Seattle magazine’s Community Involvement Program Making a Difference
We bring 'em. Retailers sell 'em. 40% proceeds to a local nonprofit.
By Seattle Mag May 10, 2013
Welcome to one of our newest CIP business partners, Roy Street Coffee & Tea in Capitol Hill
What
Launched at the start of 2013, the goal of our Community Involvement Program is to support local non-profits with a sustainable funding source and strengthen the bond between community and neighborhood businesses. This is accomplished by working together to pass on 40% of the sale of Seattle magazine, the city’s leading regional magazine for over 46 years.
Why
People living in Seattle have a strong sense of community. They are proud of their neighborhoods and feel a true connection with what makes them special. Neighborhood businesses become like family, familiar places where you feel comfortable and you know people by name. These businesses rely on their loyal following and take the extra steps to make their customers feel at home.Non-profits are also in the neighborhoods, working hard to solve local issues. They provide services and programs in many different areas. Some offer assistance to neighbors confronting unexpected life issues while others support food banks, community gardens and youth programs. In today’s economy these smaller non-profits have been hit hard and many revenue streams have completely vanished.
How it Works
The program began January 2013 and is growing neighborhood by neighborhood. There is no cost to the businesses that participate- and for every magazine sold 40% of the sales go to the chosen nonprofit. It has now spread to 68 business partners in Queen Anne, Ballard, Fremont, West Seattle, Capitol Hill and more. Seattle magazine delivers monthly issues to participating businesses, and then:
- Participating businesses sell issues for $4.99 to patrons
- Businesses keep $1.00 per issue for expenses
- Seattle magazine receives $1.99 for expenses
- Nonprofit keeps donation of $2 for every issue sold
- Seattle magazine will pick-up old issues and drop off new issues every month at no cost
Looking Ahead
One of the most powerful assets of this program is its sustainability. This is not a one-time promotion or event. These non-profits need a sustainable revenue source and that is the CIP model. We hope we can meet this challenge and be that revenue source they can count on for years to come.CIP’s long term goal is to reach out to all Seattle neighborhoods. Our end of the year goal is to have 10 neighborhoods participating in the program with 20 business partners in each neighborhood. To date we are in 7 neighborhoods with over 65 business partners.
We are always looking for referrals as we roll out the program to different neighborhoods. To learn about bringing CIP to your store or recommending a local nonprofit in your community please contact Mike Jones at [email protected].
Current CIP Business Partners
See a full list of participating CIP business partners below. Click here for a photo album of some of our current partners working for local nonprofits.
Queen Anne Business Partners for Queen Anne Helpline, now serving Magnolia
Le Reve Bakery & Cafe in Queen Anne
Video Isle
Queen Anne Farmer’s Market
IceBox Café
Blue Highway Games
Queen Anne Dispatch
Twirl Café
Bustle on Queen Anne
El Diablo Coffee
Bella Fiore
Macrina Bakery
Caffe Vita
Eat Local
The Green Market & Deli
Blue Heron Sandwiches & Deli
Finn’s Bakery & Cafe
Business Partners for Boys and Girls Clubs of King County- Keystone Teen Leadership Fund
Fresh Flours Bakery in Ballard
Savour, Ballard
Kitchen-N-Things, Ballard
Annie’s Art and Frame, Ballard
Camelion Designs, Ballard
Cupcake Royale, Ballard
Clover Toys, Ballard
Ristorante Picolinos, Sunset Hills
Ballard Mailbox
Grumpy D’s Coffee House, Ballard
Cafe Vita, Phinney Ridge
Metropolis, Phinney Ridge
Caffe Appassionato, Wallingford
Zeitgeist Coffee
Eat Local, Burien
Full Throttle Bottles, Georgetown
Chuck’s 85th St. Market, Greenwood
DubSea Coffee, White Center
The Pike Brewing Company, Farmer’s Market
Wine World, Wallingford
Fremont Business Partners for Fremont Abbey Arts Center
Burnt Sugar in Fremont
Video Isle
Book Larder
Sweet Spot
UNeeda Burger
Petapoluza
Dots Delicatessen
Evo Sporting Goods
Chiso Sushi
Fresh Flours Bakery
Caffe Vita
West Seattle Business Partners for West Seattle Food Bank
Husky Deli
Terjung’s Studio of Gifts
Capers Home
The Swinery
Clemintine
Firefly Café & Creperie
Red Cup Espresso
Merryweather Books
Great Harvest Bread Co.
Heartland Café
Curious Kidstuff Toys & Books
True Value Hardware
The Beer Junction
Capitol Hill Business Partners for Capitol Hill Housing
Broadway Market Video
Roy Street Coffee & Tea
Ada’s Cafe and Books
Eat Local
Caffe Vita
Old School Frozen Custard
NuBe Green
Cintli, Latin Folklore Cafe
Chatterbox Cafe
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