July 2011— June 2012

I. Organization

A. Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting should be held prior to the Thanksgiving Day holiday in November. It is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, November 9th. The Board will have a planning meeting after the Annual Meeting to discuss ideas presented and develop short and long term goals.

B. Board Retreat

The Board and staff with continue to move forward with the five year plan The Board created in the Spring of 2009-2010 & Summer if 2010-2011 (fiscal year) with their strategic planning meetings.

II. Business Recruitment and Retention

• Continue marketing Fortuna as a desirable place to locate a business or move an existing business.  Use FBID website for attracting and informing businesses which are relocating, growing or starting-up.
• Be intake point for businesses opening or moving to Fortuna. Provide information on available commercial space, resources, and local, state and other regulations.
• Refer businesses to other economic development partners as needed.
• Provide available commercial property and businesses seeking commercial space.  Use online database to make available property available to public. This can be valuable for business looking to upgrade, purchase a building, downsize or even moving a home based business to an office or retail space.  
• Create an informational brochure to send to ALL the current FBID members.
• Send recruitment letters to specific businesses that would be appropriate to fill a particular open retail space, office building, wholesale or manufacturing building.
• Continue to make the FBID’s Bulk Mailing privileges available to all Fortuna businesses

III. Advertising and Public Relations

A. Public Relations

• The FBID office is the “Public Relations Agency” for the business community of Fortuna. In this role the office communicates with local, regional and national media for the following: Community event information as needed by event committees, Business Briefs, General Business news, Event news.
• Invites the media to all the events to get as much positive exposure to Fortuna as possible

B. Advertising

• Fortuna Commercials: TV and Radio - FBID is running and will continue to run business friendly ads. Currently there are TV commercials that feature over 35 Fortuna Businesses. These commercials feature Fortuna businesses that have relocated to Fortuna from another city, decided to open/start a business in Fortuna, and businesses that have longevity in Fortuna.  If funding will allow the hope is to continue this program with more Fortuna businesses.
• Advertise Fortuna’s ‘event season’ as a group in nearby markets such as Redding and other warmer towns close to Humboldt County. 
• Advertise other FBID promotions (i.e. gift certificate, Holiday Movies, business seminars etc…)

C. Newsletter-Mailings

• Produce 4 quarterly newsletters and/or other mailed publications, mailing to all licensed businesses in Fortuna.
• Use newsletters and other mailings to inform Fortuna businesses of FBID activities & plans and ask business owners’ opinions on issues related to projects and budgeting.
• Make electronic version of newsletter available on FortunaBusiness.com website.

IV. Events and Promotions

FBID has planted seed money in a number of Fortuna events. The hope is that the event will bring as many people from out of this area to Fortuna. New people to Fortuna would help plant “new” money in our town. Below are some Fortuna events that FBID has assisted with currently or over the year’s whether financially or physically.

The “person” () shows what events we have physically helped with and the dollar sign ($) shows events that we have financially funded in one way or another (seed money, banners, etc…)

   $    Fortuna Fireworks Festival - July 3, 2011

• Provide event insurance for entire event, except the fireworks display.
• Assist FFF committee with event planning and promotion..

   $    Fortuna Rodeo Week - July 11-17, 2011

• Assist Rodeo Board Promotion Chair in organizing and releasing Rodeo public relations materials and setting media events.  Increase visibility of Fortuna’s business community as part of the Rodeo Week activities.  
• Aid Rodeo Board and business groups in advertising for Rodeo Week events.  Develop packages with local media to increase business visibility during Rodeo Week.
• Continue to help Redwood Village Tuesday night event. Giving Rodeo a FULL week of events!
• FBID also helped fund the new banners on Main Street for the light poles.

   $    AutoXpo - July 22-24, 2011

• FBID planted “seed money” to start this event over 20 years ago.
• Aid Auto Xpo Committee where needed.
• Annually FBID sponsors and judges a car.

   $    Hops in Humboldt- August 27, 2011

• FBID planted “seed money” to start this event 8 years ago.
• Assisted with advertising buy for the first 7 years.
• Assist Hops Board with event planning and promotion

      9/11 Remembrance - September 11, 2011

• FBID sends press releases

   $    Apple Harvest Festival - October 1, 2011

• Assist Fortuna Chamber of Commerce with coordinating the festival with other organizing groups (Downtown, Redwood Village, Parks and Recreation, Clendenen’s, Mid Towne Plaza and Strongs Creek Plaza).
• Provide event insurance for activities surrounding festival

   $    Grave Matters and Untimely Death Departures - October 30, 2011

• FBID also planted seed money in this event to get it started.
• Send out press releases to promote the event.

       Core Areas Trick or Treat - October 30, 2011

• FBID updates last year’s poster with current information. Drop off posters with each association so they can pass out to businesses that are interested in participating.

