December 1, 2016

The Honorable Edward J. Kasemeyer

Chair, Senate and Budget and Taxation Committee
3 West Miller Senate office Building
Annapolis, MD 21401
The Honorable Maggie McIntosh
Chair, House Appropriations Committee
121 House Office Building
Annapolis, MD 21401
Dear Chairman Kasemeyer and Chairman McIntosh:
Language on page 6 of the College Affordability Act of 2016 (Chapter 690 of the Acts of 2016)
requires the Maryland 529 (MD529) Board to report to the Budget Committees on the Plans
marketing efforts.
Specifically, the legislation requested that Maryland 529 submit a marketing plan to increase
general participation in Maryland 529. Additionally, this plan was to include an outreach and
marketing plan to provide notification to individuals about the availability of a State
contribution.
Please find the requested report attached.
Sincerely,

Lauren Shipley
Executive Director
cc: Nancy Kopp, State Treasurer, Maryland 529 Board Chair
Susanne Brogan, Deputy Treasurer

217 E. REDWOOD STREET | SUITE 1350 | BALTIMORE MARYLAND 21202 | TELEPHONE TOLL FREE 888.4MD.GRAD
TTY MARYLAND RELAY: 800 735 2258 | FAX (410) 333 2295 | www.MARYLAND529.com |

Maryland 529 and State Contribution Program Marketing and

Outreach Plan
Overview
Maryland 529, formerly College Savings Plans of Maryland, provides flexible and affordable 529
plans to help Maryland families save for future college expenses and reduce dependence on
student loans later. Maryland 529 is an independent, non-profit State agency that offers two
529 plans, the Maryland Prepaid College Trust and the Maryland College Investment Plan.
Each plan has its own set of unique features and benefits, and both offer federal and Maryland
State tax incentives. Savings in either Plan can be used toward qualified higher education costs
both inside and outside of Maryland.
To ensure all families throughout Maryland, especially low-income families, have the
opportunity to start saving for college for their children, the Maryland General Assembly
passed the College Affordability Act of 2016 (Chapter 690 of the Acts of 2016) which took effect
on July 1, 2016. This legislation established a State matching contribution program for eligible
income families.
In the accordance with direction contained in that legislation, the Maryland 529 Board
developed and implemented by September 1, 2016 an outreach and marketing plan to provide
notification to individuals about the availability of the State Contribution Program. An
informational page was added to Maryland529.com, and it continues to be updated as new
implementation information becomes available. Additionally, to begin building awareness,
Maryland 529 began distributing informational flyers at State employee benefits fairs and other
community events.
The College Affordability Act of 2016 also tasked Maryland 529 with providing information on
the actions taken by the agency to increase general participation in the Maryland 529 plans.
Maryland 529 to date has undertaken the follow: 1) commenced web advertisements using the
Google Ad Words platform which directed users to the Maryland529.com website; 2)
participated in many community and outreach events including the African-American Festival,
Maryland State employee benefits fairs, Art Scape, and the Baltimore Book Festival; and 3)
pitched college savings stories to media throughout the State to promote the benefits of saving
for college during College Savings Month in September.
This report outlines in more detail those efforts and the specific plan to promote the State
Contribution Program and the Maryland 529 Plans across Maryland. As this report is submitted
prior to the majority of the 2016 2017 enrollment period marketing efforts and prior to the

initial application period for the State Contribution Program, we are unable to report on the
enhancement of investment account enrollments by low-income individuals at this time. We
will, however, track results of the marketing efforts and report on the success in future reports.

