easygrants id: 18934 national fish and wildlife foundation ... · television, print, and web...

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Easygrants ID: 18934 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NFWF/Legacy Grant Project ID: 2009-0054-027

Chesapeake Bay Small Watershed Grants 2009 - Submit Final Programmatic Report (Activities)

Grantee Organization: Chesapeake Ecology Center, Inc.

Project Title: RainScaping Campaign (MD) - II

Project Period 11/01/2009 - 05/01/2011

Award Amount $100,000.00

Matching Contributions $100,000.00

Project Location Description (from Proposal) All of Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Project Summary (from Proposal) Continue to develop and implement the RainScaping Campaign, an

environmental partnership for stormwater management solutions.

Project will target approximately 50,000 urban and suburban

landowners in Anne Arundel County, especially those who understand

the importance of controlling polluted runoff and need help starting their

own rainscaping projects.

Summary of Accomplishments The RainScaping Campaign (RC), with its 53 partners, provides a

proven track record of creating a county-wide social marketing

campaign, aimed at private property owners, who own 64 percent of the

land in Anne Arundel County (pop. 537,656). Without a new

landscaping paradigm among county residents to reduce polluted runoff,

the County will not meet its TMDL requirements.

Highlighting ―RainScaping…Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution!,‖

the RC has produced outstanding rainscaping PSAs/Ads, signage, and

educational material; and has distributed rainscaping messages via

television, print, and web PSAs/Ads, advertising via social media and

networks, posters, brochures, outdoor RainScaping Education Stations

and other signage—all of which directs visitors to RainScaping.org for

additional information. As of May 1, 2011, Google Analytics reports

31,285 visits to RainScaping.org, with 24,470 absolute unique visitors.

Additionally, 165 rain garden and bioretention installations have been

surveyed and documented in the City of Annapolis which indicates an

increase of well over 100 percent from 2009 to 2011 (with numbers

extrapolated to indicate progress for Anne Arundel County). As a result

of numerous marketing and educational efforts, we estimate that

rainscaping messages have reached at least 10 percent of Anne Arundel

County residents.

Lessons Learned ? Appeal to residents self interest, e.g., people find motivation in

something that improves the environment and beautifies the natural

landscape near their home, school, or workplace.

? Do as much of the preliminary graphic design work and video

production work as possible. By doing so you’ll save on time, budget,

and miscommunication. Allow time for trial and error in developing

effective graphics and PSAs/Ads; and conduct focus group testing of

advertising material.

? The greater population is largely unaware of what is meant by

RainScaping, Environmental Site Design (ESD), or Low Impact

Development (LID). However, RainScaping is a more intuitive term

than ESD or LID.

? It is challenging to motivate groups to work together and have buy-in

and participation in a joint effort. A significant help with partner buy-in

are the outstanding rainscaping posters, signs, and handouts that have

been developed, which are being used by partners on a continually

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increasing basis.

? Include as many active partners as possible. Partner involvement will

inevitably vary. Many NGOs are looking for assistance with their

projects and programs, while some NGOs, such as Master Gardeners,

are organized to provide assistance.

? Give consideration to scaling back the campaign after the funding

period, for example, how long to keep the website running and how will

website hosting costs and web management be covered.

Conservation Activities Social marketing to reach 50,000 Anne Arundel County residents

Progress Measures Other Activity Metric (social marketing campaign)

Value at Grant Completion 50,000

Conservation Activities Maximize current partnership and continue to recruit new members

(RainScaping Campaign (RC) Partners have increased from 37 to 53 partners)


Value at Grant Completion 53

Conservation Activities Further develop and refine usefulness of the ―Rainscaping.org‖ website (3

new pages added to Rainscaping.org)



Conservation Activities Develop additional multi-media marketing material that complement existing

material (3 new print & web PSAs/Ads, 2 TV Ads, & 2 instructional videos)



Conservation Activities Develop/refine promotional & ed material & signs (―Before & After‖

Ad/Poster; helped w/ Rain Gardens Across MD; From My Backyard to Our Bay)



Conservation Activities Conduct media outreach/public relations activities (provided 85+

RainScaping Exhibits, Presentations & Garden Tours, reaching over 5,000 residents)



Conservation Activities Distribute via mass media – 2 TV Ads (aired 2,478 times reaching 96 percent

of cable households in county an average of 6.6 times)



Conservation Activities Distribute via websites & live venues – 2 Rain Garden & Rain Barrel

Instructional Videos



Conservation Activities Distribute via mass media – 3 Website Banner Ads (340,000 impressions)



Conservation Activities Distribute via mass media – 17 Print Ads



Conservation Activities Distribute - RainScaping postcards



Conservation Activities Distribute - Rain Gardens Across Maryland book



Conservation Activities Distribute - From My Backyard to Our Bay guidebook



Conservation Activities Distribute - My Maryland Green Guides, which include rainscaping ads and

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articles



Conservation Activities Distribute - RainScaping Tips handout



Conservation Activities Distribute – Yard Signs



Conservation Activities Install - RainScaping Education Stations



Conservation Activities Measurement - visits to RainScaping.org using Google Analytics - 23,322

visits



Conservation Activities Measurement - Stormwater BMP Field Surveys



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National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Final Programmatic Report Project Name and Number: RainScaping Campaign (MD) – II Project Name and Number: 2009-0054-027 / 18934 Recipient Organization/Agency: Chesapeake Ecology Center Recipient Organization Web Address: www.ChesapeakeEcologyCenter.org; www.RainScaping.org Date Submitted: August 1, 2011

1) Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project’s key accomplishments and

outcomes that were observed or measured. The RainScaping Campaign (RC), with its 53 partners, provides a proven track record of creating a county-wide social marketing campaign, aimed at private property owners, who own 64 percent of the land in Anne Arundel County (pop. 537,656). Without a new landscaping paradigm among county residents to reduce polluted runoff, the County will not meet its TMDL requirements. Highlighting “RainScaping…Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution!,” the RC has produced outstanding rainscaping PSAs/Ads, signage, and educational material; and has distributed rainscaping messages via television, print, and web PSAs/Ads, advertising via social media and networks, posters, brochures, outdoor RainScaping Education Stations and other signage—all of which directs visitors to RainScaping.org for additional information. As of May 1, 2011, Google Analytics reports 31,285 visits to RainScaping.org, with 24,470 absolute unique visitors. Additionally, 165 rain garden and bioretention installations have been surveyed and documented in the City of Annapolis which indicates an increase of well over 100 percent from 2009 to 2011 (with numbers extrapolated to indicate progress for Anne Arundel County). As a result of numerous marketing and educational efforts, we estimate that rainscaping messages have reached at least 10 percent of Anne Arundel County residents.

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2) Project Activities & Results

Evaluation Logic Framework: How the Rainscaping Campaign will work, Phase II

Activities →

Indicator →

Baseline →

Projected Project Output →

Projected Post-Project Outcome

Maximize current partnership and continue to recruit new members

Overall coordinated partner approach is developed

37 partners currently recruited and actively participating (at various levels)

Strategy development with each partner finalized, partner summit held that sets coordinated, ambitious goals going forward

Individual partner strategies imple-mented, additional partners recruited

Further develop and refine usefulness of the “Rainscaping.org” website

Dynamic, interactive website with excep- tional content, lots of visuals, detailed info about RainScaping, incentives for homeowners

Current website

Numerous hits on web site; website is very helpful to visitors; inspires, informs, influences installation of rainscapes

Website continues to inform, promote action, and provides detailed info on campaign’s effectiveness via tracking

Develop additional multi-media marketing material that comple-ment existing material

3 new print PSA/ads and 3 new video PSA/ads

Evaluation of current grant’s PSA/ads effectiveness

Top quality multi-media marketing materials is used extensively in numerous venues

50,000+ residents reached, high per-centage understands issues and installs rainscapes resulting in improved water quality

Develop and refine promotional and educational material and signs

10,000 postcards, 2,000 booklets, 100 yard signs, 10 RESs

Existing materials

All postcards, booklets, yard signs, and RESs distributed, installed, and utilized

Updated booklets created, new collateral outreach materials developed and distributed

Conduct media outreach/public relations activities

RainScaping Partners write articles

Media coverage of current grant’s activities

Articles published in all parts of Anne Arundel County, information reaches target audience

RainScaping Campaign results are visible throughout County

Distribute via mass media, website, and live venues with help of train-the-trainer program participants

Mass media distribution, including television, radio, newspapers and websites

Examples from other campaigns and evaluation of piloting done under current grant

50,000+ residents reached through a variety of advertising media and live venues

RainScapes are visible throughout County resulting in improved water quality; becomes social norm

Evaluate all aspects of RainScaping Campaign

Feedback from website tracking, site visits, etc. of effectiveness of material, methods, results

Examples from other campaigns

5 percent or more Anne Arundel County residents implement RainScaping practices; RainScapingCampaign is highly successful

Extensive evaluation results very useful for future campaigns; model used by others

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Activities

HIGHLIGHTS OF RAINSCAPING CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES DURING PHASE II PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE—November 1, 2009 to May 1, 2011

OVERVIEW The RainScaping Social Marketing Campaign—an Environmental Partnership for Stormwater Runoff Solutions— has gained significant traction throughout Anne Arundel County to encourage residents to practice ―RainScaping‖ to reduce polluted runoff. Working together, 53 environmental non-profit and government partners have made great strides in implementing a social marketing campaign to improve the health of the County's tributaries and the Chesapeake Bay. The RainScaping Campaign (RC) highlights pollutants carried to our waterways in stormwater runoff and promotes a comprehensive approach to easy-to-use solutions to clean up our streams, creeks, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. RainScaping techniques such as rain gardens, native tree and shrub planting, rain barrels, and permeable pavers are proven and widely-accepted "beautiful landscaping techniques" that effectively manage stormwater runoff at the source to protect our waterways, while providing wildlife habitat and reducing our carbon footprint. A concentrated social marketing campaign in Anne Arundel County has included: television, print, web, outdoor advertising, and RainScaping Presentations, Exhibits, and Tours. The RC is designed to reach our target audience in the most engaging way, through a variety of media and in person through numerous live venues to ―influence public behavior‖ for a common goal of improving water quality. The campaign has appealed to a broad audience and especially to early adopters, including—environmentalists, gardeners, and cultural creatives—people that, to some extent, know what the problems are but need encouragement and information to take the next step. Our goals included reaching at least 10 percent (50,000+) Anne Arundel County residents and inspiring them to visit RainScaping.org often for user-friendly information on rainscaping practices, a schedule of RainScaping Presentations, Exhibits, and Tours, and to begin rainscaping in their yards and communities. Our slogans are "RainScaping…Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution!," and “Reduce Runoff…Slow It Down, Spread it Out, Soak It In!‖

▪ Maximize current partnership and continue to recruit new members The RainScaping Campaign currently has 53 partners (see Attachment A), all with a common goal of improving the health of our tributaries and the Chesapeake Bay by motivating a critical mass of residents to make RainScaping the norm in Anne Arundel County. The strength of the campaign is in the dynamic synergies of the RC partnership. Phase I of the RC involved: homeowner surveys of current landscaping practices, target audience surveys of words and phrases that resonate, and focus group testing of rainscaping graphics and PSAs/Ads; the development of the RainScaping Campaign’s brand, website, advertising and educational material; the distribution of PSAs/Ads, educational material and signage; and numerous live venues. Phase II of the campaign involved: increased coordination with RC Partners to promote rainscaping; continued development of advertising materials and www.RainScaping.org (all advertising points to the website for more information and measurement of interest); continued distribution of PSAs/Ads in a variety of media and distribution of signage; providing numerous RainScaping Presentations, Exhibits, and Tours; providing technical assistance to groups; and working with volunteers. Fifty three RainScaping Campaign Partners bring their particular strengths to the RC, include a link to RainScaping.org on their websites, and some include PSAs and articles on their websites. During Phase II, we have recruited 16 new RC Partners and increased our numbers from 37 to 53.