   $    Holiday Kids' Movie Days - December 4 & 11, 2011

• Find sponsors for the two weekends help pay for popcorn, soda and holiday gift.
• Distribute tickets through Fortuna business locations.  Encourage businesses to give tickets to loyal customers as business building activity.
• Send press release and invite and encourage the media to come out.
• Pending City approval, use "Rent Fund" to fund this promotion.  Supplement City gift with promotional funds and sponsorships.

   $   Citywide Christmas Events

• Send out press release for:
• Strongs Creek Plaza Open House on December 1st
• Kids’ Free Movie on December 3rd & December 10th
• Mid Towne Plaza Open House December 7th
• Redwood Village Shopping Center Open House December 8th
• Downtown Business Association Open House December 9th
• Fortuna’s Free Christmas Music Festival December 11th
• Fortuna Garden Club Holiday Home Tour & Tea December 14th
• Design posters, print and disburse to businesses for some of the Holiday events.
• Design ads to run in newsprint, TV & radio promoting Fortuna holiday events.
• Promote Fortuna Bucks as great Holiday gift.
• Promote “Shopping Local” for the Christmas Holiday.
• Host “Shopping Local” contest during the holiday peak shopping weeks!
• FBID also provides liability insurance coverage for public decorations on Fortuna Boulevard and Main Street.
• Provide overall public relations support for holiday events.

   $    Fortuna Daffodil Show - March 23-24, 2012

• Assist Fortuna Garden Club in promoting and advertising the 37th annual show.
• FBID also helped provide Fortuna Garden Club with funds for new banners for the street light poles.
• In the past the Fortuna Garden Club worked with FBID in coordinating an art show by local school children and store windows.

       Spring Fling - April 7, 2012

• Assist the Fortuna Downtown Business Associations where needed for this annual event.
• Send out press release
• Take photos for advertising next year

       Farmer's Market - Tuesdays, May 15- October 30, 2012

• Send out press releases multiple times throughout the farmer’s markets season

       Citywide Yard Sale - June 2, 2012

• Assist the Fortuna Downtown Business Associations where needed for this annual event.
• Send out press release
• Take photos for advertising next year

      Art and Wine in the Park - June 10, 2012

• Assist the Fortuna Rotary where needed.
• Send out press release

New Events

As funding, resources and time become available, FBID could assist with new events. Some events brought to FBID office, past annual meetings and board retreats include:

• Fortuna Basketball tournament
• Art show in businesses like an Arts Alive.
• An Hispanic event, to reach out to our large population of Mexican, Latin American & other Spanish speaking individuals.
• An outdoor Summer concert event or outdoor movie & music.

V. Programs and Promotions

A. Fortuna Gift Certificate

• Administer Program, keep books on certificates, assist Umpqua Bank in filling large orders etc.
• Promote Gift Certificates to the area employers as alternatives to cash or gift certificates to other shopping destinations.
• Promote to the general public as an option for gifts to friends and family during November and December.
• Fund reprint of certificates as needed.
• Advertise certificates to Fortuna and Eel River Valley small employers as a perk for employees.

B. FBID Website

• FBID Business Directory: Maintain online Business Directory.  Monitor usage of online guide and try to educate and inform businesses they can update and change their information.
• Provide information to Fortuna business owners about FBID’s Workplan, meetings, programs and timely information.
• Provide information for new and relocating businesses about coming to Fortuna, contacts for available commercial property and business development.
• Continue successful search engine marketing of “FortunaBusiness.com” aiming for relocating businesses and start-up entrepreneurs.
• Re-direct tourists and other visitors to the Chamber of Commerce web site.

C. Public Decoration

• Act as scheduling authority and design review for street light vertical banners as outlined in policies drafted in 07-08 and the agreement with City of Fortuna. The Downtown Business Association’s flower baskets would also be included in the same policy.
• Evaluate re-start of mural grant program with assistance of Design Review Board.
• Schedule most of the Fortuna event banners to go across the street.

E. Core Areas

• Assist members of the three FBID "Core Areas” in their promotional activities and committee work.
• Downtown Business Association
• Redwood Village Shopping Center Merchant Associations
• Strongs Creek Plaza Association.
• Provide insurance coverage for promotional activities in core areas.

G. Classes and Seminars

• Co-produce seminars with: North Coast Small Business Development Center or any other non-profit organizations. Some seminar topics might include speakers from afar, but all businesses in Humboldt County would benefit from them and attendance could potentially be county-wide. Develop new classes that affect underserved businesses.  Possible topics: What Every Business Should Know, Human Resources and Fraud, The Business Case for Going Green, Growing  Your Business, Exit Strategies, etc.

VI. Other Funding Sources

A. Grants

• Continue to pursue grant funding for projects consistent with FBID’s mission and contract with the City of Fortuna
• FBID will assist businesses with other funding options as needed, including the process for the City of Fortuna Redevelopment loans.