding San Luis Obispo’s participation in 2015 Restaurant month.
Media/Community Relations:
1. Worked with local partners to share San Luis Obispo’s participation in the
Special Olympics World Games as a Host Town.
2. Coordinated press trip to SLO for Portland based freelance journalist Stuart
Wasserman in early December.
3. Pitched San Luis Obispo as the perfect place to take a pet-friendly winter
getaway to Kristina Lotz with TheILoveDogsSite.com.
4. Worked with Lynette Sonne with the California Women for Agriculture
Statewide Convention to provide visitor information to attendees.
5. Worked with Robertson’s Solutions, the CCTC’s PR agency, to provide
Conde Nast Traveler with information on new and exciting restaurants in
San Luis Obispo.
6. Provided photos and information to freelance journalist Kristen Fuller for her
story on a road trip to San Luis Obispo.
7. Met with Paula Dooley of Steven Ross Winery and SLO Wine Association to
gain a better understanding of the unique stories that make SLO such an
alluring wine destination.
8. Worked with Rebecca Rhodes to feature Bang the Drum and BarrelHouse
brewery’s November beer releases on her blog Wanderlush Diary.
9. Pitched San Luis Obispo Children’s Museum as one of the best children’s
museums in the country.
10. Pitched San Luis Obispo as the ultimate family friendly holiday destination in
Northern California to Tina Buell a writer with Trekaroo.com.
11. Worked with Heather Hellman, Event Director for the SLO Marathon, to
discuss ways we can work to promote San Luis Obispo and the Marathon as
a destination race.
12. Pitched San Luis Obispo as one of the best places to celebrate national bird
day to Charyn Pfeuffer of Wyndham Worldwide.
13. Pitched San Luis Obispo as one of the best places for active guys to visit in
2015 to Cassie Shortsleeve of MensHealth.com.
14. Worked with Monica Luhar, a reporter for KCET in Burbank, on a story
regarding parking regulations in San Luis Obispo on Thanksgiving.
15. Pitched Gemma King of Epicure and Culture to feature San Luis Obispo in
her round up of best beer and bike tours.
16. Worked to connect local businesses with Todd Fisher of Hollywood Motion
Picture Experience, who is looking to begin shooting films in San Luis
Obispo.
17. Provided Sony with information on amenities for recurring executive retreats
in the area.
18. Connected Stirling Kelso of Endless Vacation Magazine with local volunteer
vacation opportunities.
19. Worked with Molly Cano and Robertsons Solutions to provide Jocelyn
Zuckerman of Conde Nast Traveler and Saveur suggestions for her time in
San Luis Obispo along her California Road trip on January 1.
20. Worked with Sandi Duncan, Managing Editor of Farmers’ Almanac, to
feature Bubblegum Alley in her story about unusual roadside attractions in
America.
21. Worked with Robert Mcgarvey of MainStreet.com to feature San Luis Obispo
in his article about top ‘unexpected’ travel destinations for 2015.
22. Worked with Elijah Brumback with the Pacific Coast Business Times, on an
article about the outlook of the tourism industry in 2015.
23. Pitched BarrelHouse Brewing Co.’s yet-to-open San Luis Obispo location as a
bar with beer cellars to Nancy Trejos with USA Today.
24. Planned visit for New York Times photographer Richard Ross for a‘36 hours
in San Luis Obispo’ feature.
25. Continued to work with the City and Barnett Cox & Associates and
StudioGood on overall marketing campaign.
Media Relations/Placement
1. 2014’s Best and Worst College Towns in America
WalletHub.com names San Luis Obispo the seventh best college town in
America.
Page Views: 1,936,761
Unique Views: 226,251
http://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-college-cities-and-towns-in-america/8974/
2. Best and Worst College Towns
Outlets including the Connecticut Post and the San Antonio Times cover
SLO’s inclusion on Travel+Lesiure and WalletHub’s top college towns list.
Page Views: 10,117,733
Unique Views: 1,208,723
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/slideshow/Best-Worst-College-Cities-
Towns-99691/photo-6727113.php
Page Views: 2,151,674
Unique Views: 286,753
http://www.ctpost.com/news/slideshow/Best-Worst-College-Cities-Towns-
99691/photo-6727113.php
3. San Luis Obispo makes list of top 10 college towns
Local outlets including KSBY and The Tribune cover SLO’s inclusion on
Travel+Lesiure’s top college towns list.
