TOGETHER WE THRIVE

Forward to the Future in Relevance Delivering Programs to New Partners

INTENT Urban Connection Initiative

The US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region (USFS R2) is celebrating 25 years of cooperative
forestry program delivery by exploring the means and messages that will bring the benefits of
conservation to a broader and underserved audience in the Denver Metro Area, in turn helping
to build healthy communities.
Wed like to take this opportunity to share with you the innovative and collaborative steps the State
& Private Forestry and Tribal Relations (SPF-TR) team is taking to ensure federal programs and
partnerships continue to enhance everyday life through provision of and access to clean air, clean
water, trees, forests, and open space far into the future. The USFS R2 SPF-TR team is committed
to inclusion and creating relevance and access to federal programs for all communities.

CONTEXT
USFS Mission :: Caring for the land and serving people
National Priorities :: Sustain our nations forests and grasslands, Strengthen communities,
Connect people to the outdoors, Promote an inclusive culture
Regional Priorities :: Restoration and resilience, Public service, Inclusion and diversity
Cooperative Forestry Programs :: Forest Stewardship, Urban and Community Forestry,
Community Forest & Open Space, Forest Legacy

AGENDA
- Introductions
- What initiated this project and how we got here
- Spin and uncovering the WHY
- Interactive Session
- Questions

INTRODUCTIONS
State & Private Forestry and Tribal Relations + SPIN

- Susan Johnson, USFS // Tribal Relations

- Claire Harper, USFS // Forest Legacy & Watershed Partnerships
- Dana Coelho, USFS // Urban & Community Forestry
- Jeanna Leurck, USFS // Forest Stewardship & Landowner Assistance
- Kalli Skov, Spin // Managing Director
- Brigette Schabdach, Spin // CEO
- Hannah McCaffrey, Spin // Account Executive
- Ryan Johnson // Spin, Creative Director

USFS

A Forest Parable

HOW WE GOT HERE

HOW WE GOT HERE. SITUATION

State & Private Forestry and Tribal Relations has excellent

partnerships and tremendous depth of knowledge and experience
with our traditional partners.
Situation: How do we create new partnerships with non-traditional audiences that are mutually
beneficial, responsive, genuine, and long-lasting?
Objective: Strive to keep pace with rapid demographic change; updating delivery methods to
achieve/enhance fairness and equity.
Solution: Discovering our core truth and creating a narrative that authentically makes a connection.
Re-branding ourselves as conveners and connectors, facilitating community-focused
action toward shared goals. Thus create a clear initiative. Urban Connection Initiative.

USFS

Pure Reflection

SPIN + UNCOVERING THE WHY

HOW WE GOT HERE. PROCESS

THE GENESIS +
EXPLORATION

PLANNING

BRAND STORY DEVELOPMENT

+ MEASURE ROI

HOW WE GOT HERE. PROCESS

GENESIS +
EXPLORATION

DISCOVERING
OUR WHY

BRAND STORY DEVELOPMENT

+ MEASURE ROI

HOW WE GOT HERE. PROCESS

GENESIS +
EXPLORATION

DISCOVERING
OUR WHY

DEVELOPMENT OF
OUR NARRATIVE

BRAND STORY DEVELOPMENT

+ MEASURE ROI

HOW WE GOT HERE. PROCESS

WE ARE HERE
THE GENESIS +
EXPLORATION

THE PROCESS OF
DISCOVERING OUR WHY

IDENTIFY + NARRATIVE
DEVELOPMENT

ACTIVATING OUR
NARRATIVE, OUR VOICE

DEFINITION OF BRAND
/brand/ a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a
particular name., :particular kind or type of something

Spin believes a brand is so much more then just that. More than a logo, tagline or
website we believe a brand exists in the very people that make up the culture of the
organization.
It is a conceptual way of thinking that defines a tangible and sensory way of being. More
than an object, its an action that touches every part of your company and engages each
sense.
It empowers and connects employees, clients, and consumers.
It is experienced and memorable. It becomes viral as users experience it, join
and pass it along.

SPIN DISCOVERY PROCESS TO OUR INITIATIVE

Discovery is conducted for the purpose of revealing innate core attributes, beliefs,
values and business objectives of a brand, its products and services. This is a critical
step which provides a solid foundation to the development of the brand position or in
this case your organizations initiative - also known as the brand story/narrative.
The State and Private Forestry and Tribal Relations are a brand that sit within the USFS
brand. It is important for us to have a clear voice that supports our mission and aligns
with the mission of the USFS.
SPRTR is the agencys partnership business area. Our business and responsibility is to
cultivate and maintain relationships with clients, partners and communities around
conservation

THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION:
A BETTER WAY TO CONNECT & CAPTURE SHARE OF HEART.
Target audiences gravitate toward and resonate
with self-actualized brands. Those who focus on
the Why first, rather than the How or the What.
Oftentimes, brands are misled into believing that
they must be what the consumer wants in order to
sell, so they default into simply conveying how they
do it and what they do.

SPEAKING FROM THE INSIDE OUT

Communicating from the outside in
WHAT // We make great computers
HOW // Theyre beautiful designed, simple to use, and user friendly
WHY // Wanna to buy one?
Communicating From the inside out
WHY // We believe in challenging the status quo, we believe in thinking differently
HOW // The way we challenge the status quo is by making our products simple to
use and beautifully designed
WHAT // We just happen to make computers. . . do you wanna buy one?

USFS

Pure Reflection

OUR WHY

THE STATE & PRIVATE FORESTRY AND TRIBAL RELATIONS WHY

URBAN CONNECTIONS INITIATIVE

We believe people are of the land. And the land is our connection to the world and
therefore, ourselves
Through the Urban Connections Initiative
We are committed to developing and delivering relevant community oriented
programs to tribal and underserved urban populations

CULTURAL BRAND EXPESSION

What images express the core idea of the brand today and in the future?
The personality of the brand expressed in a visual framework

+ words that express

INTERACTIVE SESSION

CULTURAL BRANDING. INTERACTIVE SESSION

Building healthy communities. Interest in health disparities and environmental justice
Getting to a why. In one to three words, write down the answers to these questions.
1. What does a healthy community look like to you? How does it feel, taste and smell?
2. How does it nourish you a human being?
3. How does it nourish a culture and a community?
4. How does it nourish the earth?

USFS

Pure Reflection

OUR NARRATIVE

Susan Johnson, USFS // Tribal Relations // sjohnson08@fs.fed.us

Dana Coelho, USFS // Urban & Community Forestry // dcoelho@fs.fed.us
http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r2/communityforests
Brigette Schabdach, SPIN // Founder // brigette@spindenver.com
spindenver.com

THANK YOU