Marketing Focus
The intended purpose of the Maryland 529 plans is to provide families an opportunity to save
for college now to offset the burden of taking out student loans and repaying those loans with
interest in the future. According to U.S. News and World Report, nearly seventy percent of
students graduated college with student loan debt, and the average 2016 graduate holds
$37,172 in debt1. Maryland 529 is committed to educating and offering families the tools they
need to start saving.
Maryland 529 recognizes that the basics of financial planning and investing may be new topics
for many families, so the agency ensures that any communication materials shared with the
public directs them to the Maryland529.com website which provides the basics of 529 plans,
while highlighting the ease of opening a plan. Maryland 529 also sends staff to State agency
benefits fairs, back to school nights, and community events so that the public has the
opportunity to speak one-on-one with our staff to ask questions and receive more information
about the Maryland 529 plans.
According to a 2013 Maryland 529 market research study, conducted by Maryland Marketing
Source, Inc., 1,015 respondents with income levels from under $20,000 to $150,000 were
questioned about their awareness of 529 plans, and if they were not saving for college, to
capture the reasons. While general awareness of 529 plans was high 61% of respondents
stated they know what a 529 plan was-- 24% percent of the respondents reported they were
not saving for college, with 71% citing I cant afford to save any money right now. Baltimore
metro residents, with household incomes lower than $80,000, chose this statement most often.
From this data, we can conclude that budget concerns are one of the biggest barriers
preventing families, particularly lower income households, from saving for college. Marketing
and outreach for the Maryland 529 Plans and the new State Contribution Program will primarily
focus on Maryland residents, ages 25-54, with children ages birth through 17, in the following
income brackets:
Filing Status
Single
Less than $50,000
$50,000 to $87,499
$87,500 to $112,500

Married Filing Jointly

Less than $75,000
$75,000 to $124,999
$125,000 to $175,000

Messaging and Communication

Messaging is a term used to describe how an organization conveys information to an audience.
The audience can receive that message through various forms of communication, such as the
Internet, television and radio announcements, a newspaper article, a printed flyer, or through
personal interaction.
A key finding in the 2013 Maryland 529 market research study is that survey respondents by
and large identified with a statement that stresses affordability and makes them most
interested in learning more about or possibly enrolling in the Maryland 529 college savings
plans. A key focus of Maryland 529s messaging is to inform Maryland residents that saving for
college is affordable and families can start saving for college for as little as $25 per month
through the Maryland College Investment Plan. Additionally, funds can be used at 4-year
universities, community colleges and even some trade and technical schools.
Further messaging will reinforce that even a small amount of savings can yield huge benefits.
According to a 2014 study conducted by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED),
low college enrollment by youth from low-income families is partly due to uncertainty about
college affordability. Children with $500 or less saved for college are 3 times more likely to
enroll and 4 times more likely to graduate, compared to their peers without college savings.2
Maryland 529 believes this positive message can help shift the paradigm of low-income families
believing that college is out of reach for their children. With even $500 in savings, a college
culture is developed, and college becomes a goal that previously was not contemplated.
To effectively reach as many residents throughout the State, Maryland 529 has developed a
targeted advertising and public relations campaign to promote the Maryland 529 Plans and the
State Contribution Program. To ensure that our message for the State Contribution Program is
reaching lower income households, Maryland 529 is working closely with Millennium Marketing
Solutions, a local communications agency that specializes in marketing to low-income and
minority audiences.
Maryland529.com Website
The Maryland529.com website was redesigned in 2015 to be more accessible and user-friendly
for visitors to the site. As all Maryland529 advertising and communication materials direct
families to the website, the homepage prominently highlights the benefits of the Prepaid
College Trust and the College Investment Plan, with tabs that direct families to learn more
about each plan, compare the differences between the two plans, and download the
enrollment kit. The website offers families the opportunity to view a free, live webinar session,
where they can watch a video that explains each plan in great detail, and offers families the
opportunity to speak with a Maryland 529 staff member to ask questions. A new page
dedicated to the State Contribution Program was recently added which includes general
information about the Program. A link to the State Contribution Program application will be
added when the application period opens on January 1, 2017. The unique website address
www.maryland529.com/MDMatch$250 will be included in all marketing materials and