Page Views: 721,709
Unique Views: 59,738
http://www.ksby.com/news/san-luis-obispo-makes-list-of-top-10-college-towns/
Page Views: 831,666
Unique Views: 71,523
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/12/18/3404863/san -luis-obispo-ranked-
among-top.html
4. A trip down the west coast of the US
Brazilian bloggers Julia Finamor and Mark Hoffmann feature SLO in their
coastal California road trip post.
Page Views: 30,754
Unique Views: 6,674
http://wp.clicrbs.com.br/viajandodecarro/2014/12/20/uma -viagem-pela-costa-
oeste-dos-eua/?topo=52,1,1,,171,77
5. A Coastal Road Trip
Los Angeles based blogger Jennifer Chong features San Luis Obispo’s
Tuesday farmers’ market as a can’t miss attraction along her coastal road trip.
http://blog.jchongstudio.com/2014/12/a-coastal-road-trip.html
6. 14 Restaurants Not to Miss on your Trip from LA to San Fran
Zlata Fareman includes SLO restaurants on her Daily Meal story about foodie
stops between LA and San Francisco.
Page Views: 3,041,772
Unique Views: 1,012,539
http://www.thedailymeal.com/travel/14-restaurants-not-miss-your-trip-la-san-fran
7. US Highway One cart Raiders
ChineseLuxury.com features San Luis Obispo as a stop on their highway one
road trip guide.
Page Views: 4,717,544
Unique Views: 353,773
http://travel.chinese-luxury.com/travel/20141212/28901.html
8. A day away: San Luis Obispo Wine Country
Santa Barbara Seasons article discusses SLO Wine County as perfect
weekend trip from Santa Barbara.
http://sbseasons.com/blog/away-wine-country/
9. The Walls with Chewed Gum
Greek news site Gazetta.gr and Vietnamese news site Vietbao.vn feature San
Luis Obispo in an article about bubblegum walls in the U.S.
http://www.gazzetta.gr/plus/article/681349/oi-toihoi-me-tis-masimenes-tsihles-
pics
http://vietbao.vn/Du-lich/Buon-non-voi-khu-pho-tret-ba-cao-su-len-
tuong/2147521070/254/
10. Holiday Time, Over-the-Top: Madonna Inn
NBC affiliates in Southern California feature Madonna Inn as a festive
Christmas destination.
Page Views: 1,842,945
Unique Views: 603,679
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/blogs/worth-the-drive/Holiday-Time-Over-the-Top-
Madonna-Inn-285457181.html
11. The Agenda
California Home and Design names GIA recipient, San Luis Obispo Museum of
Art’s screening of A Life Exposed: Robyn Beeche, as a top attraction in
December.
Page Views: 42,885
Unique Views: 7,092
http://www.californiahomedesign.com/trending/2014/12/08/agenda -goodland-
shift-artdesign-show-and-holiday-wreath-making
12. Robyn Beeche Film
New Times Art article about GIA recipiatnt SLO Art Museum’s film screening of
A Life Exposed: Robyn Beeche
Circulation: 33,764
http://www.newtimesslo.com/art/11787/sloma-screens-documentary-about-
australian-avantgarde-photographer-robyn-beeche/
13. Little Theatre irreverently celebrates Christmas
Santa Maria Times reviews GIA recipient SLO Little Theatre’s performances on
A Christmas Story and The Santland Diaries.
Page Views: 188,676
Unique Views: 41,090
http://santamariatimes.com/lompoc/entertainment/little-theatre-irreverently-
celebrates-christmas/article_ed12090e-391f-5306-93f1-63ae149ac956.html
14. SLO to host Special Olympians during World Games
KSBY coverage of SLO as a World Games Host Town.
Page Views: 721,709
Unique Views: 59,738
http://www.ksby.com/news/san-luis-obispo-county-to-host-special-olympians-
during-world-games/
Grants- in-Aid Marketing Support December 2014 Report
Organization Event VC PR SM EC EL MTG ST PC
Almond Country Quilt Guild Seven Sisters Quilt Show X
Cal Poly Corporation: Cal Poly Arts BASETRACK X X X X
Canzona Women's Ensemble
Concerts of choral music for
women's voices X X X X X
Central Coast Arts International
Traditional African Music and
Dance Performance X
Central Coast Children's Choir Annual Concerts X X X
Civic Ballet 2014 Nutcracker Ballet X X X X
Cuesta College Community Programs: Central
Coast Writers' Conference
30th Anniversary Central Coast
Writers' Conference X X X X X X
Cuesta College Fine Arts Division Art Gallery Exhibitions X X X X X X
Ecologistics, Inc.
