NMMA seeks money to begin Grow Boating

CHICAGO – The National Marine Manufacturers Association is seeking voluntary contributions to help pay the $2 million needed for the Grow Boating Initiative’s start-up fund, the association said in a release this morning.

NMMA said it is contributing $500,000 from its current budget to the fund, in addition to the $300,000 it has spent on the initiative over the past year.

NMMA’s board of directors has also voted for a special assessment of members equal to one-third of each member’s annual dues that will raise another $750,000 to $1 million. But that still leaves the start-up fund $500,000 to $750,000 short.

The association is requesting volunteer contributions from all industry segments to make up for the shortfall, and has sent letters to regional marine trade associations and other industry stakeholders to ask for their assistance.

“To move forward with the initiative, we need the $2 million to cover the creative development, the production of the marketing campaign and the planning of the tactical execution,” said NMMA President Thom Dammrich.

Over the next three months, Carmichael Lynch, the advertising agency of record for the Grow Boating Initiative, will be working to refine the promotional strategy, develop and produce the creative and plan the tactical execution for the campaign. The rollout of the campaign will take place at an all-industry meeting during the Miami International Boat Show, NMMA reported.

“We are asking for voluntary contributions from every company and association in the industry,” Dammrich said. “Because so many in the industry have wanted a promotional campaign to be introduced for so long, we are confident that everyone will dig as deep as they can to help.”

Long-term funding model under discussion

NMMA said all revenue collected would be kept in a segregated fund and used exclusively to support the Grow Boating Initiative.

Long-term funding for the effort is currently focused on using the engine manufacturers as the collection point for a “cents per horsepower” charge, or a flat unit fee that would raise most of the money needed to finance the Grow Boating Initiative moving forward.

An all-industry meeting on the topic will be held Feb. 16 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, where other industry segments are being invited to make brief presentations describing how their segment will contribute to the ongoing Grow Boating funding.

The Grow Boating Initiative is a cooperative effort among leaders in the recreational boating industry to increase participation in boating by actively promoting the boating lifestyle to the public, improving product, sales and service quality and industry statistics.

For further information, or to register to attend the February meeting, visit the new Grow Boating Web site, www.growboating.org.

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