He She Ze & We

He She Ze & We is a Richmond, VA local non-profit that provides "support to Transgender and Nonbinary people by empowering their families, communities, and allies to create life-saving, inclusive environments."

The Ask

Shannon McKay, co-founder and Executive Director of HSZ&W, said the non-profit struggled with funding and volunteers to keep HSZ&W running.

Our Hypothesis: Raising brand awareness would provide the funds and volunteers HSZ&W needs.

So We Did some Research.

Our team created and distributed 3 different surveys to reach all of HSZ&W's potential audiences:

Parents of Transgender/ Nonbinary/ Nonconforming Youth: 56 Responses
Transgender/ Nonbinary/ Nonconforming Adults: 77 Responses
LGBTQIA+ Allies: 19 Responses

The Findings:

85.7% of parents

said they already have resources to support their child(ren).

40.4% of families

said resources are out there, but people don't actively try to look.

91.1% of
parents

are "very accepting" of their child's identity, the remaining 8.9% are also "accepting."

67.3% of LGBTQIA+ adults

said that resources are out there for those who are willing to look.

85.8% of parents

said they are already secure in navigating their child's identity.

Our Hypothesis is wrong!

People do not need help finding the resources offered by He She Ze & We.

If the LGBTQ+ community didn't need help looking for resources such as

He She Ze & We, where is the problem?

The Problem? HSZ&W Needs Support.

HSZ&W needed more funds and volunteers to continue to support their fast-growing community. Raising brand awareness to those in need of their support would not bring volunteers and funding, but just the need for even more volunteers and funding.
So who should we target to raise awareness for support?

The Answer:
Allies

Allies are those with friends, family, significant others, etc. in the LGBTQ+ community that would feel a direct relation and empathy towards the cause
They are less likely to need support, but can help provide it for others
We saw from our surveys that they were the least active amongst respondents
They are the least in the know, but can provide the most help to the LGBTQ+ community

STRATEGY

The Brief

Objective

Increase actionable help from allies.

Target

Allies who “support” through passive and convenient means.

Strategy

He She Ze & We needs authentic support in order to give authentic support.

Problem

HSZW’s growth rate is not sustainable with the current lack of human and financial resources.

Insight

Allies think acceptance is support.

Plan of Attack

Provide community outreach tools that inspire a call to action.

Allison the ACtionless Ally (She/Her)

Goes to pride because it's "fun"
Okay with pronouns, as long as they aren't too difficult
Supports her friends, but has never volunteered for an LGBTQ+ organization
Spends money on a pride outfit, but doesn't donate to LGBTQ+ orgs

Creating the
Journey From Acceptance to Action

Step 1:
Connect with the Community

LGBTQIA-themed Trivia night
Social Media 'We' Wednesdays
Forming community partnerships with local businesses
Create informational flyers to put up at partnerships
Community event with Stonewall Sports (local LGBTQ+ league)

Step 2:
Invite the Action

Educational events focused around allyship
Social media content that inspires a call to action
Establishing official partnership with Stonewall
Tabling events
Reels like Roe vs Bros

Step 3:
volunteers Become VIPs

Promoting volunteering as a VIP experience
Volunteers get discounts with community partnerships
Team events: Dinner, happy hours, pre event brunches, post event parties etc.
Youth talent showcase with after party