INCA 284-S01
November 12, 2015
Business Plan
Saskatchewan Indian Federated College
First Nations University of Canada
40th Anniversary Alumni Magazine
Prepared by student in INCA 284: Rod Bear, Carlos Isnana, Katryna Smith, Morgan Esperance, Jamin Mike, Olivia Crowe Buffalo, TJ Tanner, Teddy Bison, Leeland Delorme, Larissa Wahpooseyan, Shayla Sayer-Brabant, Daniel Quewezance, Brittany Boschman; and Instructor Shannon Avison
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 Vision and Mission (Shayla)
1.2 Keys to Success
1.3 Objectives
COMPANY SUMMARY
2.1 Partnership INCA and FNUniv Students’ Association
2.1.1 Personnel Plan (Larissa)
2.2 Competition
2.3 Sales Forecast
PRODUCT
3.1 Description of Magazine and Impact (Olivia)
3.2 Contents (Leeland)
3.5 Advertising
MARKET ANALYSIS
4.1 Market Segmentation and Strategy
4.1.1 Readership
4.1.2 Advertisers
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
5.1 Planning
5.2 Editorial
5.3 Advertising Sales
5.4 Production
5.5 Distribution
FINANCIAL PLAN
6.1 Important Assumptions
6.2 Break-even Analysis
7.3 Projected Profit/Loss
7.4 Projected Cash Flow
APPENDICES
8.1 Student Resumes
8.2 Advertising Rate Sheets for Aboriginal Publications
8.3 News release about the NAJA Conference in New Orleans
8.4 High Schools
8.5 Budet for New Orleans trip
8. Letter to Students’ Association re: partnership
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This business plan outlines our plan for producing and distribution a 40th Anniversary Alumni Magazine for the First Nations University of Canada. A highlight of the magazine will be that it will include a listing of over 4,000 alumni of the University since it started in 1976. The magazine will include stories about famous graduates, revered Elders, major initiatives and success stories, current programs, alumni who attend our powwow as dancers and singers, etc.
The magazine will be produced by the Indian Communication Arts (INCA) program at First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv), in partnership with the FNUniv Students’ Association, which is a non-profit corporation.
The magazine will be funded entirely by advertising and sponsorship. We developed advertising rates that are competitive with other regional and local publications; however, this publication is unique because it is a glossy, 80-page magazine in full-colour. It will look something like Shout Magazine, which was published by the Leader-Post, FNUviv and MGM Communication in 2005-6.
The magazine will be distributed to 4,000 alumni by pre-order. They will have to pre-pay for the magazine to be guaranteed a copy. It will also be pre-sold to schools, universities, government departments, Aboriginal organizations. The pre-sale numbers will determine how many copies we print—probably around 10,000.
The profits from the magazine will be used to support INCA students attending the Native American Journalism Association (NAJA) conference in New Orleans in September 2016. Any monies left over will be put toward a scholarship for INCA students.
This project also serves as a learning opportunity for our INCA students. Students in INCA 284 (Media Business) produced the Business Plan, students in INCA 283 (Aboriginal Media in Canada) will implement the Business Plan (including designing the website and selling advertising) and students in INCA 200 (Summer Institute in Journalism) and INCA 290 (Internship) will write the stories that fill the pages of our magazine.
Our magazine will be 80 pages and we will aim to sell half the pages to advertisers. The full-page ads will cost approx. $2,000 so our potential revenue is $80,000. The cost of producing the magazine will be about $25,000, including printing, design, editorial, advertising commissions, and miscellaneous. So we hope to have $55,000 to put toward sending students to New Orleans in 2016.
We are requesting a line of credit in the amount of $25,000 so that we can guarantee production of the magazine.
1.1 Vision and Mission
Mission:
For the 40th anniversary of the First Nations University of Canada, the majority of INCA (Indian Communication Arts) students and a plethora of students from other programs will produce a magazine in honour of the 40 years of knowledge and tradition passed down. Since the FNUniv has given so much to its students, the students would like to give back to our beloved university. Our target audience would not only be current students and alumni, but also prospective students.