Central Coast Bioneers
Conference X X X X
Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public
Libraries Literary Salon X X X X X X X
Gay And Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast
(GALA)Central Coast Pride Week X X X X X X
Jewish Community Center of San Luis Obispo
(JCCSLO)Jewish Film Festival X X
Opera of San Luis Obispo
Aida: A City-Wide Arts
Collaboration X X X X
Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church Evening in Greece X X X X X
San Luis Obispo County Arts Council (dba ARTS
Obispo)
Children's Day in the Plaza with
Passport to the Arts X
San Luis Obispo Downtown Association Checkpoint Challenge
San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2015 Festival X X X
San Luis Obispo Little Theatre 2014-15 Season X X X X X
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
Taking Art Into the Community
- Awakening Minds X X X X
San Luis Obispo Soccer Club
26th Annual SLO Summer
Classic X X X X
San Luis Obispo Symphony Meet the Red Violin X X X X X
San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble
Kick off to Tour and Tour of
Italy and Spain Concerts X
TOR Productions ALTA
United Way of San Luis Obispo County Flavor of SLO X
RSVP X X X X
Black is current month, gray is past work, P is for pending work, D is for Did not workout
25 Total; 23 served to date or in progress
VC- Dropped off materials for display in Visitor Center; brochures, posters, etc.
PR- Sent out Press Release to local media list
SM- Ran event through Social Media outlets
EC- Included in Event Calendar one-sheet sent out to local hoteliers, wineries, etc.
EL- Included in Event Listings sent to local media highlighting upcoming local events
MTG- Meet with Groups in person to offer public relations advice and support
ST- Sell Tickets for events through the Visitor Center
PC- In place of in person meeting, had phone call with group to discuss details.
Report to City of SLO PCC
Visitor Services Contract
December 2014
Highlights from December in the Visitor Center:
Sold Happy Town Shirts
Sold tickets for SLO Wind Orchestra, Noor Clinic SLO Down Cancer event and Monday
Club’s Autumn Tea in the Garden
Created a welcoming holiday environment with themed display windows
Monthly Visitor Center Interactions:
December 2014 November 2014 December 2013
Visitors in Center 5,994 5,121 5,289
Phone calls 576 369 627
Emails 142 115 119
Events promoted through Visitor Center:
Total in the City of San Luis Obispo: 142
The SLO Library presents Arts Live
SLO Little Theatre presents The Best of
No Shame Theatre
St Stephen's Episcopal Church
Christmas Breakfast
Classic Carousel in Mission Plaza
Cal Poly presents a Sing-A-Long Holiday
Concert
Children’s Resource Network Christmas
Toy Giveaway
Cal Poly presents Men are from
Mars/Women are from Venus
Court Street Terrace Holiday Music and
Caroling
SLO Little Theatre presents A Christmas
Story
SLO Little Theatre presents The Santa
Land Diaries
Canzona Women’s Ensemble
Civic Ballet
Cuesta College Fine Arts Division
Jewish Community Center of SLO
San Luis International Film Festival
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
San Luis Obispo County Library Presents
Niches De Environ Hanukah Candle
lighting
SLO Little Theatre presents Miss
Witherspoon
Cal Poly presents an Irish Christmas
Old Mission SLO presents ProCathedral
Choir
Central Coast Children's Choir Holiday
Concert
Court Street Terrace Kids Day on the
Terrace
Cal Poly and the Civic Ballet of SLO
Presents Nutcracker
SLO Railroad Museum Holiday Open
House
History Center of SLO County Presents A
Holiday Party
SLO Children's Museum presents
Science
SLO HAPPENINGS MONTHLY REPORT
DATE: JANUARY 14, 2014
APP SUMMARY
During the month of December, the SLO
Happenings app had 155 total downloads, 1,469
sessions and 1,534 page views. The splash page
continues to direct iPhone and Android users to
their appropriate app stores for instant
downloading and printed cards promoting the app
were distributed to local hotels and the SLO
Visitor’s Center.
ADVERTISING
Media Outlet (December 1 – 15) Impressions Clicks Click thru rate
Facebook ad for Facebook Page Likes 1,129 48 4.25%
Facebook ad for Splash Page 9,175 171 1.86%
Charter Digital Ads 37,706 37 .10%
SOCIAL MEDIA
In December, we continued posting upcoming events and information on the Facebook page 6-7 times
per week, which has been successful at increasing engagement of the page. During the month of
December we gained 118 additional likes, which brought our total likes to 17,214. Our average weekly
reach, which is the number of unique people who saw any content from our page, was 4,115.
