Working concept for internal discussion • Mobile Baykeeper
A proposed signature fundraising campaign

Battle for the Bay

A friendly Mobile County vs. Baldwin County fundraising competition built around one thing both sides share: Mobile Bay.

Two Counties. One Bay.
Explore the conceptWhat we need to decide
The Big Idea

Turn friendly rivalry into shared stewardship.

Battle FOR the Bay gives individuals, businesses, municipalities and community leaders a simple choice: join Team Mobile or Team Baldwin and help their side raise more for Mobile Baykeeper. Competition creates energy; the Bay remains the common cause.

1

Choose a side

Donors and partners identify with Mobile County or Baldwin County.

2

Build momentum

County totals, challenges, matching gifts and community captains keep the campaign visible.

3

Celebrate together

The winning county earns hosting rights for Bay Bash — but every dollar supports the same Bay.

How It Could Work

One campaign. Multiple ways to compete.

Corporate teams & presenting sponsorships
Major donor and business-leader challenges
Municipality and community challenges
Individual fundraising captains
Matching-gift days and milestone unlocks
Live digital scoreboard at BattleForTheBay.org
Why It Has Potential

A platform, not just an event.

The concept creates a repeatable annual fundraising season with built-in storytelling, sponsorship inventory, peer-to-peer recruitment, media hooks and a culminating celebration.

2county teams
1shared Bay
365days of brand potential
Year 1pilot & learn
🏆
The Prize

Winning county hosts Bay Bash.

A signature waterfront celebration for the Bay with live music, local food and drinks, Mobile Baykeeper storytelling, sponsors, donors and community.

Aspirational entertainment could include major Alabama talent with strong Gulf Coast roots — the Red Clay Strays are an example of the caliber and local connection envisioned, not a confirmed booking.

The strategic payoff

Make the finish line something people want to attend.

Bay Bash gives the fundraising competition a visible reward and gives Mobile Baykeeper a signature event that can grow in value over time. Hosting rights can rotate based on the annual winner, helping the campaign build identity on both sides of the Bay.

Potential event revenue: sponsorships, premium/VIP experiences, ticketing where appropriate, food/beverage partnerships, merchandise and event-night giving.

Campaign Merchandise Concept

“I Battle for the Bay”

A merchandise line can turn supporters into visible ambassadors for the campaign while creating another fundraising and sponsorship opportunity.

The phrase is intentionally personal: I Battle for the Bay. It gives donors, volunteers, businesses and event attendees a simple way to identify with Mobile Baykeeper's mission without making the county rivalry the only message.

Shirts, performance apparel & hoodies
Trucker, rope & performance hats
Tumblers, koozies, totes and event merchandise
Limited-edition Team Mobile / Team Baldwin variants
Sponsor-supported or donor-threshold merchandise drops
Potential year-round visibility beyond the campaign window

Merchandise shown below is conceptual. Product selection, vendors, pricing, licensing and revenue allocation would be finalized after campaign approval.

I Battle for the Bay merchandise concept featuring shirts, hats, tumbler, tote bag and koozie
Possible Year-One Roadmap

Build deliberately, then make noise.

1 • Validate

Leadership review, goals, campaign rules, legal/finance review, event feasibility.

2 • Recruit

Founding sponsors, county captains, matching partners, municipalities and media partners.

3 • Launch

Public kickoff, BattleForTheBay.org scoreboard, challenges, stories and weekly momentum.

4 • Bay Bash

Declare the county winner, celebrate impact, thank supporters and seed next year's rivalry.

Working concept: an earlier draft explored a January–May campaign and an illustrative $500,000 combined Year-One target. Both should be treated as discussion points, not commitments.

For William & Wesley

What I’d like to determine.

Does the core Mobile vs. Baldwin concept fit Baykeeper's brand and fundraising strategy?
Should Bay Bash become the campaign's annual culminating event?
What should count toward each county's total?
What Year-One fundraising target feels ambitious but credible?
Who should be the first 5–10 founding sponsors/captains we approach?
What internal, legal, budget and event constraints should shape the pilot?
Concept One-Sheet

Current visual direction

Battle for the Bay one-page concept flyer