Objectives:
Our objective is to honour and celebrate the anniversary of FNUniv. While doing this, we would simultaneously raise money for students to go to New Orleans for the Native American Journalism Association (NAJA) conference from September 16-20, 2016 (see article in Appendix). This conference will allow students to meet established journalism mentors, get experience in their field, as well as make lasting memories and strong relationships. In order to generate revenue and pay for expenses of the magazine, we would sell ad space to national companies, businesses, and institutions who wish to reach out to students, with a focus on the Aboriginal students and youth. In addition, we would distribute and sell the 40th anniversary magazine as a bulk package to Aboriginal schools, Universities across Canada, and our advertisers. The fact that the magazine is limited edition, made by students for students, and giving opportunities to students should make companies and institutions wish to purchase said magazine. The SIFC-FNUniv 40th Anniversary Alumni Magazine 2016 is an amazing way to remember our Elders and ancestors who included education in the Treaties. We believe that the magazine is an excellent way to honour leaders whom fought for First Nations control of post-secondary education. The magazine is a great support for the INCA (Indian Communication Arts) students to learn about their field of study in a fun and informative hands on way. The First Nations University of Canada has a weaker connection between the university and the alumni community compared to other universities across Canada. We hope that the publication of the magazine will strengthen the relationship between our alumni, and the SIFC/ FNUniv. Along with our past students, we also keep our prospective students. With the SIFC/ FNUniv 40th Anniversary Alumni Magazine 2016 being distributed to reserve schools, it will hopefully encourage and interest future students to take a look into continuing their education at one of our prestigious campuses across Saskatchewan. With an increase in enrollment, more of our Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people will learn the culture and traditions, whilst having an opportunity to receive a higher education. We hope that the students will ensure to pass down our cultures and traditions, for many years to come.
Vision:
Our vision for the future is for the First Nations University of Canada to increase enrollment by 100%. Currently, the FNUniv offers approximately $24,000 in scholarships, where approximately 14,000 students can apply for across three separate campuses. We hope that due to increase in enrolled students, there will also be an increase of scholarships and bursaries by at least $40,000. As First Nations people, we treasure our collective values of wisdom, respect, humility, sharing, harmony, beauty, strength, and spirituality. We encourage our students to learn in the context of their own traditions, languages, and values. When more students flock to get a higher quality of education, research, and publication whilst in an environment of First Nations cultures and values, it will ensure our ways do not die. We hope for the future, a much stronger connection between FNUniv alumni, and the university itself. The publication of the magazine is the first step to bringing the whole community together, from those who attended the university forty years ago to today.
1.2 Keys to Success
ü Negotiate a partnership with First Nations University Students’ Association to make the magazine a joint venture, so that we can benefit from the non-profit status and guaranteed funding to get a line of credit
ü Participation of INCA students, especially for selling advertising starting in January 2016
ü Participation of INCA student and graduates, School of Journalism students and others to write the stories that will fill the magazine
ü Partnership and mentorship from Megan Currie (X-ing Design) for selection of printer, designing the publication, working with the printer on technical issues, proofing and printing the magazine
COMPANY SUMMARY
2.1 Company Ownership
Our publishing organization is a partnership between the FNUniv Students’ Association (SA) and the faculty and students in the Indian Communication Arts (INCA) program. The SA is a non-profit corporation. It is funded by per capita funding from student fees, that is paid to the SA on a quarterly basis. Their annual budget in 2014-2015 was $$$$$$. The SA provides the partnership with stability, non-profit status and financial security, which we hope can be leveraged into a line of credit for the production costs of the magazine.
2.2 Start-up Summary
· Equipment – available through INCA and the School of Journalism at the University of Regina
· Financial Requirements – none to start
PRODUCT (Olivia)
3.4 Impact
3.5 List of stories (Leeland, Teddy, all)
3.5 Advertising in our Magazine
3.1 Description of Magazine
· Like Shout youth magazine and the RezX magazine
· 80 pages
· Glossy and very colorful
· It will stand out because students made the magazine for a class from the FNUC.
· A lot of advertising, mostly positive businesses--not like the Casino or bars or clubs but upcoming events such as round dances, free tutoring. Since it is about the FNUniv’s 40th anniversary
3.2 Contents
· Columns about first year and last year experiences.
· Articles a First Nation person can relate to such as pipe ceremonies, any kind of ceremonies or even sweats because sometimes there are people with different sweats every month, some specifically for men and for woman.
· The development of different programs--programs that are here and how they got here and programs still under development
3.3 Audience
· Alumni
· High School Students - Saskatchewan (Rod)
· University, high school students.