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
Facebook Likes
Likes
57
484
98
985
0
500
1000
Downloads
Sessions
December
App
Stats
Android
iPhone
TOT Comparision
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 Change +/-2014-15 2013-14 Change +/-2014-15 2013-14 Change +/-2014-15 2013-14 Change +/-
July 565,386$ 565,637$ 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 8.8%87.2 86.8 0.3 143.47$ 132.62$ 7.1 125.05$ 116.34$ 7.5
August 573,057$ 609,452$ 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 8.6%85.1 83.1 2.4 147.17$ 134.54$ 9.4 125.17$ 111.81$ 12
September 465,179$ 416,859$ 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 10.1%74.5 73.1 1.8 128.61$ 121.10$ 6 95.77$ 88.69$ 8
October 418,474$ 416,905$ 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 16.6%77.9 70.4 10.6 130.39$ 119.51$ 9.0 101.57$ 84.26$ 20.5
November 375,287$ 354,737$ 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 11.6%67.8 62.6 8.3 $120.89 113.79$ 6.1 $81.95 71.36$ 14.8
December 312,510$ 274,871$ 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 54.9 107.23$
January 287,474$ 258,316$ 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 54.7 102.51$
February 342,220$ 292,343$ 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 63.7 104.94$
March 386,458$ 289,506$ 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 66.2 107.46$
April 388,911$ 391,891$ 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 75.4 124.53$
May 435,516$ 393,431$ 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 70.3 128.38$
June 513,631$ 456,098$ 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 76.6 139.93$
Total/Average 5,064,103$ 4,720,046$ 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 69.82 119.71$
Occupancy ADR RevPAR
Figures from Smith Travel Research report
February 2, 2014
Dear Interested Organization:
The City of San Luis Obispo's Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC), under direction of the City
Council, recognizes that cultural, social and recreational organizations make significant contributions to the
overall quality of life in the City of San Luis Obispo. Accordingly, the City sponsors a Grants-In-Aid program
to promote such activities within our community. The City awards annual grants totaling approximately
$90,000 to approximately 25 organizations each year.
At this time the City of San Luis Obispo invites you to apply for grant funding to be awarded as part of this
program.
To be considered for grant funding, organizations must have non-profit status (Articles of Incorporation,
501(c)(3) or (c)(6) status, Federal ID number and Tax Exempt Notification) prior to grant submittal. They must
also have clearly stated goals, and be able to demonstrate that their financial management practices are sound
and insure accountability. The City is unlikely to fund new projects which duplicate or conflict with existing
programs, services, or events. Project collaboration among organizations is encouraged.
Grant requests must be for programs and events that occur during the funding cycle, July 1, 2015– June
30, 2016.
Organizations that received promotional grants during the 2014-15 funding cycle must have complied with all
reporting requirements to be considered for a 2015-16 grant.
To be considered for a grant, organizations must have attended the mandatory meeting on Wednesday
February 11, 2015, at 5:00 pm in the Council Chamber and apply, using the attached application form, by NO
LATER THAN 5:00 p.m., Friday March 6, 2015. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
The application must provide the following information:
Please submit 10 sets (typed, clipped, and 3-hole punched) of the attached application. Additionally,
please submit one copy (clipped) of the following:
• your organization's financial statement
• by-laws
• tax exempt certification
• a listing of all officers and staff
• signed statement of limitations and payment disbursement (Attachment 4)
PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS WITH THE REQUESTED
APPLICATION OR BIND/STAPLE YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS.
It is important that your application provide all the requested information. Clear, concise and original
applications are best. Ten copies of your original application should be hand delivered or mailed to:
Promotional Coordinating Committee
Attn: Molly Cano
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Please note the following dates:
1. February 2, 2015 - Application information available on the City’s website at
www.slocity.org/specialactivities.
2. February 11, 2015 at 5:00 p.m., Special Meeting of the PCC - An informational workshop
will be held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, to answer questions
regarding the Grants-In-Aid process. This meeting is mandatory for all applicants, as the
PCC will elaborate on the grant criteria to be applied.
3. March 6, 2015 - Completed applications will be due to the City Administration Office by 5:00
p.m. LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
4. May 20, 2015 at 5:30 p.m., Special Meeting of the PCC - Committee will present its
preliminary 2015-16 Grants-In-Aid recommendations to applicants at a public meeting (all
applicants will be notified of this meeting by email).
