Selected 2008 Projects

The California Endowment
Health and Human Services Advocacy on Budget Cuts

For too long, a diverse slate of health and human services advocates lacked a common voice and singular purpose in California’s budgetary process.  In 2008, Full Court Press worked with advocates and citizens across the state to help them speak with one voice on the impact of proposed budget cuts.  FCP also engaged in highly targeted media outreach, ensuring that common messaging reached every possible media outlet with a tailored, localized pitch.

FCP worked with key advocacy groups to release new data that helped define the broader conversation and kept pace with fresh developments in the news cycle. The alliances formed among the advocates created a new foundation for future collaborative communications efforts.

Health Access/CA Association of Food Banks
MyCAStory.org

Among Full Court Press’s top priorities in our work on the 2008 California budget crisis was bringing to light stories of real people made to suffer by devastating cuts to health and human service programs. Full Court Press developed a fully interactive website featuring the stories of everyday Californians negatively impacted by the proposed cuts. MyCaliforniaStory.org combined grassroots citizens’ journalism with the latest in online social media tools to capture the voices of those hurt most. FCP distributed easy-to-use video cameras to seniors, parents, persons with disabilities, and low-income working families, giving them an opportunity to share their stories with a broader audience. MyCaliforniaStory.org also featured a blog with regular posts covering the latest news and commentary on the budget crisis facing California.

Stewardship Council
Strategic Counsel

As a result of a bankruptcy settlement agreement in 2005, PG&E was required to relinquish more than 140,000 of its watershed lands in California. The Stewardship Council was created to oversee the disposition of the lands as well as to fund programs connecting California’s youth with the outdoors. FCP developed a strategic communications plan that raised the visibility of the Stewardship Council.

The Stewardship Council launched a series of outreach efforts designed to engage the public and its Board to form broad consensus on how to conserve the watershed lands in California. FCP played a key role in helping the organization build local credibility in four “pilot” program areas in the northern and southern parts of the Sierra. FCP also helped the Stewardship Council publicize its youth investment program grants in order to foster greater philanthropic engagement in youth outdoor programs.

The result was accurate and timely news about the Stewardship Council which reflected the organization’s key messages of collaboration and public engagement.

Media Trainings

FCP believes success in strategic communications comes from good ideas, solid planning and relentless execution. To that end, in 2008, FCP staff provided a dozen trainings for social change leaders to share our expertise and tools as well as what we are learning as the media goes through a seismic shift. 

FCP is also working to spread its belief that we are entering an age of dissemination – not media relations-Where success is defined not by column inches or time on air, but by the reach and impact of our information on our discreetly identified target audiences.

FCP was pleased to provide communications trainings in 2008 to The Coro Center for Civic Leadership and its Coro Fellows for the fifth year and to the Community Health Councils, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Oral Health Access Council, the Fund PalCare network of philanthropies, students at Cal State East Bay and non-profit leaders through a program with Media Alliance.

James Irvine Foundation
ConnectEd Grant Announcements

Approximately one-third of all California high school students today drop out of school and many who do graduate are unprepared to succeed in college or the workplace. ConnectEd, with funding from the James Irvine Foundation, seeks to reverse this trend by promoting “multiple pathways,” a promising new approach to high school education.  FCP worked closely with ConnectEd and the Irvine Foundation to develop a strategy for press coverage surrounding ConnectEd’s release of $1.25m in planning grants awarded to school districts throughout the state.

FCP trained spokespeople and collected compelling stories from each district receiving a grant. Through targeted outreach to local print publications, FCP placed stories in nearly every targeted media market. The resulting coverage afforded credibility to “multiple pathways” and gave its local advocates an important foothold in public perception of the approach.

Earthjustice
“Postcards from Poznan” Blog Project

Earthjustice sent two of its premiere international law and climate change attorneys to Poznan, Poland to participate in the events of the international climate summit taking place in December. As part of their engagement, the two attorneys sent regular dispatches of events on the ground and posted them to a dedicated blog. Full Court Press Communications was tasked with promoting the blog as part of an overall goal of increasing Earthjustice’s presence in the growing world of online news and green blogs.

Packard Foundation
RAND Studies Release

Studies that have shown that children who start behind in kindergarten stay behind in later years of their education. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s Preschool for California's Children Program aims to secure high-quality preschool opportunities for all of California’s three- and four-year-olds.  As part of this program, Packard funded a 5-part RAND Corporation study of preschool in California in order to inform policymakers of the importance of accessible and quality preschool programs.

FCP worked closely with Preschool California, a leading preschool advocacy organization, to help develop a strategic dissemination plan for releasing the new research. The studies’ release was reported in newspapers and blogs throughout the state, including many ethnic media outlets. The RAND studies are continually used as a reference for any media story reporting on the state of California’s preschools and often cited back to advocates by the opinion-makers and legislative leaders they sought to reach.

EarthRights International
Bowoto v. Chevron

Environmental and human rights advocacy group EarthRights International faced a daunting mission as they sought to bring Chevron Corporation to task for human rights violations committed by the company’s operation in Nigeria. Their legal battle in U.S. District court drew international media attention throughout the 5 week jury trial.