· Graduated students of the FNU and U of R (Alumni)
· Parents of the students, family, friends
· Aboriginal Organizations
· Government Organizations
· Retired Professors
· Advertisers and Sponsors
3.4 Impact
· It will make people feel proud because it is a First Nation university for anybody.
· Knowing that it’s the 40th anniversary, knowing that First Nation people have been getting their education for 40 years now
· It will make students feel more successful
· Also give students the motivation they need to finish getting their education
· Students will feel more secure knowing they will be around their culture and learning what they never knew about their culture
3.5 Contents of the 80-page magazine (40 pages of editorial) (Leeland, Teddy and all)
Messages:
· PM Justin Trudeau
· Minister of Indigenous Affairs
· AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde
· FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron
· FNUniv President Mark Dockstator
· Chief Mike Starr
· FNUniv Students’ Association President Brad Bellegarde
· Shannon Avison, INCA Program Coordinator
Stories:
· History of SIFC/FNUniv
· Education is the new buffalo (Dr. Blair Stonechild)
· Lessons from 2010 (Then FNUniv SA President Diane Adams)
· Profiles of successful alumni in each discipline
· Reserve creation in Regina
· Three campuses – Regina, Saskatoon, PA
· Off-campus programs
3.6 Advertisers
Our advertisers will be leaders in the Aboriginal community. Many of the advertisers will be employers of our alumni, organizations that they support as volunteers, companies that support Aboriginal economic development. (See section 4.1)
MARKET ANALYSIS SUMMARY
4.1 Market Segmentation
Our publication has two very distinct markets, which can be further broken down. The first are the companies who are potential advertisers and sponsors of our publication; the other is the readers of our publication, whose attention we are selling to advertisers and sponsors.
4.1.1 Advertisers and Sponsors
Preliminary list from Aboriginal publications: (Carlos Isnana)
Creeland Phone: 306-525-8066 fax: 306-525-806?, Contact chief Jeremy Fourhorns
REZ X media / www.rezmag.com
Access customer / , www.myaccess.ca
SIGA / www.siga.sk.ca,
U of R / www.uregina.ca
SIIT / www.siit.sk.ca
Casino of Regina / https://casinoregina.com
White Bear Casino / www.bearclawcasino.ca
Painted Hand Casino / www.paintedhandcasino.ca
Northern lights Casino / www.northernlightscasino.ca
Potash Corp / www.potashcorp.com
NAIG / www.naigcouncil.com
Sasktel / https://www.sasktel.com
Saskenergy / www.saskenergy.com
Saskpower / www.saskpower.com
FSIN / www.fsin.com
LBB Gas and Convenience /
Neeche Gear / www.neechegear.com
Manitobah Mukluks / www.manitobah.ca
Echo Fashions / www.echofashions.net
Breakdown by location of advertisers:
DO A CHART
Regina-based businesses
Saskatchewan-based businesses
Provincial and territorial organizations outside Saskatchewan
Universities and College of Canada – suggest congratulatory ad
Aboriginal businesses
4.2 Audience /Readers and Target Market Segmentation Strategy
4.2.1 SIFC and FNUniv Alumni (Brittany)
4.2.2 Current staff and students at First Nations University
4.2.3 Potential students
First Nations band schools
Urban and town schools with high Aboriginal enrolment
4.2.4 Aboriginal organizations (First Nations and Metis governments, organizations)
· Provincial organizations
· List of reserves with addresses and emails
4.2.5 Aboriginal businesses (see Industry Canada listing of Aboriginal businesses)
4.2.6 Federal/provincial departments who work with Aboriginal people
4.2.7 All Canadian and international corporations who work with Aboriginal people
4.2.8 All Aboriginal people in Canada (TJ)
There are xx Aboriginal people in Canada: xx First Nations, xx Inuit, xx Metis.
Age breakdown
Location (On- and Off-reserve by province
Education
Income
Refer to Nation Talk website—they have a breakdown of their audience that refers to incomes and education of their audience
Xx enrolled in polytechs, colleges and universities in Canada
Xx enrolled in high school
4.3 Competition and Buying Patterns
Our competition is basically everyone who is selling advertising or seeking sponsorships for Aboriginal publications, and all publications.
We have identified a number of Aboriginal publications that are our closest competitors. The one that is the most similar to our publication is AMMSA’s Windspeaker, a monthly, national Aboriginal newspaper published in Edmonton. AMMSA also publishes a quarterly business magazine, which is a magazine (like ours) with national distribution.