explore sewickley 2015 annual report

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EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

2015

ANNUAL REPORT

418 BEAVER STREETSEWICKLEY , PA 15143

412 .741 .7530 | TAX ID NO . 27 -4682522


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENTJENNIFER MARKUS

VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURERBRENDAN KENNY

SECRETARY BRENT GEPHART

DIRECTORMICHAEL KENNEDY

DIRECTORJENNIFER FOSSEE-RICHARDSON

STAFFMARKETING DIRECTORALEX LANCIANESE

THE EXPLORE SEWICKLEY MAIN STREET COMMITTEES

ARLEEN D'ANNUNZIOTOM DEFAZIORANDY DELOIAMARCIA GORDONFRED JEZZITIFFANY YOCCA

ORGANIZATION DESIGNMARJORIE CARLSONDOUG FLOREYTOM HARTLEY DIANA KAUFMANNJOAN MILESKATHRYN MOYERAIMEE ST. GERMAIN

PROMOTIONMICHELE BASSELAINE CASSIDYSUZANNE FRANUSKATIE LANDISMIRIAM RADER KATHRYN RICHARDSON

CHRIS BEICHNERALEXA JENNINGSSTEVE LARCHUKTONI SACCOLINDA TAYLOR

ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING

MISSION

VISION

Explore Sewickley’s mission is to cultivate the businessdistrict of Sewickley into a vibrant and economically

successful regional destination.

Explore Sewickley will be a highly visible and credibleorganization, recognized for its ability to provide

inspired leadership, to act as a liaison, to encourage thegrowth of small businesses, and to foster a sense ofcommunity while promoting social, cultural and

business development. In addition, Explore Sewickleywill be actively engaged in marketing and promotion,and supporting continued collaboration with other

community groups and organizations.

MAIN STREET

2015 IN REVIEW

WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER?


ABOUT MAIN STREETAPPLYING FOR DESIGNATIONPA DOWNTOWN CENTER

2016 INITIATIVES

EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

ACCOMPLISHMENTSBUSINESS DEVELOPMENTEVENTS SOCIALLY SPEAKINGVOLUNTEERSPRINT & WEB ADVERTISING

LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2.

FUNDING

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

A LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

Dear Sewickley Area Stakeholder,

2015 was a big year for Explore Sewickley. We transitioned from doing business as Village Green Partners todoing business as Explore Sewickley. We also moved to a new office at 418 Beaver Street (this is the last move!)to be more centrally located in the business district.

We dedicated time and energy to Explore Sewickley’s application to become designated as a Pennsylvania MainStreet Organization. Once designated, there will be many opportunities for community revitalization projects likea façade grant program, funding prospects, and more.

Successful “revitalization” programs such as Explore Sewickley generate revenues for local governments andenhance the vibrancy of the business districts they serve. By focusing on business expansion, entrepreneurialgrowth, and improving the district’s property values through reinvestment, our work helps generate additionalreal estate taxes, business privilege taxes and building permit fees that are valuable to local governmentrevenues.

In 2016, we will shift our focus to big-impact projects such as the public experience as a whole: sustainable art,gateway signage welcoming visitors to Sewickley, and developing additional resources to support our smallbusiness community. We plan to continue the growth of events and support of the initiatives in Sewickley, and todevote our time to improving the business district and the community. The Village of Sewickley epitomizes thepowerful impact that independently owned businesses can have in their community, especially femaleentrepreneurs. Once home to the brilliant minds and steel barons of the Industrial Revolution, now more than halfof Sewickley’s independent businesses are owned by equally strong and brilliant women.

The Sewickley area is a wonderful place to live, work and play, and we are proud to support the community in thecapacity that we do. Thank you for taking the time to read through our first Annual Report. I hope it gives you aninsight into what Explore Sewickley does as an organization – we are so much more than putting outadvertisements in publications. A vote for Sewickley says “Yes! This stuff matters. It’s valuable to us. And we wantit to keep going.”

