A virtual series for Hometown Pride volunteers and coaches from across Iowa to learn and share.
Get the Word Out: Marketing Tips for Hometown Pride Committees
September 23, 2026 at Noon (1 hour, virtual)
RSVP below to receive the meeting link.
Keep Iowa Beautiful invites all Hometown Pride volunteers to join a 1-hour, practical webinar focused on helping your committee promote your projects, events, and accomplishments. “Getting the word out” effectively can help you build community support, attract volunteers, and appeal to funders.
A panel of 3 experienced marketing experts will share strategies and examples for increasing visibility and telling your story:
- Jessie Shiels, Emerge Marketing – Keep Iowa Beautiful’s statewide marketing partner
- Lucinda Sperry, Norwalk Hometown Pride
- Samantha McCandless, Lake Park Hometown Pride
You’ll learn about crafting a compelling story, using social media and local news outlets more effectively, and building excitement around the work your committee is doing. We’ll also make time for you and your fellow participants to share your own publicity tips if you choose!
This session is designed for all Hometown Pride volunteers who want to strengthen outreach and elevate the impact and awareness of their work.
Previous Sessions:
Click here for materials and recordings from previous sessions.
Grant Writing for Hometown Pride Volunteers
June 4, 2026 at Noon (online)
Part of “Hometown Pride Connect,” a quarterly virtual learning series for Hometown Pride volunteers
Speaker Marla Quinn will share her decades of grant writing expertise, in a presentation suitable for both beginners and those looking to improve their grant writing skills. Marla will start with the fundamentals that all grant writers should know, and then share intermediate tips that can bring applications to the next level. She will walk attendees through an example grant application and share how she would approach it, then provide time for a hands-on exercise to put your new skills to work in real time. You can expect detailed, practical advice that you can use on your next application. Marla is a Hometown Pride coach and the Grants and Municipal Coordinator at the East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA). Marla has 20+ years experience writing and winning grants from local, regional, State, Federal, and private funding sources.
Recruiting Volunteers: Tips for Hometown Pride Committees
March 31, 2026 at 12 pm (duration: 1 hour)
Volunteers are what make Hometown Pride run, so finding the right volunteers for the right roles is critical! Join Michelle Raymer of Volunteer Iowa, Lorin Ditzler of Keep Iowa Beautiful, and Hometown Pride volunteers across Iowa to discuss tips for finding and recruiting volunteers to your cause. We’ll discuss how to create clear expectations and appealing volunteer opportunities, how to get the word out, and how to get potential volunteers to go from “maybe” to “absolutely!” All Hometown Pride committee members and volunteers are invited to attend.