Amidst the fast-paced and unpredictable environment of a high-profile trial, FCP provided onsite strategic counsel and tactical support. FCP developed messaging and trained EarthRights spokespeople for media contact, organizing interviews with local and national outlets that raised the profile of the organization and linked their work to a greater cause. When an unfavorable verdict came down, FCP organized a rapid-response press conference with messaging that emphasized the ongoing mission of the organization and the historic nature of their efforts.

Friends of the White Deer
Campaign to Save Fallow and Axis Deer

Early one morning in January 2008, hired killers took to the skies above the normally tranquil Point Reyes National Seashore. Armed with high-powered rifles, these men began to fire at will out the open doors of their helicopters, shooting does, fawns and bucks as they grazed in the park's rolling hills. A misguided park service policy sought to brutally eliminate 2 species of deer that had occupied the land for nearly a century.

A prominent local resident brought together a coalition of outraged citizens that sought the help of Full Court Press to shape their message, amplify their voice, and bring an end to the slaughter. FCP proceeded to debunk the "science" that was used to justify the killing, organize media coverage of the program and secure the support of local and national elected officials. Our efforts resulted in extensive and favorable coverage from the range of news outlets in the Bay Area.

After several months of consistent campaigning, the guns fell silent over Point Reyes as members of congress including Senators Boxer and Feinstein as well as Speaker of the House Pelosi demanded a six month moratorium on the killings.

James Irvine Foundation
California Votes Initiative
While whites make up less than 50% of California’s population, they comprise over 70% of likely voters. To combat this trend, The James Irvine Foundation created the California Votes Initiative (CVI), a three year effort focused on increasing voter turnout within low-income and ethnic communities.  The James Irvine Foundation retained Full Court Press Communications during the 2008 General Election season to generate media attention for the release of CVI research findings and the get-out-the vote campaigns of its grantees.

Full Court Press kicked off the campaign with the high-visibility release of a CVI report that generated coverage from Sacramento to Orange County. FCP worked directly with grantees to codify and coordinate consistent messaging that reached communities through television, print and radio outlets statewide.

East Bay Private School
Whooping Cough Outbreak

For parents, the presence of communicable disease in their children’s school is a terrifying thing. For the media, it is an opportunity for sensational and often misinformed stories. With just 12 hours’ notice before the media onslaught began, FCP Communications was called in to provide crisis support to a prominent East Bay private school dealing with an outbreak of whooping cough.

FCP developed and implemented a crisis communications plan featuring key messages, media response plans and a series of next steps including serving as crisis counsel to the school’s leadership to help shape the waves of news coverage that followed over the ensuing days and weeks. 

Earthjustice
Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World

As climate change has penetrated the mainstream and become an important question of national policy, Earthjustice, wildlife photographers, scientists and evangelists joined together to debut Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World in 2008, a nation-wide traveling photo exhibit and public education effort. The goal of the effort was to raise awareness and incorporate the challenges facing wildlife into the national discussion on solutions global warming.

Full Court Press’ efforts traveled in concert with the photo exhibit. FCP launched a series of outreach efforts in each market to help generate a media presence for the Irreplaceable campaign and the values it embodies.

Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees
Integration Potential of California Immigrants and Their Children

California is known as a destination for immigrants – but much less publicized is the critical role they play in contributing to our state. Full Court Press was retained by Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees in April of 2008 to help disseminate the findings of a report which demonstrates the significant potential of new Californians to impact the future face of the electorate. FCP helped GCIR achieve its goals of disseminating the report as an opportunity to change minds and public policy. 

Oakland School for the Arts
Enrollment Drive

Oakland School for the Arts struggled with negative perceptions formed during the charter school’s tumultuous early years; perceptions which negatively affected enrollment and funding. FCP was hired to raise the visibility of the hiring of the school’s new executive director and turn the tide of public opinion in OSA’s favor.  FCP identified personal stories with local interest and compelling human angles and targeted local media outlets to place those stories which fought back against misconceptions and highlighted the school’s exemplary academic record and exceptional students.  At the end of a few short months, OSA’s enrollment had soared above target and the school’s marketing efforts were boosted by positive press coverage.

California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC)
CleanTech Conference

In November 2008, the California Israel Chamber of Commerce (CICC) launched its inaugural “CleanTech Initiative Tour” in order to foster partnership, cooperation and investment between California and Israel’s CleanTech industries. In preparation for the CleanTech tour, Full Court Press Communications conducted a series of outreach efforts to promote the event, along with the CICC and the twelve selected companies participating in the event. FCP also worked to publicize the efforts of CICC in the broader context of promoting new-startups in venture capitalism that has helped shape the CleanTech industry for both California and Israel.

East Bay Coalition Against Urban Casinos
Strategic Counsel

The West Contra Costa County community has long fought against the establishment of Casino San Pablo, a gaming facility out of scale and out of touch with the community it has invaded. In 2008, the political landscape changed significantly as elected officials and the tribes struck a new deal on legislation that would permanently limit the size and scope of the casino – a qualified victory for the casino’s opponents. Full Court Press Communications conceived and executed a letter-writing campaign, amplifying community voices in support of the bill. Full Court Press also continued to ensure the inclusion of opposition messaging in all media coverage of the Casino, including stories of local crime surges.