KIC: Bloomington Chamber of Commerce

B is for belonging.

Meet our Team: Spades Consulting

Naina Prabhakar

Katie Cole

Kayla Oxley

Ashwin Ramesh

Our B is for Belonging campaign focuses on creating sustainable change by incentivizing and adding accountability to your current DEI initiatives.

Agenda

Solution

Support

Implementation

Budget &

Timeline

Q&A

B is for Belonging sustainably targets your needs

DEI Board

Encourage chamber business owners to demonstrate DEI commitment

Diversity training, DEI plan, and DEI impact report submitted every year to ensure progress is being made

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Affinity groups nominate members​ for the board who are then confirmed by the DEI consultant

1. Trained in DEI
2. Manage Bloomington Belonging certification program
3. Work to implement community fundraising materials

Community leadership

Business promotion on social media and website

WHO

RESPONSIBILITES

INCENTIVE

Bloomington Belonging Certification

ACCOUNTABILITY

REVENUE GENERATION

Coupon Books and Merchandise

B is for Belonging Merchandise

A coupon book composed of deals from Bloomington Chamber of Commerce members, highlighting minority-owned businesses

Belonging

the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. 

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Belonging is the intersection between DEI and engagement

McKinsey & Company, 2017

Harvard Business Review & Better Up, 2019

$8 bil

spent by U.S. businesses for DEI training each year

40%

of workers still feel isolated at work

56%

50%

increase in job performance

drop in turnover risk

Effects of focusing on belonging

Current DEI landscape

R is for representation.

DEI board will provide structure as a governing body

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• Represent the diversity of members of BCC and Bloomington as a whole

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• Spread DEI responsibility beyond one DEI consultant

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• Sustain B is for Belonging initiative and certification for future years

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• Unite affinity groups

BCC DEI BOARD

PURPOSE

“e is for everyone” serves as a proof of concept on how to increase conversations about diversity

• Evansville, Indiana’s E-REP works alongside “e is for everyone” campaign
• Created a diversity board and a DEI toolkit
• Community leaders have seen increased engagement with DEI materials among businesses

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Chanda Ramsey, E-REP Director of Communications, 2022

e is for everyone, 2022

A is for accountability.

Provide resources to chamber members to bridge the gap between DEI training and impact

• Only 42% of DEI-focused organizations report having a multi-year strategy 
• Diversity training is most effective when it:
• Is a part of an enterprise-wide strategic approach
• Includes both skills development and awareness
• Conducted over time 

Mercer, 2020

Harvard Business Review, 2019

Bloomington Belonging certification will prove commitment to DEI throughout the community

• DEI Board will award certifications to businesses that show a sustained commitment to DEI
• Year-long DEI plan with quantifiable and attainable goals
• Expectations of an end-of-year report to show growth and impact
• Information may be used in a future “BCC Impact Report”

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S is for sustainability.

Coupon books are a proven revenue generation method for other Chambers of Commerce

Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, 2019

Bloomington businesses are excited to provide discounts and deals to the community

BTown Buys, 2022

Coupon books will drive traffic to chamber members’ businesses

Spades Consulting, 2022

• Promotes a mutually beneficial relationship with the community
• Highlight minority-owned businesses
• Drives awareness of Chamber
• Source of funding for DEI initiatives

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CHAMBER-WIDE COUPON BOOK

SURVEY TO STUDENTS

Merchandise sales promote a positive brand image and generate revenue 

Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2012

COMMUNITY BRANDING

• Create a more inclusive community
• Strengthen Bloomington Chamber of Commerce’s brand identity
• Increase awareness of diversity
• Make B is for Belonging a source of pride in the Bloomington community

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FUNDRAISING

• Source of funding for DEI initiatives
• Attract outside donations or sponsorships

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I is for implementation.

Our solution uses a structured approach to implement the certification and DEI board

DEI BOARD CURRICULUM – LED BY DEI CONSULTANT

• Similar content and structure to current training through BCC
• Foundational Bias & Micro-Aggressions Workshop, Culturally-sensitive communication, Imposter Syndrome, Exploring Anti-Racism, Inclusive Excellence 
• Trained for one month, 4 weekly meetings

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BLOOMINGTON BELONGING CERTIFICATION

• Structure
• Plan: Board meets with company to outline how to make a curated one-year DEI plan for their business
• Check-In: Board checks in with business to make sure they are on track with their plan and provide guidance
• Review: Board reviews the 25 businesses in the first Round of the process and confirms their Bloomington Belonging Certification
• Sustained Accountability
• Renew certification annually and create impact report every year

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Take advantage of existing channels to distribute coupon books and t-shirts

COUPON BOOKS

• Digital book - sell on website portal, during events, in newsletters, and during Welcome Week
• Physical books - sell at events and at the chamber itself
• Promote in Facebook groups such as “What’s Going on Bloomington” and Chamber social media

T-SHIRTS

• Sell at events and online on the website
• Designed by Spades Consulting

21,300

Group Members

Our solution effectively allocates budget to create self-sustaining revenue

DEI Board

B is for B

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Plan

Check

Revise

Plan

Check

Revise

Plan

Check

May

Merchandise

B is for Belonging Timeline

B is for belonging.