5. June 2015 - City Council reviews PCC recommendations and makes final funding decisions.
6. July 2015 – Grant contracting with organizations.
7. August 2015 - Grants available to approved organizations when fully executed agreements are
returned.
If you have any questions, please contact Molly Cano at 781-7165 or mcano@slocity.org.
Sincerely,
Jill LeMieux
Chairperson, PCC
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
GRANT APPLICATION ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Applications submitted to the Promotional Coordinating Committee will be evaluated both in terms of the
applicant and the grant proposal using the following criteria:
A. APPLICANT CRITERIA
1. Applicant organization must have a clearly stated purpose and function and be responsible for the planning
and provision of a cultural, social or recreational program/event.
2. Applicant must demonstrate that it has the managerial and fiscal competence to complete the proposed
project. Repeat applicants must have a successful history of using prior grant funds, as evidenced by a
completed and accepted Final Report.
3. The organization must have non-profit status as defined in Section 501(c)(3) or (c)(6) of the Internal
Revenue Code (no exceptions made).
4. The organization must give evidence that it has pursued other sources of financial support, and that it has
examined and weighed the financial ability of the target population to support its program or event.
5. The organization must extend its program to the general public and may not exclude anyone by reason of
race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical, mental or economic status.
6. The applicant organization must comply with the final report evaluation process as requested by the
Promotional Coordinating Committee.
B. GRANT CRITERIA & GUIDELINES
1. Priority will be given to events that take place in the City of San Luis Obispo or events of special benefit
to the City of San Luis Obispo.
2. Grant requests must meet one or both of the purposes below:
• Of tourism promotion advantage to the City of San Luis Obispo and/or;
• Of cultural, social, and/or recreational benefit to the residents of the City of San Luis Obispo.
3. Events and programs must take place during the City’s fiscal year July 1 through June 30. Priority will
be given to events that take place in “non-peak” tourism months (October through March) and bring
people to San Luis Obispo.
4. Priority will be given to requests pertaining to marketing and promotional efforts for the event in order
to drive visitors and tourists to the City of San Luis Obispo.
5. Additional consideration will be given to organizations celebrating an anniversary or grand opening.
6. Additional consideration will be given to organizations requesting “seed money” for new events or to
enter new promotional markets outside of San Luis Obispo.
7. Amount of other City support requested and co-op opportunities that are actively pursued will be
considered.
8. Demonstrated financial need is considered, although events with potential promotional benefit to the
City of San Luis Obispo will be given higher consideration.
9. Past grant performance of the organization is considered. Please note that integration of the City’s logo
and the City’s support of the event are imperative in order to receive grant funding for a
consecutive year.
10. Grants are not given for the following expenses:
a. Office overhead or staff
b. Equipment
c. Rental of space
d. Scholarships / Honoraria
The following tiered structure will be guidelines to establish the grant amount:
First Tier: Up to $3,000
Organization of local reach with a cultural, social, and recreational benefit to the residents of San Luis Obispo.
The organization agrees to place the City’s logo on all its marketing material and its website (if one is available).
Second Tier: $3,001 to $7,500
Organizations that reach countywide and bring patrons to San Luis Obispo. The events have a distinct benefit to
the City’s residents, but also drive traffic from around the county to the City for the event. The organization agrees
to incorporate the City’s logo on marketing material and its website. In addition, the organization will include City
of San Luis Obispo visitors and tourism information in its mailings and marketing outreach.
Third Tier: $7,501 to $12,000
The organization effectively brings patrons from outside the county to San Luis Obispo and has the means to drive
tourism to the City. In addition to the integration of the City’s logo on marketing material and its website, the
organization will include City of San Luis Obispo visitors and tourism information in its mailings and marketing
outreach and allow physical presence of City Tourism at the event. The organization is encouraged to submit a
proposal to that effect.
Please note: as the City’s Grants-in-Aid program is considered by the Promotional Coordinating
Committee each year funding is provided, all applicants will have to compete for funding anew every year.
Sustainable Funding Program
If an organization receives continuous funding from PCC, Grants In Aid, it will be placed on the Sustainable
Funding Program tract. The Sustainable Funding Program will allow an organization to receive up to 8 years of
GIA funding. The intention of the Sustainable Funding Program is to provide initial support to local
organizations as their event becomes more established in the City of San Luis Obispo and the organizers have
the opportunity to cultivate new community partners and secure ongoing diverse funding options in order to
become self-sustaining.
