Buy Nearby Downtown Grant Program 2022/2023 Logo

  • REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

    BuyNearby Downtown Grant Program

  • Description | Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) through its on-going public service awareness campaign, Buy Nearby, has created a new grant program to help you in promoting the Buy Nearby message in your local community. We will award $7,500 (one per quarter) to four (4) Michigan communities. It’s all part of the Buy Nearby campaign that encourages shoppers to keep their money in the Mitten. The intent of this program is to help you inform your communities that if Michiganders redirected 10% of their estimated $23.7 B in out-of-state spending, Michigan would gain $1.9B in increased economic activity, create more local jobs, and healthier communities.

    What we are looking for | We are looking for out-of-the-box marketing strategies that drive business back to your retailers.

    Customized Marketing Campaign | For the first time ever, MRA wants to involve you in our state-wide PSA campaign to promote Buy Nearby and has partnered with Nexstar Media to help you develop and execute a custom marketing campaign to expose your retailers to the masses. Your submission will allow your organization to be considered for a co-branded customized marketing strategy. All we ask is that withing the messaging that there is dedicated space for our brief branding messaging (i.e. Buy Nearby) at the beginning and end of the television or video messaging. To further enhance your strategy, Nexstar Media has developed a very cost-effective method for individual business to participate.

    All proposals must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 1, 2022 to be considered.

    This funding is made available with the intent of outbound marketing and can only be used with Nexstar Media/ Lansing. You also agree that if your organization is awarded a grant, Michigan Retailers Association and Nexstar Media/Lansing will be given a 1-year membership to your organization at no charge, along with the ability to participate in/with your business community functions.

    QUESTIONS – We require all questions to be emailed to jrook@retailers.com.

     

  • Step 1. Include the program's name with your proposal - Buy Nearby Downtown Grant Program.

  • Step 2. Provide an overview of your organization, organization chart, membership totals, mission.  Provide a profile describing the organization and include all of the following:

  • Provide a profile describing the organization and include all of the following:

    • The official name of the organization.
    • Firm’s organizational structure (e.g. corporation, partnership, Limited Liability Company, association, etc.).
    • The jurisdiction in which firm is organized and the date of such organization.
    • The address of firm’s headquarters, any local office involved.
    • The organization's Federal Tax Identification Number.
    • The name, address, telephone, fax numbers and e-mail address of the person(s) who will serve as the contact(s), with regards to the RFP response, and with authorization to make representations on behalf of and to bind firm.
    • A representation that the firm is in good standing in the state of Michigan and will have all necessary licenses, permits, certifications, approvals, and authorizations necessary in order to perform all of its obligations in connection with this RFP.
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  • Step 3. Timeframe: Select the dates that the grant will be used.

    Select one date range. The award must be used within the time frame awarded or forfeited.

  • Step 4. We are looking for out of-the-box ideas or untraditional timeframes - so review your archives and look for opportunities you’ve shelved because you didn’t have the funding. Provide an overview of the project and the audience you are looking for.  Include budget.

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  • Step 5. Outline project goals.

    • Explain the overall goals of the project.
    • What do you hope to accomplish with this grant?
    • How are you going to measure the success?
    • Does your idea include an event, if so, what is the timing of your event? Who is your target audience?

  • Step 6. Explain what your current roadblocks & barriers are to perform this function without the grant.

      Tell us how these roadblocks can be removed with the grant award?

  • Step 7. Include all participant sponsorships and total cost of the promotion.

    Outline all funding received through paid or in-kind sponsorships. Company or organization name and value of contribution or value-added donation.

  • Step 8. Tell us about your community.

    How active is the business community? What can we do to help your community? How would this grant help in promoting your retail businesses?
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  • Step 9. Signature Page

    Provide name, title, U.S. mail address, phone number and email contact information for each person involved. List level or responsibility and signature authority.

  • Step 10. Indemnification and Hold Harmless Signature page.

    The Proposer who is selected at its own expense, protect, defend, indemnify, save and hold harmless Michigan Retailers Association, Nexstar Media and its elected and appointed officers, employees, servants and agents from all claims, damages, lawsuits, costs and expenses including, but not limited to, all costs from administrative proceedings, court costs and attorney fees that Michigan Retailers Association and/or Nexstar Media and its elected and appointed officers, employees, servants and agents may incur as a result of the acts, omissions or negligence of the Proposer or its employees, servants, agents or Contracts/Subcontractors that may arise out of the agreement. The Proposers indemnification responsibility under this section shall include the sum of damages, costs and expenses which are in excess of the sum of damages, costs and expenses which are paid out on behalf of or reimbursed, its officers, employees, servants and agents by the insurance coverage obtained and/or maintained by the Proposer.
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  • Step 10. Submission -

    Omissions of any of the above requested materials will disqualify you from consideration. Do not send proposal by way of express carrier or US mail because we may not be accessible in office to receive timely. If you have problems electronically transmitting, please contact Jennifer Rook at jrook@retailers.com.
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