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Through the combined efforts of RC Partners, we have experienced significant market penetration in Anne Arundel County, resulting in residents adopting rainscaping practices. As part of a coordinated partner strategy, we have provided partners with periodic updates and we have worked intensively with several partners, to maximize their particular organization's strengths in reaching, inspiring and educating our target audience. We have formed a core RainScaping Work Group, including 12 Master Gardeners. Outstanding examples of partner participation include:

• Anne Arundel County Master Gardeners (MG)—voted and approved the working partnership, that is, a special Master Gardener project with the CEC to promote RainScaping in 2009, 2010, and in 2011. MGs have provided extensive rainscaping promotion and education (see Attachment A for a Schedule of Activities with MGs and Other Volunteers). We’ve trained trainers by working with MGs, who have led several rainscaping garden tours, worked with volunteers and students to install rain gardens, and participated in rainscaping exhibits and workshops. • Working with several RC Partners, including MGs, we installed four rain gardens in 2010 and 2011. For one of the home rain garden installations to produce videotape for RC productions, we designed a rain garden, put together the paperwork for approval from the county, and documented site preparation and rain garden and rain barrel installations. We also designed and installed three new rain gardens at the CEC (for a total of 11 rain gardens), which were photographed and videotaped to produce footage for PSAs/Ads. • Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA)—has provided extensive rainscaping promotion; we’ve given several presentations and provided exhibits at WSA events; and we’ve worked closely with WSA to assist them in developing their certification program, identifying and collecting resources and training Stewards. The RC has also provided signs, posters and other outreach material for Stewards’ use in community engagement. • AA County Public Library—has conducted extensive rainscaping promotion by distributing RC postcards, rain garden books, and has circulated a rotating rainscaping display at several of the County’s 15 libraries. Four rainscaping presentations have been given at libraries. • Anne Arundel County, Watershed Ecosystem Restoration Services—the County’s rain garden page includes rainscaping information provided by the RC and a link to RainScaping.org.

There are eight new RC partners as of 2011, including: Annapolis Environmental Commission, Anne Arundel County Library System, Chesapeake Children's Museum, Four Rivers Garden Club, Friends of Quiet Waters Park, Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, Oyster Harbor Citizens Association, and Patuxent Riverkeeper. RC Partner Participation is included in Attachment A. The RC has supported RC Partners and others by providing rainscaping handouts, books, and signage. RC postcards and posters have been provided to RC Partners, including full sets of posters to Watershed Stewards Academy, Anne Arundel County Library System, Spa Creek Conservancy, and to stewards. The future of rainscaping is in partnerships and collaborations that motivate residents to make rainscaping the norm. Notably, if funding is obtained, the Watershed Stewards Academy (WSA) will become the primary coordinator to continue the RC and build upon the current RC momentum, with assistance from the CEC. WSA Stewards have used rainscaping material in their work with communities on an on-going basis. To support the efforts of Stewards to change the behavior of a meaningful percentage of landowners, much more marketing of rainscaping solutions needs to be done over a sustained period of time. The RainScaping Campaign has gained significant traction, especially within the last several months. The RC has established a presence throughout Anne Arundel County and is being recognized and looked to for guidance by numerous county residents. Building on the success to-date, continued marketing of rainscaping will keep the momentum going.

▪ Further develop and refine usefulness of the ―Rainscaping.org‖ website

In addition to RainScaping PSAs/Ads, articles, posting on social networks, and numerous live venues, the RainScaping Campaign is centered around RainScaping.org. Significant upgrades have been made

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to RainScaping.org, including improvement of the look and layout, the addition of new pages and several photos and graphics, and an expanded native plant database—which are the most heavily visited pages. RainScaping.org includes: an extensive native plant database with photos and detailed information, and plant and mulch calculators; user-friendly information on stormwater runoff problems and solutions, with downloadable PSAs; upcoming events page, which helps to advertise RC Partners’ events; pages on rain gardens, rain barrels, and permeable surfaces; an extensive Resources page; a Media Kit page; and it includes an About Us page with links to our current 53 partner organizations. Extensive upgrades have been made on an on-going basis. The Home page has been revised, other pages have been improved, and three new website pages have been added (see Attachment C), including:

• Signage page, which includes 14 downloadable signs • Frequently Asked Questions page • Video Gallery page, which includes 5 instructional videos

RainScaping.org informs visitors about incentive programs, including the up-to-$10,000 Stormwater Tax Credit incentive Anne Arundel County provides; and Maryland’s $25 tree coupon program. Additionally, the website informs visitors about Anne Arundel County’s GIS Mapping application. In late 2010, the RainScaping Facebook page was developed, which is continually updated - www.facebook.com/RainScaping.