Recipients on the Sustainable Funding Program can anticipate a reduction in GIA funds. After four years of
funding Grants In Aid award amounts may be reduced by one third each year for a maximum of four years or as
budgets allow. As organizations/events advance from the Sustainable Funding Program the PCC will have
greater opportunity to fund different organizations and foster new program events for the City of San Luis
Obispo. Once an event has advanced from the Sustainable Funding Program, the PCC will offer the event the
opportunity to receive the In-Kind Promotional Support from the City of San Luis Obispo.
In-Kind Promotional Support
The PCC acknowledges that once an event advances from the Sustainable Funding Program, the event may
wish to receive support from the City in a non-monetary manner. The PCC has created an In-Kind Promotional
Support package to offer post Sustainable Funded events that may include:
- Inclusion in the SLO Happenings campaign promotions
- Inclusion in the #ShareSLO campaign promotions
- Event listing on SanLuisObispoVacations.com
- Limited PR Support: Inclusion in the activity round-up press releases
- Use of City/ Tourism logo
If the event meets certain criteria defined by the City, provide the event with the City’s Tourism logo
and/or City emblem
- Letter of Support from the City endorsing the event to be used to seek other event funding or grants
To qualify for the In-Kind Promotional Support package, the event must have advanced from the Sustainable
Funding Program and must complete the required portion of the GIA application annually. As with the GIA
funding applications, the PCC will review the application for consideration prior to awarding the package.
APPLICANT: Please use this as a checklist for your application. It does not need to be submitted
with the application. Everything on this checklist is required, unless otherwise indicated.
1. Grant Application Form
a. Description of project or activities to be supported by the grant.
b. Description of who will benefit from the project, including any tourist
attraction potential.
c. Description of any collaborative efforts with other agencies relative to
this project.
d. The total amount requested, including a prioritized breakdown of
individual line items within that total.
e. Detailed budget for the project, indicating expenditures to be
supported by the grant and expenditures supported by other grant
sources.
f. Crowd control safety plan (parades or large special events only).
g. Description of how your agency will acknowledge the City in your
promotional materials.
h. Organization’s website URL
2. Your organization’s most recent complete annual financial statement
3. Your organization’s by-laws
4. Your organization’s tax-exempt certification
5. A listing of all officers and staff
6. A signed statement of limitations and payment disbursement (Attachment 4)
NOTE: Please do not bind or staple your application materials.
Submit 10 sets (typed, clipped & 3-hole punched) of item # 1
Submit 1 set (clipped) of items # 2-6
LATE OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Completed applications are due to the City Administration Office on
March 6, 2015 by 5:00 pm
Page 1 of 4
GRANT APPLICATION FORM
DATE(S) OF EVENT: __________________________________________________
NAME OF EVENT: ____________________________________________________
EVENT LOCATION: ___________________________________________________
NAME OF ORGANIZATION:
ADDRESS OF ORGANIZATION:
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
WEBSITE URL: ________________________________________________________________
NAME OF CONTACT PERSON:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED:
PURPOSE OF GRANT REQUEST: (Word Limit: 100 max)
Page 2 of 4
Please complete the entire application, answering all requests for information.
*Indicates required questions for In-Kind Promotional Support package applicants
1. Provide a brief description of the event or activity. (Word Limit: 100 max)*
2. Provide a brief description of your organization and its cause including how the project or
activities support the overall goals of the organization. (Word Limit: 250 max)*
3. Will your event be taking place within the City of San Luis Obispo?*
Yes ___ No ____
Venue Name:
Venue Location:
4. Has a City permit been issued for your event or have contracted the venue for your event date?
Yes ___ No ____
Note: For use of City facilities, venues, or services, applications must be received no later than 90
days in advance and can be accepted up to 1 year in advance. The application form can be found at
the link provided. Application and fees are payable to the City of San Luis Obispo and can be
submitted directly to the Parks and Recreation Department located at 1341 Nipomo Street, San Luis
Obispo, CA 93401. Event applicants shall be responsible for securing a separate Special Event
Permit with the City.
http://www.slocity.org/parksandrecreation/download/specialevents/eventapplication.pdf
5. Is this a first year the event will take place? Yes ___ No ____
If yes, skip to question number 13
6. If not, how many years has it taken place?*
Page 3 of 4
7. Where has it taken place previously?
8. What was the historical attendance?*
9. What is the expected event attendance?*
10. Expected percentage of in-county vs. out-of-county attendees:
11. Who is your target audience?*
12. Do you sell tickets or is it a free event? Tickets____ Free____
If tickets are required, please provide the price range. ________________________________
13. Describe any collaborative efforts with other agencies relative to this project. (Word Limit: 100
max and bulleted list is acceptable.) *
Page 4 of 4
14. Indicate total amount requested from the City of San Luis Obispo, including a prioritized list of
individual line items making up the total. Include any in-kind contributions from the City (i.e.
facility or park use, Public Works assistance etc.).