Thank you!

Ashwin Ramesh

ashrame@iu.edu

Investment Management Workshop

Naina Prabhakar

naanprab@iu.edu

PCT Director of DE&I

Katie Cole

colekat@iu.edu

Head of PR for Habitat for Humanity

Kayla Oxley kayoxley@iu.edu

Dean’s Insight Board

Appendix

DEI Board

Encourage chamber business owners to demonstrate DEI commitment

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1. Trained in DEI
2. Manage Bloomington Belonging certification program
3. Work to implement community fundraising materials

RESPONSIBILITES

Bloomington Belonging Certification

ACCOUNTABILITY

REVENUE GENERATION

Coupon Books and Merchandise

B is for Belonging Merchandise

A coupon book composed of deals from Bloomington Chamber of Commerce members, highlighting minority-owned businesses

B is for Belonging

Works Cited

“2019 Discover WMAZ Coupon Book.” Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber, Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce, https://www.pinetoplakesidechamber.com/product/2019-discover-wmaz-coupon-book/.

“BTown Buys.” BTown Buys, https://bloomington.bigdealsmedia.net/.

Carr, Evan, et. al. “The Value of Belonging at Work.” Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 21 Dec. 2021, https://hbr.org/2019/12/the-value-of-belonging-at-work.

Christy. “Bulk Stickers.” PrintPlace, 15 Mar. 2022, https://www.printplace.com/products/bulk-stickers.

“Coupon Book Fundraiser Idea - DIY.” Fundippity, 19 Dec. 2021, https://fundippity.com/coupon-book-fundraiser-diy/.

“Coupon Books.” Lewis Color, Inc., 31 Mar. 2022, https://secure.lewiscolor.com/products/detail/flypage/32-coupon-books?cust_pid=14&sef=hfp.

“Design for Diversity, Equity and Inclusions.” Mercer, Mercer, 2020, https://www.mercer.com/our-thinking/career/design-for-diversity-equity-and-inclusion.html.

“e Is for Everyone.” Evansville Is for Everyone, https://eisforeveryone.com/.

Eatough, Erin. “How Keeping Employees Connected May Actually Keep Them Committed.” BetterUp, BetterUp, https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-keeping-employees-connected-may-actually-keep-them-committed.

“Focusing on What Works for Workplace Diversity.” McKinsey & Company, McKinsey & Company, 7 Apr. 2017, https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/gender-equality/focusing-on-what-works-for-workplace-diversity.

“The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.” Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, https://www.chamberbloomington.org/.

Kylander, Nathalie, and Christopher Stone. “The Role of Brand in the Nonprofit Sector.” Stanford Social Innovation Review, Stanford University, 2012, https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_role_of_brand_in_the_nonprofit_sector.

Ramsey, Chanda. “Conversation with the E-REP Director of Communications.” 15 Feb. 2022.

“Sense of Belonging.” Cornell University Diversity and Inclusion, Cornell University, https://diversity.cornell.edu/belonging/sense-belonging.

“T-Shirt Printing Cost: How Much Will You Have to Spend on Custom Shirts?” Palmetto Blended, 2022, https://palmettoblended.com/blogs/news/t-shirt-printing-cost-how-much-will-you-have-to-spend-on-custom-shirts.

Tighe, D. “Coupon Use in the United States 2017-2020.” Statista, Valassis, 16 Dec. 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/240237/coupon-use-in-the-united-states/.

Verlinden, Neelie. “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (Deib): A 2022 Overview.” AIHR, Academy to Innovate HR, 12 Jan. 2022, https://www.aihr.com/blog/diversity-equity-inclusion-belonging-deib/.

“What Does a Shirt Really Cost?” Grain Creative, 11 Jan. 2021, https://graincreative.com/shirt-cost-breakdown/.

“Wholesale Bumper Stickers for Resale.” MakeStickers, https://www.makestickers.com/wholesale-bumper-stickers.aspx.

DEI Board

• DEI BOARD CURRICULUM
• Similar to current training programs
• DEI consultant led
• Training lasts one month, with 4 weekly meetings total
• After training meet once or twice a month
• INCENTIVES
• Separate tab on website highlighting business leaders
• Bloomington Chamber of Commerce social media features
• Business promotions when possible
• Potential to reduce a percentage of fees

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Bloomington Belonging Certification

• CERTIFICATION PROCESS
• 25 businesses certified every quarter
• 3 months to be certified (includes a one-month review)
• Need to have report at the end of the year
• Show plans to others, making resources for all chamber members

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• ADVERTISING
• Publicize and sign-up through newsletters
• Document and sticker displayed in the window of businesses

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Budget

Digital Coupon Books and T-Shirts

Statista, 2020

Coupon Book Survey Data

• The purpose of this survey is to gauge interest in coupon books for a Kelley project. This coupon book would contain discounts at 20-30 popular Bloomington businesses (restaurants, boutiques, entertainment, etc.)