▪ Develop additional multi-media marketing material that complement existing material We have assembled and adapted material from existing programs, and developed new material to create (in addition to existing material) three new print PSAs/Ads, two for print publications and one for website banner PSAs/Ads. We have developed two TV Ads/PSAs. In the spring of 2010, in three separate day-long sessions, we interviewed and videotaped several individuals, rain garden/bioretention and rain barrel installations to produce footage for two 30-second TV Ads/PSAs which aired on nine networks, via Comcast, for seven weeks in September and October 2010 (2,478 Ads—see Attachment E), and to produce short instructional videos on rain gardens and rain barrels for posting on YouTube, RainScaping.org and on RC Partners’ websites. We have designed and installed rain gardens and rain barrels for footage for two TV ads; and over the course of a year (with minimal resources), we’ve produced two instructional videos on rain gardens and rain barrels (see Attachment M for copies of new RC videos developed). TV PSAs/Ads (aired on 9 networks) in the fall of 2010 and are posted on RainScaping.org and on YouTube:

• RainScaping Ad 1—30-seconds, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7IGH-jZCgk • RainScaping Ad 2—30-seconds, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dp5PljDXLI

• Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution PSA —30-seconds, on-going airing on Anne Arundel County's Public Access Station, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmRLNvxFSsY.

The following instructional videos can be viewed at www.RainScaping.org and on YouTube; and have been viewed many more times via workshops and use by various groups:

• Installing Rain Gardens to Reduce Runoff, 6:17 minute video, completed April 2011, 350 YouTube views - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYE6De8wSZA&feature=player_embedded • It's Raining Rain Barrels!...How to Install a Rain Barrel, 2:26 minute video, completed April 2011, 149 YouTube views - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7hfimgWy70&feature=player_embedded

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▪ Develop and refine promotional and educational material and signs RainScaping Campaign Educational Programs—including exhibits, speaking engagements, and on-the-ground tours and demonstrations—have been continually improved and implemented to influence and assist urban and suburban landowners that understand the importance of rainscaping, but may need help to start rainscaping on their own. Through the efforts of the campaign, residents are actively participating in rainscaping activities, which result in reduced pesticide and fertilizer use, better management of pet waste, trash, oil, and other contaminants; and the installation of rainscapes. Many hours were spent developing and refining rainscaping PSAs/Ads, a variety of signs including yard signs, postcard brochures and handouts; we’ve continued to develop and improve the rainscaping power point presentation; updated the Media Kit; and on-going improvements have been made to RainScaping.org (see examples included in Attachment D). A new Before & After RainScaping Poster has been developed. Three years ago, we received permission from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR) to use the "Before" image. We've made several adjustments and additions to this image and we've developed the "After" image. RC Partners and many others especially like and use this poster/print PSA; and several entities have borrowed the image, either with or without permission. The RC assisted in the development of a 47-page book, entitled Rain Gardens Across Maryland, produced by Worchester County for their use and for use by the RainScaping Campaign and residents throughout Maryland. RainScaping topics including rain gardens, rain barrels, and native plants are covered. Throughout the winter of 2009 and 2010, Zora worked with Keota Silaphone on the book to put together the native plant section and she contributed photos, text, and editing throughout the guidebook. The RainScaping Campaign is one of seven sponsors of the publication; and we purchased 2,000 copies for distribution during presentations and special events. The RC assisted in the development of From My Backyard to Our Bay, a guidebook produced by the Watershed Stewards Academy. In the winter of 2009/2010, Zora contributed text and editing throughout the guidebook and provided graphics.

▪ Conduct media outreach/public relations activities To promote rainscaping, we have advertised in a variety of media and conducted numerous live venues to inspire and educate residents; and we have shared the campaign’s materials and model to assist RC Partners and other groups in their rainscaping outreach initiatives. During Phase II of the RC, we have provided over 85 RainScaping Exhibits, Presentations, Mini-Workshops for Master Gardeners, and Garden Tours at environmental events, community fairs and meetings, and via hands-on training for volunteers (see Attachedment A). We have maximized low-cost methods and venues to promote pollution reduction and rainscaping, answer questions, and educate landowners and land managers. Through these activities, combined with advertising, educational initiatives, and the efforts of RainScaping Partners, we have achieved meaningful market penetration, resulting in Anne Arundel County residents adopting rainscaping practices, including installing and using: rain gardens, rain barrels, and grass swales; permeable surfaces instead of impermeable surfaces; and having smaller lawns, and more native trees, shrubs, and perennials. Notably, the term "rainscaping" is becoming standardized throughout the county. The RC has steadily gained momentum and recognition, exemplified by the continued increase in the number of visitors to RainScaping.org. We’ve worked directly with media outlets, including Comcast and the leading print publications in the county to promote rainscaping and direct residents to RainScaping.org for additional information. In

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addition to mass media distribution of PSAs/Ads and live venues, we have promoted rainscaping and educated residents via: RainScaping.org website; quarterly RainScaping Newsletters sent to 502 subscribers; direct mail, via Anne Arundel County’s Quarterly Update, which is sent to 125,000 households along with water bills; outlets of RainScaping Partners and others, e.g., websites, events, and newsletters; and through newspaper, magazine, and newsletter articles. The quarterly RainScaping Newsletter, keeps prospects and participants informed about rainscaping practices, resources, presentations, exhibits, garden tours, and special events; and periodic RainScaping Partner updates keeps RC Partners informed about campaign developments. We have received and answered numerous inquiries regarding a range of stormwater issues and solutions, sources for native plants, rain barrels, permeable pavers, contractors for rain garden installation, etc. We continue to receive requests for signage, and since posting new rain garden and rain barrel videos on our new Video Gallery page, we’ve received several requests for the video files (see Attachment B). Additionally, we have worked with the business community, especially nurseries. The two largest nurseries in Anne Arundel County—Homestead Gardens and GreenStreet Gardens—have displayed 5’ 2-sided rainscaping signs, and other business have displayed rainscaping signs.