Project Component Amount
Total $
15. Provide a detailed budget for the whole project, listing all available support and income
sources.
Source Amount
TOTAL $
Page 5 of 4
16. Provide a detailed Media Plan including traditional and online media.
Media Outlet Type & Frequency Cost of advertising
Example:
LA Times Online Banners / 1,000 impressions $ XXXXX
The Tribune ½ page ads / 3 times $ XXXXX
17. Provide your crowd control and safety plan (parades or large special events only).
18. Describe how your organization will acknowledge the City’s support in your promotional
materials. (A standardized City logo is available upon request.) (Word Limit: 100 max and
bulleted list is acceptable.)
Be sure to include all supplemental materials as requested. Thank you.
Return Grant Application to:
Promotional Coordinating Committee
Attn: Molly Cano
City of San Luis Obispo
990 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
STATEMENT OF LIMITATIONS AND PAYMENT DISBURSEMENT
Please read the following document and sign to indicate that you have read and understand it.
Limitations:
This grant application does not commit the sponsor to award a grant or to pay any costs incurred in the
preparation of this application or to procure or contract for services or supplies. The Promotional
Coordinating Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any or all applications received, to fund on a
line item basis, to negotiate with all qualified applicants, or to cancel in part or in its entirety this
application, if it is in the best interest of the City to do so.
Payment of Funds:
All duties, obligations, and disbursements of funds are to be governed by the provisions of the agreement
between the City and the applicant receiving funds.
• An applicant awarded funds shall enter into a contractual agreement with the City of San Luis Obispo
for stated programs for the current grant period July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016.
• The payment schedule will be stated in the contractual agreement.
• The contracting agency will agree to provide reports in such form and detail as may be required by the
City and the PCC to monitor contract performance prior to payment for programs.
• Contracting agency will provide City with an annual audit by an independent auditor to be approved by
the City, if the City should so request.
(Sample copies of standard City contract forms are on file with the City Clerk.)
I, , (printed or typed name of authorized applicant organization
representative), have read the above statement and fully understand its contents and implications. I further
attest that all the information contained in this application is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Signature Date
Title
Applicant Organization
2015-16 Events Promotion Outreach Services RFP Planning
SLO Happenings Program _DRAFT
SLO Happenings is a campaign to promote all the things to do in San Luis Obispo! From concerts, to
events, to conferences, to performances… SLO Happenings is the go-to resource to find out what is
going on in the City.
Program Components:
1. SLO Happenings App – available now for Android and iPhone devices
2. SLO Happenings Social - strong social following on FB & Twitter with engaged active users
Audience:
Focus on the local reach (residents & countywide) as the key target audience.
*Visitors are a secondary audience. They are a beneficiary of the program.
Priority Objectives:
1. Build more content in the app
a. Establish a mechanism to include all SLO City events
b. Provide an easier method for organizers to submit events
c. PCC to consider the criteria for what happenings are listed (expand to include local
happy hours, events in wine country, etc)
d. Consider updating the categories within the app
2. Enhance the technology and how the app works
a. App Features may include:
i. Search tool – so someone can search events by a key word or date range
ii. Geolocation or map tool – to find out what’s happening near you or how to get
to a happening
iii. Notifications – so users know when something new was added or something
they “saved” is coming soon
3. Market the app to users
a. Social – strong social following on FB & Twitter with engaged active users; how does the
social community connect to the app
b. Advertising- where/ how will you promote the app to users
c. Public Relations – strategy to promote the program to gain users and content inputters
Metrics for Success
1. App downloads
2. App deletions after download
3. App sessions
4. App page views
5. Reuse stats
6. Social stats
Description of Work:
1. Who - Seeking marketing agency(s) that specialize in:
a. Digital branding and social community management: may include online marketing for
an app, social campaigns, and user engagement
b. Experience in app technology development and maintenance
2. What - Proposals from marketing agencies for Events Promotion Outreach Services to manage
the SLO Happenings brand and app. Proposals should address the strategy and plan for:
a. Content curation
b. Technology/App enhancement and management
c. Promotions – advertising, social media, public relations
3. How - Response Structure:
a. An individual/agency may provide a response for the entire scope of services.