Sincerely,

Jennifer MarkusPresident of the Board of Directors

3.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR IN REVIEW: ACCOMPLISHMENTS


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

In 2015, we launched a refreshed Explore Sewickleybrand. While it is still a work in progress, the new brandreflects a renewed energy in the Sewickley community.

The updated font choice evokes an emotionalconnection with a new demographic - young adults, familieswith younger children, Baby Boomers, and more - who want to be able to spendtheir precious time and money in a community that has everything within walking distance. The fresh font has aprinted, somewhat eroded look to reflect Sewickley's industrial roots and the steel barons who lived here beforeus, but also plants us firmly in the 21st century.

Explore Sewickley moved its office from 611 to 418 Beaver Street inJuly of 2015. Now located in the center of town, the space lendsitself to the type of work the organization does, which is connectingpeople to people, and people to the the community. ExploreSewickley, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, does not own thebuilding and pays monthly rent to privately-owned companyMulberry Street Properties.

An interactive, mobile-friendly revamp forExploreSewickley.com was launched inOctober 2015 with more capabilities forbusinesses. The website allows individualsand organizations to upload events directly tothe online calendar, and it allows customers tofind shopping, restaurants, events and more atthe click of a mouse or swipe of a finger.

4.

A mobile-friendly website is crucial not only because of new search algorithms, but also because more thanhalf of customers today are using smartphones to navigate their worlds. Perfecting the website is anongoing process.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT By promoting a diverse and vibrant business district by increasing foot traffic and decreasing vacancies, ExploreSewickley has made a solid commitment to business development.

Explore Sewickley has become an amazing resource for new businesses navigating through the process ofopening. From helping them to find the right space to the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, ExploreSewickley has helped many new businesses become informed and get involved in the Sewickley community.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

5.

EVENTS Explore Sewickley produced six signature events that the Sewickley community has come to know andlove. Each event has its own budget and is marketed and advertised separately from general ExploreSewickley advertising.

was raised for the SewickleyCommunity Center and Food Pantry.

$5,284.61Chocolate Walk was a sold outevent in 2015, raising money forExplore Sewickley.

300 TICKETS

$8, 435.39was raised for the Western PA HumaneSociety and hundreds of peoplecame to the event despite wet weather.

$35,923.35

3 weekends in 2015 were dedicated toshowcasing the burgeoning art scene inSewickley. In total, over 500 peopleattended the events.

in private donations and sponsorships was raised by ExploreSewickley to support the holiday season in Sewickley. Theholidays kicked off with Small Business Saturday on Saturday,Nov. 28, and included Light Up Night, the Santa Parade, andactivities throughout the month to encourage shoppinglocally.

MORE THAN 7,500 PEOPLE ATTENDED LIGHT UP NIGHT THIS YEAR. Explore Sewickley also hosted a Gift Wrap Station at 418 Beaver Street and wrapped more than 70 gifts.

ADDITIONAL EVENTS ADDED IN 2015:

A day of cleanup in the business district.12 bags of trash were collected.

CLEAN UP SEWICKLEY

THE KENTUCKY DERBY PARTYAs a fundraiser for the organization, ExploreSewickley hosted its first Kentucky Derbyparty. Over 40 people attended.

THE EXPLORE SEWICKLEYCORNHOLE TOURNAMENTExplore Sewickley hosted a cornhole tournament in September 2015, which introduced an entirelynew demographic to Sewickley.

To promote a culture of a healthy community andencourage people to enjoy the warmer months,Explore Sewickley developed Balance on Broad,featuring the fitness and wellness studios.Approximately 200 people joined us for free classeson Broad Street.

BALANCE ON BROAD

HOLIDAY CHARACTER BREAKFASTSKids & parents enjoyed breakfast with theirfavorite holiday characters like Buddy the Elf andElsa the Snow Queen at Explore Sewickley. Spanning threeSaturdays in December, these events brought a captiveaudience of 181 to the business district.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

SOCIALLY SPEAKINGExplore Sewickley's social media channels maintain their position at the center of the overall marketing strategy.