▪ Distribute via mass media, website, and live venues with help of train-the-trainer program participants In collaboration with RainScaping Partners and others, we have produced and distributed outstanding rainscaping advertising and educational material. Social marketing includes television, print, and web PSAs/Ads, posters, brochures, outdoor RainScaping Education Signs/Stations and other signage, www.RainScaping.org and www.facebook.com/RainScaping. All marketing components display the RainScaping logo and www.RainScaping.org, which promotes rainscaping and instructs the public on how to use various techniques and materials for rainscaping. PSAs/Ads that have been distributed are listed below. The RC has provided numerous RainScaping Presentations, Exhibits, and Tours for a variety of groups (see Attachment A). Additionally, we’ve provided rainscaping instruction and worked with numerous students of all ages, including approximately 50 Adams Academy middle school students on several occasions, 12 Anne Arundel Community College interns on several occasions, and 24 Naval Academy midshipmen. Notably, shortly after the end of Phase II, on June 11, 2011, a 5-hour Stormwater Education Seminar was co-sponsored by Unity Gardens and the RainScaping Campaign. The seminar also included a tour of the 30 Native Plant Demonstration Gardens at the CEC. We have developed and distributed postcard brochures and handouts; several posters; rainscaping signs in a variety of sizes and shapes including yard signs; and outdoor RainScaping Education Signs, which are 5’ house-shaped double-sided signs, or more extensive RainScaping Education Stations, which are faux house frames showing rainscaping practices, plus signage. The RC has worked with 15 Anne Arundel County Libraries, beginning in 2009 and on-going, including supplying the library system with: a full set of rainscaping poster for use as a rotating exhibit by all 15 libraries; sets of postcards; and four boxes (280) Rain Gardens Across Maryland books. Zora has also given rainscaping presentations at libraries. We have supplied the Anne Arundel Watershed Stewards Academy with a full set of rainscaping posters for use as a rotating exhibit by Watershed Stewards. We have also provided 100 copies of Ecoscaping Back to the Future to the Watershed Stewards Academy. The RC supplied boxes of Rain Gardens Across Maryland books to the following entities: Greenstreet Gardens Nursery in Lothian; the Shady Side Rural Heritage Society in Deale; to a Master Gardener group on Eastern Shore; and to Bodkin Elementary School, along with brochures and postcards.

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Rainscaping outreach materials distributed at numerous environmental and community events, Farmers’ Market, etc.:

• RainScaping postcards • Rain Gardens Across Maryland book • From My Backyard to Our Bay guidebook • RainScaping factsheets • My Maryland Green Guides which include rainscaping ads and articles • Variety of conservation landscaping handouts • RainScaping logo and info is prominently featured in the Friends of QWP brochure, which is broadly distributed

▪ Evaluate all aspects of RainScaping Campaign We have conducted on-going evaluation and monitoring of the various aspects of the campaign, including tracking the number of Ads/PSAs distributed and the audience reached, and the number of live venues conducted and the audience reached. Focus group testing of rainscaping material has been conducted throughout the campaign; and viewer feedback has been very helpful in fine-tuning and adjusting PSAs/Ads, signage, and instructional videos. Using Google Analytics, we have been able to monitor the number of first time and returning visitors to RainScaping.org, the number of visits to specific pages, the number of pageviews, and the average time spent on the website (see Attachment F). We have conducted several day-long field surveys to determine the number of Stormwater BMPs/rainscapes in Annapolis. Extrapolating these figures for the measurement of rain gardens/bioretention installations in Anne Arundel County indicates significant progress.

Briefly explain discrepancies between the activities conducted during the grant and

the activities agreed upon in your grant agreement.

We received permission to modify a deliverable, that is: instead of producing three, 30-second TV PSAs/Ads, we produced two TV PSAs/Ads (completed summer 2010), plus two short instructional videos (completed spring 2011). Instead of producing a third TV PSA/Ad for this grant period, we used resources to produce two instructional videos on rain garden and rain barrel installation, which more than made up for the third TV PSA/Ad. The instructional videos have been more useful for the second phase of the RC, and have been a great benefit to residents.

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Results

HIGHLIGHTS OF RAINSCAPING CAMPAIGN RESULTS DURING PHASE II PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE—November 1, 2009 to May 1, 2011

OVERVIEW A multi-faceted RainScaping Social Marketing Campaign has made a significant impact in Anne Arundel County. We have endeavored to reach a critical mass of residents to encourage and assist behavioral change from traditional landscaping to rainscaping, with the goal of creating a mushroom effect whereby neighbors begin copying neighbors that practice rainscaping. We estimate that rainscaping messages have reached at least 10 percent of Anne Arundel County residents as a result of the following advertising and educational initiatives, and based on survey results: ▪ RainScaping Campaign advertising includes: Comcast reports 2 RC Ads aired 2,500 times reaching 96 percent of all cable households in Anne Arundel County an average of 6.6 times, PSAs have aired on the county public access channel on an on-going basis; pro bono airing for a week during the summer and fall 2010 of a 5-minute Comcast Newsmakers TV interview with Zora about rainscaping; placing a banner ad on Comcast.com and on magazine internet sites; 17 print ads in local magazines; and PSAs in RainScaping Partners’ newsletters and websites. Notably, half page, or larger PSAs and short articles have been included in Anne Arundel County’s Quarterly Update (mailing goes to 125,000 households). Rainscaping promotion has also occurred via several articles in print and web publications. Outdoor RainScaping Education Stations/Signs provide extended highly visible advertising. All this advertising helps drive people to the RainScaping.org for more information. As of May 1, 2011, Google Analytics reports 31,285 visits to RainScaping.org, with 24,470 absolute unique visitors. ▪ During Phase II, over 85 presentations, exhibits, and rain garden tours have been provided reaching over 5,000 people (see Attachment A for details). (From the beginning of the RC, over 175 presentations, exhibits, and tours have been provided.) Over a dozen in-person site visits to provide technical assistance to schools and communities have been provided; and countless emails requesting assistance have been answered. Additionally the RC’s coordinating partner—the CEC, with assistance especially from Master Gardeners—has educated students and volunteers while installing 3 rain gardens, removing invasive species and planting numerous trees and shrubs and countless perennials, and improving and maintaining 30 Native Plant Demonstration Gardens for use by the RC at the CEC. ▪ Additionally, 165 rain garden and bioretention installations have been surveyed and documented in the City of Annapolis which indicates an increase of well over 100 percent from 2009 to 2011 (with numbers extrapolated to indicate progress for Anne Arundel County).

