Dec 2, 2010 8:18:57 AM

As the momentum continues to build on the Division III identity initiative launched at the 2010 Convention, members are reminded to take advantage of several resources that benefit individual schools and conferences.

In particular, each member school and conference has been allocated $1,000 up front to acquire materials from the Division III Identity Initiative Purchasing Website. To date, more than $103,000 has been spent by about 175 institutions and conferences. 

Branding materials available for purchase include banner stands, signage, posters, media backdrops, decals and window clings. Other materials can be downloaded at no cost, including videos, ads, logos, templates and the strategic-positioning platform.

"Over the last year, Division III has launched its identity initiative in an attempt to reaffirm and communicate the values that unite us as a division," said current Division III Presidents Council chair Jim Harris of Widener University. "We are committed to emphasizing our strengths, the values that make us distinctive, and our unique student-athlete experience."

Harris urged all Division III members to take advantage of the materials that not only promote membership in Division III but also can be co-branded to tout institutions and conferences, as well.

Division III is also planning a session at the 2011 Convention regarding best practices related to activation of the identity initiative in general, and the purchasing website in particular. That session will feature examples from institutions and conferences that have used the materials on the purchasing website to their advantage in various venues.

Division III schools and conferences also are encouraged to use the Division III "lockup" logo (with the words "Discover/Develop/Dedicate") as a link to the Division III public website at www.ncaa.org/divisioniii. That site was developed this year as a resource for Division III members to promote the division to their constituents, and to prospective students and student-athletes.

"We'd like to get to a point rather quickly where every school and conference links their own websites to the Division III site as another way of co-branding our membership with the division," Harris said. "For the identity initiative to be most effective, we need consistent activation at the local level."