Now reaching over 5,000 individuals with each photo uploaded, newsletter shared, and announcement made,Explore Sewickley's presence on social media is firm. More than 66% of individuals use a mobile device to access ourfeeds, and our largest audience is women ages 25 - 54.

Explore Sewickley tries to promote businesses fairly and without cost to the businesses. Though this is exceptionallybeneficial for businesses who are growing or do not have an online presence, it is not a replacement for their ownmarketing efforts.

- BRANDWATCH

"ALL AGE GROUPS HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE ONSOCIAL MEDIA, WITH USERS 65 AND OLDER MAKINGUP THE FASTEST-GROWING AGE BRACKET IN 2015.THAT EXPANDING SEGMENT IS FOLLOWED CLOSELYBY 18- TO 29-YEAR-OLDS."

6.

NETWORKS BY THE NUMBERS

2014 2015FACEBOOKTWITTER

INSTAGRAMPINTEREST

NEWSLETTER

3788 5050783 1007348 116568 882688 3423

VOLUNTEERS

In 2015, Explore Sewickley enlisted thehelp of many volunteers, totaling wellover 2,000 hours dedicated to theSewickley community.

From event planning and production toserving on committees and helping runthe day-to-day business, volunteers areessential to the achieving theorganization's mission.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

PRINT + WEB ADVERTISINGIt is impossible to reach a well-rounded audience by one advertising medium alone, so Explore Sewickley partnered with several Pittsburgh publications such as the Sewickley Herald, TABLE Magazine, Pittsburgh Magazine, and WHIRLMagazine to spread the word about events and the community through print.

In 2015, Explore Sewickley spent over $20,000on advertising in print, radio and online.

We have noticed through education and advertising that morepeople are interested in not only attending community events, butare also more concerned with the importance of shopping locallyand supporting local businesses.

7.

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

ABOUT THE MAIN STREET MOVEMENT

For more than 35 years, the National Main Street Center has beenhelping communities revitalize their downtowns and commercialdistricts. Collectively, the movement is the leading voice forpreservation-based economic development and communityrevitalization across the country. Made up of small towns, mid-sizedcommunities, and urban commercial districts, Main Street America™ represents the broad diversity that makes thiscountry so unique. Working together, the programs that make up the Main Street America network help to breathenew life into the places people call home.

THE FOUR POINT APPROACH®

THE PENNSYLVANIA DOWNTOWN CENTER

The Main Street movement uses the Four Point Approach, which focuses on four areas of community:

DESIGN PROMOTION ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING ORGANIZATION

In July of 2015, Explore Sewickley established four committees with goals in mind for each one. Individualswho serve on the committees are stakeholders who want to get involved and make a difference in thecommunity in which they live, work and play. The committees meet once per month and are each workingtoward accomplishing the goals set in Explore Sewickley's Five Year Strategy.

Explore Sewickley spent a significant amount of time writing, researching, gathering documents, and planningfor the Main Street application, which we hope to submit in the first quarter of 2016. Once we obtain ourdesignation, we will be working closely with the PA Downtown Center.

Becoming designated as a Main Street Organization opens doors to various funding opportunities specificallyslated for community revitalization, façade projects, and more.

Primarily through utilization of the National Main Street Center's Four-Point Approach®,the Pennsylvania Downtown Center provides outreach, technical assistance, andeducational services in order to assist communities in revitalizing their central businessdistricts and surrounding residential neighborhoods. Over the years, PDC formed avariety of strategic partnerships with local and statewide organizations in order to furtherour mission of promoting community revitalization and reinvestment. Additionally, PDC'scentralized Harrisburg location allows them, and in turn Explore Sewickley, to interactregularly with members of the PA Legislature in order to advocate on behalf ofdowntown and neighborhood initiatives in the commonwealth.

8.

APPLYING FOR MAIN STREET DESIGNATION

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

FUNDING

9.

