Step 1: Defining the Geographic Area
The Imagination Library is a free gift that can be given to children residing in a predetermined community, identified by postal code, school district, town, city, or by province. The first step to bringing this gift to your community’s children is to identify the area you want to offer the program.
Remember:
- The eligibility criteria for the Imagination Library is defined only in terms of the children’s age & residence
- Please do not limit registration based on socioeconomics, risk factors, participation in certain programs, parental factors or by any other means other than a child’s age and residence
- The Canadian launch of The Imagination Library is built on a model to register all newborns within the community
Step 2: Fundraising
The staff at Invest in Kids can provide you with a 5 year projected budget for your community’s program using a “cost projection template”.
The cost projection template calculates the average annual operating costs based on three key items:
- The total number of eligible children in your community
- The trends taken from other communities that have implemented the program
- The average cost of the books & mailing (the annual cost is $65/child/year)
Once you have an idea of the cost to sustain your program, you will need to identify financial supporters for your program.
Common financial supporters include:
- United Way
- Local Businesses
- Civic Groups
- Municipal and/or Provincial Government
- Private Citizens
- Educational Foundations
- Faith-based Organizations
- Chambers of Commerce
- School Systems
Step 3: Identify a Local Champion
The Local Champion has 4 primary responsibilities:
- To register children by publicizing the program using the customized registration brochure designed for your community
- To input registration data once a month into The Imagination Library database system
- To pay the monthly invoice (the annual cost is $65/child/year)
- To pick up undeliverable books from your local post office(s)
Local Champions are characteristically different across localities. In some communities a single group or individual takes on all of the coordinating responsibilities. While in other communities, multiple groups and/or individuals divide up the responsibilities.
Note: Invest in Kids is the key contact. Due to postal regulations, the local return address and the registration brochures must have the name and address of Invest in Kids, 425 Adelaide Street West, 6th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3C1.
Step 4: Complete Paperwork
There are 3 pieces of documentation that must be filed with Invest in Kids before you can begin registering children with your program. They include:
- Memorandum of Agreement
- Affiliate Information Sheet
- Mailing Regulations Form
- Registration Brochure Order Form
Step 5: Order Registration Brochures
Registration brochures for each locality are customized by The Imagination Library.
The cost of registration brochures: (allow a 5% contingency)
|
Number of Brochures
|
Total Cost of Brochures
|
Cost per Brochure
|
Shipping
|
|
1,000
|
$612
|
$0.60
|
$15**
|
|
2,500
|
$707
|
$0.28
|
$30
|
|
5,000
|
$888
|
$0.165
|
$55
|
|
10,000
|
$1,258
|
$0.115
|
$105
|
Timeline for Registration Brochure Design & Delivery
- Five working days after the brochure order has been placed a proof will be developed and sent for your approval
- Four weeks from the time approval is given on the proof until the final product is delivered*
*Please note the exact time may vary.
**If overnight shipping is required this cost will change to reflect those charges.
Step 6: Receive Operational Guide
You will be sent an operational guide which includes:
- Instructions for placing the monthly book order
- A Mailing Regulations Form
- Other Resource Materials
Step 7: Host Rollout Event
The rollout event is a time to publicize your program so be CREATIVE!
Common characteristics of a rollout event include:
- Involving local media
- Having children present
- Registering children on site
- Inviting local leaders
- Serving refreshments
- Having a prominent local, government and/or Invest in Kids spokesperson read a book from the Imagination Library to children at the event
- Hosting in conjunction with other popular community events such as festivals, or school events.
To talk with someone directly about how to bring the gift of The Imagination Library to your community, please call 1-877-583-KIDS x293 or send an email to [email protected].