Rural Maryland has a special kind of synergy. Deeply committed to sustaining their communities, rural Maryland’s people, organizations, and civic institutions tackle critical challenges in extraordinary ways. Paired with the right resources, this resolve widens access and opportunities.
The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) is a devoted community partner, addressing equity gaps in Maryland’s 18 state-designated rural counties. For over 25 years, they’ve legislated, educated, and created funding programs to elevate the people of rural Maryland.
Every year, RMC administers two grant programs that help communities thrive. From youth engagement to broadband connectivity, healthcare delivery to infrastructure development, the grant programs improve everyday life, awarding over $3.6 million in FY 2022 alone. Eager to maintain the momentum, RMC asked PPR Strategies to apply their magic marketing touch.
Digital media was RMC’s best space for connection, so we created social media messages and email blasts targeted for impact. Differentiated by platform, social media messaging communicated the scope of the grants in a compelling way. Graphics accompanying the posts reinforced brand recognition and turned scrolls into engagements and shares. From there, segmented email blasts and email headers achieved similar goals. Email copy was crafted based on shared characteristics, communicating information appropriate for each demographic. Each email blast was concise, genuine, and designed for ROI.
Audience response to the digital marketing strategy was positive, resulting in a significant increase for the application cycle. With approximately $8.3 million available to worthy endeavors in FY 2023, it’s rewarding to help RMC tell the story and shape communities with intention.