SUMMARY OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS REPORTS FOR RAINSCAPING.ORG (see Attachment F for details) RC Phase II, 11-1-09 – 5-1-11 – 23,322 visits RC Phase I, 5-1-08 – 10-31-09 – 7,963 visits (RainScaping.org launched 4-22-09) RC Phase I and II Total Visits – 31,285 visits Total visits since RainScaping.org launch 4-22-09 – 7-25-11 – 35,988 visits

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11-1-09 – 5-1-11 – RC Phase II grant period (average 42.64 visits/day) - 23,322 Visits - 18,082 Absolute Unique Visitors - 115,675 Pageviews - 4.96 Average Pageviews - 00:03:22 Time on Site

5-1-2008 – 5-1-11 – RC Phase I & Phase II grant period (average 28.54 visits/day) - 31,285 Visits - 24,470 Absolute Unique Visitors - 143,609 Pageviews - 4.59 Average Pageviews - 00:03:10 Time on Site

5-2-11 - 7-25-11 – After RC Phase II grant period (average 55.33 visits/day) - 4,703 Visits - 3,817 Absolute Unique Visitors - 26,041 Pageviews - 5.54 Average Pageviews - 00:03:15 Time on Site

Top 20 most heavily visited pages during RC Phase II 11-1-09 – 5-1-11 1. Rain Garden Plants, Pageviews - 8,815 2. Home page - 6,586 3. Rain Gardens – 5,336 4. Home page - 3,634 5. Native Plants and Calculators - 2,690 6. Stormwater Issues & Solutions - 2,181 7. Rain Barrels - 2,137 8. Rain Garden Plants - 2,134 9. Photo Gallery - 2,126 10. Home page - 2,078 11. Rain Garden Plants - 1,870 12. Upcoming Events & News - 1,747 13. Permeable Pavers & Pavement - 1,689 14. Rain Garden Plants - 1,478 15. Rain Garden Plants - 1,442 16. Rain Garden Plants - 1,421 17. Rain Garden Plants - 1,391 18. Rain Garden Plants - 1,377 19. About Us / Sponsors & Partners - 1,288 20. Rain Garden Plants - 1,285 Notably, after a notice was sent via Chesapeake Network regarding the availability of Rain Garden and Rain Barrel installation videos, we received the highest number of visits to RainScaping.org: 202 visitors on April 13, 2011, and 212 visitors on April 14, 2011.

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SUMMARY OF STORMWATER BMP FIELD SURVEYS

(see Attachment G for details) The January 2009 City of Annapolis Watershed Study and Action Plan (prepared by the engineering firm McCrone, Inc.) states there were ―more than 60 rain gardens and water quality ponds around Annapolis." In April 2010, we conducted field surveys during three days to document and determine the number of Stormwater BMPs/rainscapes in Annapolis. We documented, with text and photos, 95 rain gardens and bioretention installations in Annapolis. (Additionally, other stormwater BMPs such as rain barrels and permeable pavers were documented, as well as stormwater ponds.) In May 2011, an additional 70 rain gardens and bioretention installations were documented for a total of 165 rain gardens and bioretention installations in Annapolis (and there are likely more that are undocumented). From 60 installations in January 2009, to 95 installations in April 2010, indicate an increase of more than 50 percent. From 95 installations in April 2010, to 165 installations in May 2011, indicate an increase of more than 75 percent. (The increase from January 2009 to May 2011 indicates an increase of over well over 100 percent in the number of installations.) Extrapolating these figures for the measurement of rain gardens and bioretention installations in Anne Arundel County indicates significant progress. (See Attachment H for a list of rain garden and bioretention installations in Annapolis.)

SUMMARY OF MASS-MEDIA DISTRIBUTION OF RAINSCAPING TV PSAs/ADs, WEBSITE BANNER ADS, PRINT ADS, OUTDOOR ADVERTISING, AND ADDITIONAL OUTLETS

2010 Television Ads/PSAs: ▪ Comcast Cable TV: 2,478, 30-second TV Ads on nine networks for seven weeks, during September and October 2010. Networks include: A&E, American Movie Classics, Bravo, Fox News, HGTV, TLC, USA, MSNBC, and Animal Planet. (Comcast predicts the 2,478 TV Ads aired will reach 96 percent of all cable households in Anne Arundel County an average of 6.6 times.) RainScaping TV Ad 1, 30 seconds—with Vince and his grandsons at the end http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7IGH-jZCgk RainScaping TV Ad 2, 30 seconds—with Cindy, Catherine, and Blaise at the end http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dp5PljDXLI Notably, our first 30 PSA— Beautiful Solutions to Water Pollution—has had 1,128 YouTube views. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmRLNvxFSsY&feature=player_embedded

