Informational Signs - Requirements

Goal

NFC looks to reduce the workload on National staff in regard to designing and procuring signs.  Secondary goals are to make sure our non-government logo partners are paying their fair share, and that we cover our costs for personal-use signs for NFC board members and partners.

Background

NFC’s Executive Director has been responsible for designing and procuring informational signs. With over 20 chapters and climbing, this has become very time-consuming. We will need more help from the chapters to prevent delays going forward.

GENERAL

All informational sign project proposals must be submitted to the applicable National Vice Chair (Northeast or Southeast) for approval. The National Vice Chair will work with the National Chair and Executive Director accordingly. The following must be provided by the chapter:

  • General Draft

    • Design seminars will be made available to NFC board members.

    • Chapters will be provided with the following:

      • Sign frame artwork

      • Chapter logo

      • Sample fish art

  • Sign worksheet (a template will be made available upon request)

    • Project name

    • NFC chapter contact

    • Proposed partners (noting financial contribution commitment where applicable)

    • Number of signs for field and expansion/maintenance

    • Number of signs for personal use (NFC chapter and partners)

      • One sign will be provided for chapter use

    • Ship-to address

  • Partner logos (high or medium resolution .png or .jpg format)

FUNDING

  • While National NFC will fund our share of the field and maintenance signs, as well as a sign for chapter use, we would like chapters to try to find local funding sources through state and local grants, donations, fund-raisers, and business sponsorships

  • National NFC will not pay for personal signs or partner signs. For multi-sign projects where the only difference is logos, we ask that chapters pick one version for show use. When there are slight verbiage differences, like kiosk versus streamside versions, chapter comps will be at the discretion of NFC National.

  • Please reach out to logo partners to seek permission to sell the signs in NFC's online store. This helps raise awareness of the project, lessens theft, while helping to offset costs.

  • Government agencies will not be asked to provide funding, but we will accept it if offered. Peer organizations will be expected to pay an equal share, including the cost of the field, maintenance, and expansion signs, taxes, shipping, art use fees, and hardware where applicable. Exceptions may be  made for small organizations based on low-cost/volume and ability to pay, but this must be approved in advance by NFC National.

  • With a recent increase in sign costs from our vendor and the radical variation in pricing as a result of quantity and promotions, we cannot provide accurate pricing until we are ready to order. This is especially true with regard to low-volume signs, as the $50 fish art use fee is spread out across fewer signs, and can add over $10 a sign. For budgeting purposes, and to set some level of expectation, we suggest you use a not-to-exceed $25 per sign non-binding baseline. If partners want more than that, we will have to add the items to our shopping cart, and will have 48 hours to confirm or start over. Regardless of the estimate, partners will be billed based on actual costs. 

DESIGN

Once a general draft is approved, chapters will work with the National Vice Chair to determine what is needed to create and procure the signs:

  • Frame color will be chosen based on aesthetics, and subject to change, unless a specific color or color is required by a government  agency partner or impacted landowner.

  • Banner verbiage: “ATTENTION” is the standard unless something different is required by a partner.

  • As a rule, NFC uses fish art by Joseph Tomelleri. If the species is not available from Joe, a partner is requiring something else, or someone is offering free art, please submit a request to us such.

    • All non Tomelleri fish art must be submitted with formal written permission by the owner.

  • Draft body verbiage will be subject to editing by National to provide common look and feel.

  • Partner logos (hi-res PNG or JPG format)

    • Non-square edge logos must be provided in PNG format with the white background removed.

    • Clear back logos should be presented on an appropriately sized and shaped background so they are not lost on the sign (work with partner to determine color).

    • All logos must be trimmed to remove excess borders.

  • While QR codes can be used, our standard informational signs are not printed with the same level of granularity that other media such as paper and cardboard is. This can make the QR code unreadable.

    • QR codes also need to be sized so that they can be read from typical viewing distances.

SIGN COST – PERSONAL USE

NFC board members and agency and organizational partners who wish to purchase signs for personal use will be required to pay our actual cost. We will add 5% for orders paid via Facebook donation, or credit card, PayPal, ApplePay, etc., through the NFC website to cover fees. Signs will be shipped to the chapter project contact along with the other signs. People will need to pick up their signs, or have them shipped to them with the recipient paying for the shipping when applicable. There will be no exceptions.

Internal NFC 2Bob MallardComment