press

Barefoot is once again inviting local non-profit organizations in need of advertising help to vie for one of two $25,000 grants. Each grant will cover $25,000 in billable agency time, which can be applied toward strategic and creative development.

“Over the past five years, Barefoot has donated over three quarters of a million dollars in strategic and creative services to benefit worthy causes,” said the agency’s founder, President and Executive Creative Director, Doug Worple. “This year, we’ll again select two non-profits to focus our time and talents on. It’s our way of ensuring we are making a meaningful difference in the community. As in years past, our goals are increasing awareness, volunteer participation and donations exponentially so that the donor organizations benefit at a level that far surpasses our contribution of $50,000.

“We’ve been very fortunate,” Worple added, “and our philosophy is to give back to the community by driving success for our grant recipients. If we can produce ideas that stop and involve people, I’m certain we can get people to act on behalf of these non-profits.”

Barefoot will begin accepting applications immediately. Those interested should contact Fayme Hayes at fhayes@thinkbarefoot.com for details. The deadline for submission is May 31, 2005. Both grants will be awarded on July 1, 2005. Preference will be given to those organizations that have the resources, or who can raise the resources, to pay for production and media placement of the campaign. These costs are not included in the grant. Last year more than 80 non-profit organizations responded.

The first grant will cover work executed from July 1st through October 1st. The second grant will cover work executed from October 2nd through December 15th.

Previous grant winners have included Ten Thousand Villages, the Literacy Network of Cincinnati and the Second Chance Horse Rescue.