September 2008– The New York Restoration Project (NYRP) carries out founder Bette Midler’s dream of a cleaner, more beautiful New York and has hired Schultz & Williams Direct (S&W Direct) to build the NYRP’s membership base, online giving and monthly giving program over the next 12 months.

NYRP restores, develops, and revitalizes underserved parks, community gardens, and open space in New York City. In October 2007, NYRP joined forces with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the NYC Parks Department, among many other greening and community groups, to launch Million-TreesNYC, the most ambitious greening initiative in New York City history. The goal of Million-TreesNYC is to transform NYC into one of the greenest, most sustainable cities in the world.

In addition to its goal to make New York City a greener healthier environment through project work in the city, in the gardens and in the community, NYRP hosts, sponsors and offers a wide range of environmental community, education and volunteer programs that engage children, families and residents in life-long learning and action to take responsibility for the care of open space in their neighborhoods.

Beginning this September, Schultz & Williams Direct is working with NYRP to refine its direct marketing strategies for acquiring members and cultivating existing supporters through multi-channel tactics that include direct mail, the website and e-mail solicitations. S&W Direct will work with NYRP to develop a monthly giving program and brand identity for the program that focuses on green messaging in all its communications. We will also conduct membership acquisition campaigns throughout the year and utilize a range of direct mail testing techniques to determine future campaigns that will generate the highest rate of return possible.

S&W Direct will also play a critical role in helping NYRP fully develop its online donation capabilities by analyzing its web statistics, benchmarking NYRP’s online donation forms against it competitors and implementing improvements.

Founded in 1987, Schultz & Williams is a national consulting firm headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Today S&W works with nonprofits throughout the United States and continues to exemplify its legacy as one of the first firms in the country to combine the principles of development, management and marketing into our consulting services—an approach that proves successful for nearly every client challenge.