b. One individual/agency may provide a response for the scope of the services achieved
through contracting work from alternate agencies/individuals. These proposals will need
to identify the contracting teams and the work product they will produce.
c. Multiple individuals/ agencies may collaborate to present a single proposal that includes
the full scope of work. These proposals will need to demonstrate previous projects that
have required similar collaboration and a clear definition of how communication will
maximize the partnership of these companies.
d. An individual/agency may provide a response for one or more sections in the scope of
services.
Budget: 2 year contract
$45,000 in 2015-16
$30,000 in 2016-17
*Could also consider writing the RFP with this budget and requesting agencies to provide response to the
RFP with budget amounts based on the “wish list” scope of work and the not to exceed budget amount.
Tourism Business Improvement District
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
10 am
City Hall
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Nipool Patel
PRESENT: Wilkins, Adams, Patel, Hutton, Conner
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager; Lee Johnson, Economic Development Manager
Call to Order at 10:00 am
PUBLIC COMMENT
Ermina Karim from the SLO Chamber introduced Pam Roberts as the new Visitor Center Manager to the
Board. Pam has extensive experience with retail sales and the operations and management of a busy
visitor center having previously managed the California Welcome Center in Pismo Beach.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: Moved by Pearce/Conner to approve the consent agenda.
Motion carried 5:0
PRESENTATIONS
1. LOVR INTERCHANGE PROJECT
Kyle Rowland from Public Works presented the Los Osos Valley Road Interchange project to the Board.
This project has been in planning stages for over 10 years. The project is expected to be complete in
summer of 2016. Some traffic alters that will impact the residents and visitors including closing of the
highway in overnight hours with detour in June and in August. The hotline 511 in SLO County will have
all the information and extensive public outreach has been in process. The website LOVR101.org has
been created to provide information about the project.
2. MARKETING AGENCY MONTHLY UPDATE
Representatives from BCA + StudioGood presented an update to the Board on the marketing activities
during the month of November. Highlights included: advertising campaign results during the first month
of the campaign and partnership and sponsorship outreach. SG presented the updates to the
SLOVacations & ShareSLO websites along with the status of the performance metrics.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. TRADESHOW DELEGATION
The Board completed the selection of the delegates to represent the TBID at the upcoming tradeshows. The only
show with multiple delegate interest was San Francisco. The hotels participating with the TBID at each show are:
San Francisco- Embassy Suites; San Diego- Apple Farm; Los Angeles- Embassy Suites.
DRAFT
Tourism Board Improvement District Minutes Page 2
2. TRADESHOW BOOTH DESIGN
The Marketing Committee and BCA presented the tradeshow booth redesign for the Board approval. The
Board liked the uncluttered look of the design and map. They directed agency to include a way of marking
travel distance between LA and San Francisco from SLO. The agency will make those changes and proceed
with printing.
3. STRATEGIC PLAN
The Board discussed the strategic plan work completed by the Management and Marketing Committees.
The Board approved to move forward with the next steps of the plan after reviewing the strategies,
tactics, and time assignment for each strategic initiative.
COMMITTEE COMMUNICATION
HOTELIER UPDATE
The Board discussed the hotelier updates.
PCC UPDATE
Vice Chair Pearce reviewed the PCC minutes with the Board.
TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Molly Cano presented the Tourism Program update:
- Participated in the Wine Tourism Conference in November
o Great sessions on luxury buyer, development of Beer Tourism, working with wine
journalists, and wine tourism panel
- CCTC updates: (Marketing Committee Chair)
o Board meeting in Pismo last month, working on the development of the map, hired a PR
contractor and Molly Kern and I had a conference call with the contractor to highlight
San Luis Obispo features
- SIXEL Conference Site Visit
o Participated in the site visit last week, the conference size is expected to exceed the
original (80 RN) size
o Looking at Avila for the location however nothing has been confirmed
- Outlook Forum
o Registering this month
o Monday February 23 – Wednesday February 25
- Farmstead ED support
o Preparing 120 welcome bags for California Women for Agriculture Statewide
Convention in January in SLO
- Host Town with Special Olympics in July 2015
Meeting adjourned at 11:17 am