Instructional Videos: ▪ Installing Rain Gardens to Reduce Runoff, 6:17 minute video, completed April 2011, 350 YouTube views - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYE6De8wSZA&feature=player_embedded ▪ It's Raining Rain Barrels!...How to Install a Rain Barrel, 2:26 minute video, completed April 2011, 149 YouTube views - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7hfimgWy70&feature=player_embedded ▪ 2011 Rain Garden and Rain Barrel videos also air on Anne Arundel County’s Public Access channel ▪ July 16, 2010: Videotaping of a 5 minute RainScaping TV segment. Donna Richardson conducted an interview with Zora Lathan at the PEG TV Studio for the ―Comcast Newsmakers‖ segment. The interview was a single take with no editing. The 5-minute TV segment about rainscaping aired in Anne Arundel County for a week in August 2010 and during the week of October 25, 2010 (air time donated by Comcast; in-kind value for the production and airtime for two weeks of airing in Anne Arundel County is

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$10,000). The video can be viewed at - http://www.comcastcreative.com/video/NMGBZoraLathan_01.wmv ▪ RainScaping at the Chesapeake Ecology Center, 5-minutes, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bE8KcVRL-0 Sunday April 25, 2010, Maryland Public Television rebroadcast ―RainScaping at the Chesapeake Ecology Center‖ (which they filmed and aired initially in April 2009) for the 2-hour Chesapeake Bay Week Volunteer-A-Thon. We have received permission from MPT to use the footage for the RainScaping Campaign.

Website Banner Ads: ▪ www.Comcast.net: Banner Ad, 300,000 impressions, during September and October 2010 (―Comcast.net sees its 15 million users more times per month than any other ISP;‖ 3.1 billion page views each month.‖) ▪ www.ChesapeakeFamily.com: Banner Ad, 20,000 impressions, during September and October 2010 (ChesapeakeFamily.com attracts over 25,000 page views per month.) ▪ http://mygreenguidemaryland.com: Banner Ad, 20,000 impressions, during September and October 2010

Print Ads in Magazines: (see Attachment H for examples) ▪ Anne Arundel County Quarterly Update (mailed summer 2010 along with water bills to 125,000 households): 2/3 page RainScaping PSA and article in Anne Arundel County’s Quarterly Update, which is sent to 125,000 households along with water bills (also occurred for a first time in the Fall of 2009.) ▪ What's Up Annapolis? Magazine: 1/2 page Ad in April 2010 issue. (Circulation - 64,376+ copies per issue; 57,079+ copies are mailed free to upscale households in Anne Arundel County; 7,297+ copies are distributed at newsstands, bookstores. Estimated readership - 224,000.) ▪ What's Up Annapolis? magazine: 1/4 page Ad in May 2010 issue ▪ What's Up Annapolis? magazine: 1/4 page Ad in June 2010 issue ▪ What's Up Annapolis? magazine: 1/4 page Ad in October 2010 issue ▪ What's Up Annapolis? magazine: 1/4 page Ad in November 2010 issue ▪ What's Up Annapolis? magazine: 1/4 page Ad in December 2010 issue ▪ What’s Up Annapolis? Magazine: 1/4 page Ad in April 2011 issue ▪ Chesapeake Family magazine: 2/5 page Ad in October 2010 issues. (Circulation – 40,000 copies per issue; delivered in Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Calvert, and Howard counties as well as the Eastern Shore. Estimated readership - 108,000.) ▪ Chesapeake Family magazine: 2/5 page Ad in November 2010 issue ▪ Chesapeake Family magazine: 2/5 page Ad in December 2010 issue ▪ My Green Guide Maryland magazine: Full page—Ad and Article, fall 2009 through spring 2010. (Twice-yearly guide produced by Chesapeake Family magazine. Circulation - 50,000 copies per issue. Estimated readership - 135,000.) ▪ My Green Guide, Maryland: Full page—Ad and Article, spring 2010 through fall 2010 ▪ My Green Guide, Maryland: Full page Ad on inside cover page, fall 2010 through spring 2011 ▪ My Green Guide Maryland magazine: Full page Ad on inside cover page, spring 2011 through fall 2011 ▪ Capital Style magazine, Capital Gazette: 2/3 page Ad in March 2011 issue (Distributed to 35,461 households in Anne Arundel County that are home delivery subscribers to The Capital

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▪ Maryland Life bi-monthly magazine: 1/6 page Ad in November/December 2010 issue. (Circulation - 60,000 copies per issue. Estimated readership - 300,000.)

RainScaping Articles: (see Attachment I) Magazines and Newspapers Articles ▪ My Green Guide Maryland magazine: Full page Article with Ad fall 2009 through spring 2010 ▪ My Green Guide, Maryland: Full page Article with Ad, spring 2010 through fall 2010 ▪ What's Up Annapolis Magazine, April 2010, How to Rain Scape at Home to Save the Bay, by Kymberly Taylor ▪ EPA feature article, October 2010, PESPwire, RainScaping: A Social Marketing MessageThat Soaks In, by Todd Peterson, Ph.D., EPA (based on a three-hour interview with Zora) ▪ We have received extensive coverage in the Washington Post newspaper, and other publications (two articles during the previous grant period) and one article during this grant period about rainscaping and the campaign have been written by landscape designer and author Joel Lerner, who has a huge following. (Washington Post average weekly circulation - 1.4 million+ copies) ▪ What’s Up Annapolis magazine article, May 2011, Garden Plans For Our Area: Colorful Rain Garden, by Renee Houston Zemanski (based on interviews of Zora Lathan and Joyce Donlon, Master Gardener) Newsletter and Website Articles and Postings ▪ Quarterly RainScaping Newsletters sent to 502 subscribers ▪ CEC Newsletter, several articles about RC ▪ Severn River Association Newsletter, Winter 2009/2010 issue ▪ Jug Bay Newsletter, Summer 2010 ▪ Rainscaping PSAs and information is included on RC Partners’ and other entities websites, on blogs, and more, including Annapolis Green newsletters and on their website (which is distributed broadly) ▪ City of Annapolis and other websites, 2011 ▪ Severna Patch, 2011 ▪ Davidsonville Patch, 2011 ▪ Greater Annapolis Patch, 2011

