Celebrating EmployABILTY Business Grant Recipients at Palm Springs Event
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Opportunity
Following the dissemination of all 33 EmployABILITY Business Grants, the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) asked us to spotlight and celebrate the small business recipients in a variety of ways. One of these methods was an event featuring two Palm Springs-based EmployABILITY Champions.
Our Approach
After interviewing the Palm Springs businesses, Roadrunner Print & Ship and Frisky Business Palm Springs Cat Café, we conducted boots-on-the-ground research on the Palm Springs small business community. After learning how interconnected the small businesses, local government, nonprofits, and general public were, we decided to host a celebration event highlighting the ways both recipients were using EmployABILITY Business Grant funds to generate awareness within the community, as well as with key players in California's state government. We developed informational and accessible posters for attendees to read, as well as generated a social media campaign for DOR and press kits.
The event, EmployABILITY Champions of Palm Spring Celebration, garnered media interest and was attended by more than 40 locals, including other small business owners and city officials. Speakers at the event included the DOR Director Joe Xavier, Deputy Director Kim Rutledge, and representatives from Governor Gavin Newsom and other state offices.