Good Things are Happening in our Backyard

Bet you didn’t know that Rhode Island is shipping shoelaces to China or making a medical device for researchers all over the world. Well, soon you’ll know much more than that about Ocean State success stories.

The Rhode Island Foundation has launched a statewide marketing campaign designed to celebrate Rhode Island and highlight the state’s people, organizations, businesses and industries. “Rhode Island: It’s All in Our Backyard” features TV and radio ads, billboards, posters, web banner and tile ads and even window decals.

“This is an internal marketing campaign designed to change the way Rhode Islanders talk about their state. There are plenty of successes to feel good about right here in our own backyard — global industry and cutting-edge innovation, thriving entrepreneurship, world-class universities and a vibrant arts and culture scene,” said Neil Steinberg, the Foundation’s president and CEO.

“The state has a self-esteem problem. Backyard is a fact-based campaign that uses the real stories of real people to remind us of all the good things that are happening here,” he said.

The campaign includes a website — ourbackyardri.com — that features videos highlighting success stories such as Armando Nieves, a small businessman who owns two neighborhood meat markets, and Brown University scientist Jeff Morgan, who invented a 3D Petri dish that is manufactured in Rhode Island and sold around the world.

“Our Backyard aims to shift the tone of the conversation in Rhode Island, so we can engage in more productive discussions about how to address the real challenges we face,” said Jessica David, the Foundation’s vice president of strategy and public affairs.

Cheryl Merchant, president and CEO of Hope Global, is another of the Rhode Islanders featured in the campaign. The Cumberland textile manufacturer is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year.

“Manufacturing has always been a base and a core of the American and Rhode Island economies,” she said. “And now it’s on a new wave. It’s innovative; the processes are at a whole new level, speed and sophistication. At Hope Global, we are using lasers, ultra-sonics, and computerized cutting tables in the manufacture of textiles for many industries.

“Hope Global was actually awarded all of Red Wing Boots’ business in China and the USA. We brought this business back to Rhode Island and now ship Timberland, Red Wing and Wolverine boot laces to China, as well as the USA,” said Merchant. “To meet added engineering performance requirements, we’ve made them with pull strength and UV testing and anti-wicking and all the things you wouldn’t think you would do to just a simple shoelace.”

The Foundation wants you to share your own success story on the campaign’s website and social media, including Twitter and Instagram, using the hashtag #ourbackyardri.

Backyard’s funding comes from the Foundation, the R.I. Commodores, Delta Dental of R.I. and the Victor and Gussie Baxt Fund at the Foundation.  In addition, a host of companies including the Rhode Island Small Business Journal, Channel 6, Channel 10, Channel 12, Clear Channel Media, Cox Communications, Cumulus Media, Full Channel, GoLocalProv, Lamar, the R.I. Airport Corporation and Verizon have donated advertising space and time as well as other services.

The Basics Group and MYRANDA Group were the campaign’s creative and communications consultants.

Backyard is an outgrowth of the Foundation’s economic development initiative, Make It Happen RI, which last year brought together more than 300 private sector and community leaders to brainstorm ways to jumpstart the state economy.

Supported through the Foundation’s Civic Leadership Fund, Make It Happen RI identified six major themes that emerged from the working sessions, including promoting Rhode Island inside the state.

The Foundation also announced a commitment of $1 million above its regular grantmaking to fund ideas and projects stemming from Make It Happen RI. So far, 16 projects have received more than $800,000 in funding.

The Rhode Island Foundation is the largest and most comprehensive funder of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island.  In 2012, the Foundation made grants of more than $30.4 million to organizations addressing Rhode Island’s most pressing issues and needs of diverse communities. Through leadership, fundraising, and grantmaking activities, often in partnership with individuals and organizations, the Foundation is helping our state reach its true potential. For more information, visit www.rifoundation.org.

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