RainScaping Education Stations Installed: We have worked with local government, schools, and the business community to secure permission to install RainScaping Education Stations (RES) at parks, nurseries, and other sites. RESs are either a partial faux house frame that showcases rainscaping practices and includes signage; or large, two-sided house-shaped signs with rainscaping information. RESs have been installed at: ▪ Greenstreet Gardens Nursery in Lothian, 2010 ▪ Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville (the largest nursery in Anne Arundel County), 2010 ▪ Truxtun Park in Annapolis. 2010 ▪ K&B True Value Hardware, 2010 ▪ Fall 2010, a RES was installed at the West River Center—a heavily used United Methodist Church retreat camp on the south shore of the West River. ▪ November 18, 2010: 11 a.m., met with Lisa Webb, Baldwin Homes Green Learning Center, 1758 Holladay Park Road, Grambrills Road, MD 21054. Location of large 2-sided outdoor house-shaped RES. ▪ RES at Housing Authority of City of Annapolis, spring 2011 ▪ RES at Glen Burnie, spring 2011 ▪ RES at Sunset Elementary School, spring 2011 (▪ RES and rain garden at Quiet Waters Park – to be installed fall 2011)

Rain Garden Kiosks and Yard Signs Distributed: ▪ Hillsmere community— Jennie Gundersen, 4-30-10 ▪ Severna Park community—Ann Jackson, 4-30-10 and spring 2011

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▪ Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis ▪ 100 RainScaping Yard signs

RainScaping Outreach Materials Distributed: ▪ RainScaping postcards, 10,000 ▪ Rain Gardens Across Maryland book, 2,000 ▪ From My Backyard to Our Bay guidebook, 200 ▪ RainScaping factsheets, 500 ▪ My Maryland Green Guides (includes rainscaping ads and articles), 500

ADDITIONAL RAINSCAPING EXPOSURE ▪ Notably, extensive rainscaping information, provided by the RC, and a link to RainScaping.org is included on Anne Arundel County’s Rain Garden Page (which includes permit information) at: http://www.aacounty.org/DPW/Highways/RainGarden.cfm.

Restoration Projects Installed: ▪ Restored rain gardens at CEC, which were damaged by an inordinate amount of snow fall in 2010. ▪ 3 rain gardens at CEC and on City of Annapolis property and forest buffer extension ▪ Native trees installed throughout 10-acre campus of Adams Academy/CEC ▪ Rain garden and rain barrels in Arundel on the Bay ▪ Bayscape installed on the beachfront in Highland Beach

Provided Instruction and Technical Assistance to: ▪ Adams Academy teachers and students on an on-going basis ▪ Sunset Elementary School teacher Sue McDonald, who installed a rain garden on 4-29-11 Arbor Day ▪ Germantown Elementary School staff, spring 2011 ▪ Harbour School staff, 2010

3) Lessons Learned ▪ Appeal to residents self interest, e.g., people find motivation in something that improves the environment and beautifies the natural landscape near their home, school, or workplace. ▪ Do as much of the preliminary graphic design work and video production work as possible. By doing so you’ll save on time, budget, and miscommunication. Allow time for trial and error in developing effective graphics and PSAs/Ads; and conduct focus group testing of advertising material. ▪ The greater population is largely unaware of what is meant by RainScaping, Environmental Site Design (ESD), or Low Impact Development (LID). However, RainScaping is a more intuitive term than ESD or LID. ▪ It is challenging to motivate groups to work together and have buy-in and participation in a joint effort. A significant help with partner buy-in are the outstanding rainscaping posters, signs, and handouts that have been developed, which are being used by partners on a continually increasing basis. ▪ Include as many active partners as possible. Partner involvement will inevitably vary. Many NGOs are looking for assistance with their projects and programs, while some NGOs, such as Master Gardeners, are organized to provide assistance.

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▪ Give consideration to scaling back the campaign after the funding period, for example, how long to keep the website running and how will website hosting costs and web management be covered.

4) Dissemination

Through the collaborative efforts of RC Partners, the benefits of the cooperative RainScaping Campaign include: sharing resources; reducing duplication of effort; improving cost effectiveness between groups by sharing costs; and providing opportunities that would be difficult for a single group to undertake—all of which results in reaching more Anne Arundel County residents, and those residents adopting rainscaping practices to clean up our waterways. For example, the RC has worked closely with the Watershed Steward Academy, and Watershed Stewards have helped disseminate rainscaping messages throughout Anne Arundel County. The transferability of the campaign to the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed is high, and we are sharing materials and lessons learned with groups throughout the watershed. RainScaping multi-media advertising and educational material has been disseminated throughout Anne Arundel County and beyond, and requests from individuals and groups, both within and outside of the County, are continually increasing (see Attachment B). We have received and answered numerous inquiries regarding a range of stormwater issues and solutions, sources for native plants, rain barrels, permeable pavers, contractors for rain garden installation, etc. We continue to receive requests for signage, graphic components of signs, and signage assistance. Since posting new rain garden and rain barrel videos on our new Video Gallery page, we’ve received several requests for the video files. We have provided a consultant for Montgomery County with information about how we are determining the effectiveness of the campaign.

5) Project Documents RainScaping Handouts and a CD including Photos and Videos are included in Attachment M:

RainScaping Photos (21)

Videos ▪ RainScaping TV Ad # 1, 30-seconds ▪ RainScaping TV Ad # 2, 30-seconds ▪ Installing Rain Gardens to Reduce Runoff, 6:17 minutes ▪ It's Raining Rain Barrels!...How to Install a Rain Barrel, 2:26 minutes ▪ Comcast Newsmakers RainScaping Segment, 5-minutes