Explore Sewickley had six main funding sources to support its initiatives in 2015. The organization has a yearlyprofessional services agreement with the Borough of Sewickley, and this was our largest single funding source in2015. The funding received is to manage the events, marketing and promotion of the Sewickley business district,and business development.The organization also raises funds through event sponsorships, ticket sales, eventfees, and private donations.

Explore Sewickley is involved with business recruitment, development, and enhancing the quality oflife for residents and visitors of the Sewickley area. The organization produces twelve events that have becomesignatures in the Village and that draw people from across the Pittsburgh region and beyond to shop, eat,and have fun in Sewickley all year round.

Borough of Sewickley$80,000

Sponsorships$45,790.25

Ticket Sales$14,734.96

Event Fees$6,973.51

Private Donations$38,231.63

Miscellaneous$1,304.09

Advertising$25,352.91

Event Expenses$63,817.34

Wages & Rent$44,205

Web Expenses$12,668

Other Expenses$36,891.61

2015 INCOME

2015 INCOME 2015 EXPENSES

2015 EXPENSES

Total Income$187,034.44

Total Expenses$182,934.86

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

10.

WHY DOES ALL THIS MATTER?

In an increasingly uncertain worldwhere pressure is high and instantgratification is king, the quality of lifefor people who live, work, and relax ina community is viewed as being just asimportant as high-quality services.

Visitors enjoy coming to Sewickley to shop,eat, and more. Many community planners and revitalization groupsview the community as a goal to which they aspire. Sewickley is acoveted community because of the amenities that the Borough ofSewickley provides, but also because of the quality of life that livingand working here promises.

"Well-being is a relative statewhere one maximizes his or herphysical, mental, and socialfunctioning in the context of

supportive environments to live afull, satisfying, and productive life."

- Health.gov

Explore Sewickley has always worked to promote the entire communitywhich includes all businesses, residents and other organizations.

We have worked hard to cultivate a network of strong relationships withinthe business district. That network extends via a strong online presence,advertising in publications, and a weekly newsletter that reaches tens ofthousands of individuals monthly.

As it turns out,places are moreimportant aspeople becomemore mobile.People are lookingfor places that arecultural & fun,accessible & can feel engaged.

"

- PATRICE FREY

"

CEO, NATIONAL MAINSTREET CENTER

2015 ANNUAL REPORT


EXPLORE SEWICKLEY

WANT TO LEARN MOREOR GET INVOLVED? Explore Sewickley is always looking for volunteers withfresh perspectives and talent. After all - this is YOURcommunity. Let your voice be heard.

418 Beaver StreetSewickley PA 15143

[email protected]

412.741.7530

11.

When Explore Sewickley started meeting with the four committees, they operated as silos. In many projects andgoals, details and other objectives can overlap between the various groups.

In 2016, we plan to revisit how our goals can be achieved by working together not only with the committees but alsoother community organizations, in order to articulate a set of transformation strategies, refine communityengagement techniques, and generate meaningful success indicators by which to measure progress.

2016 INITIATIVES

MAIN STREET

EDUCATION

Explore Sewickley recognizes the social and economic significance that a vibrant business district brings to acommunity, and we will work to continue fanning the fire that elicits excitement for Sewickley.

In 2016, we intend to continue tweaking the events that we currently host. We will continue to promote the eventsand happenings of other organizations in town and to continue growing our reach.

Most importantly, we will shift our focus toward long-lasting, impactful projects for the Sewickley community such asway-finding, art, and more.

LIVABLE COMMUNITIESDON'T JUST HAPPEN. THEY

TAKE A LOT OF WORK.

CEO, NATIONAL MAINSTREET CENTER

LOOKING FORWARD

- PATRICE FREY

Education SeriesMAKE YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT

The trifecta of good and effective design, social mediamarketing, and web presence should be accessible to everybusiness owner regardless of how technologically savvy they are(or aren't!). In 2016, Explore Sewickley will host several BusinessEducation sessions on various topics that relate to business andways to utilize the free tools available today.

explore sewickley 2015 annual report

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