advertising, specific to the State Contribution Program along with a contact phone number
when applicable.
Radio, Television, and Cinema Advertisements
Promoting the Maryland 529 Plans through television, radio and cinema advertisements is an
effective method of reaching hundreds of thousands of Maryland residents that can also be
tailored to specific audiences. For example, advertisements can be translated in Spanish to run
on Hispanic media stations such as the PBS station, V-Me Channel 22.3, and WLZL 107.9 FM.
Television advertisements that run on Maryland Public Television or on cable can be scheduled
to run during broadcast programs that specifically target families with young children.
Messages that are broadcast in a cinema before a movie starts can be targeted to play during
family-friendly movies.
Website and Digital Advertising
According to www.census.gov Computer Ownership and High-Speed Internet Use for
Individuals by State: 2013, 83.4% of the population in Maryland resides in a household with
high speed Internet.3 From this data, Maryland 529 concludes digital advertising through local
news sites, social media sites such as Facebook, and Google Ad Words, is an efficient and
effective means to reach low income families throughout the State.
Digital advertising can be customized to target households by demographics so messaging can
be tailored to the audience we are trying reach. For example, a message that will target lower
income families may promote the affordability of the Maryland College Investment Plan and/or
the State Contribution Program and the enhanced benefit of the State match Start Now for
as Little as $25 per month, or For $25 you can receive an additional $250 in your Maryland
College Investment Plan through the State Match Program, while a message targeting the
higher level incomes households may promote the ease of opening an account or tax benefits
to contributing to a529 account.
As referenced in the article, Many Maryland Rural Residents Are Left Without Wired
Broadband4 (Chestertown Spy, April 14, 2016) four percent of the population, around 260,000
people, do not have access to wired Internet. The article also states that approximately 95,000
people who reside in rural areas of the State, primarily on the Eastern Shore (Somerset and
Kent Counties), Southern Maryland (Charles and Calvert Counties), and Western Maryland
(Allegany, Garret, and Washington Counties) do not have Fixed Advanced Telecommunications
Capability. As many of these residents have to rely on accessing the Internet from their public
library or local community colleges, marketing the Maryland529 Plans and State Contribution
Program to families in rural areas will rely more heavily on public relations, such as features in
local newspapers highlighting the benefits of saving for college now versus borrowing money
later. Maryland 529 is also working with the public library systems to sponsor summer reading
programs to increase the Plans awareness among families with young children.

Public Relations and Social Media Influencers

While broadcast and online advertisements help build general awareness of the Maryland 529
Plans, written features by reporters from reliable and respected news sources, as well as social
media influencers not only help residents get a deeper level of understanding of what the
Maryland 529 Plans are, but provide an additional level of trust in the Plans from a third-party
source.
Maryland 529 actively contacts and promotes (a.k.a. pitch) stories to State news outlets
throughout the year to promote the Maryland 529 Plans including: The Baltimore Sun, The
Baltimore Times, The Afro-American, Latin Opinion, El Tiempo Latino, The City Paper, Capital
Gazette, Caroline County Times-Record, Star Democrat (Easton), Frederick News-Post,
Hagerstown Herald Mail, Delmarva Now, Catoctin Banner, Carroll County Times, Montgomery
County Sentinel, Calvert Recorder, Havre de Grace Record, Queen Annes Record Observer,
Cumberland Times News, Cecil Whig, The Aegis, Dorchester Star, News-Journal, and Laurel
Leader. Story pitches may include the basics of 529 plans, saving versus borrowing, trends in
the 529 industry, or announcing the new Maryland 529 enrollment period. We also believe
public relations will play a vital role this winter in announcing the State Contribution Program
and application period. Millennium Marketing Services will help us identify the appropriate
newspaper, radio, and television media that directly target low-income and minority families
who may benefit from the State Contribution Program. Additionally, Maryland 529s
community partners, such as the Maryland CASH Campaign and Junior Achievement, will be
additional resources to help disseminate information to low-income families who utilize their
services.
Social media influencers include journalists, subject experts, celebrities and other individuals
with large followings. They typically have established online presences through multiple
channels such as individual websites or blogs, and large followings on social media platforms
such as Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube, and are widely considered authorities among their
follower base.
According to Technoratis 2013 Digital Influence report, consumers are turning to blogs when
looking to make a purchase. Blogs rank favorably with consumers for trust, popularity and
even influence and are the third most influential digital resource when making overall
purchases behind retail and brand sites.5
Maryland 529 partners with local social media influencers in the Maryland blogging community
such as (Cool) Progeny, Im NOT the Nanny, Mamas Latinas, Scary Mommy, and Baltimores
Child to help promote messaging about the importance of saving for college and how the
Maryland 529 Plans can help families save. The content these bloggers share online is very
specific to children and families and they have an established loyal fan base that we can
leverage. Maryland 529 will reach out to this blogging community to make them aware of the
State Contribution Program and the benefits to their followers to set up a College Investment
Plan and apply for the State match.

Community Outreach and Partnerships

Citing new Census data, the Baltimore Business Journal (December 14, 2015) states that
Baltimore City and Somerset County have the highest poverty levels in Maryland, with each
estimated to have more than 20% of residents living below the federal poverty line. The data
also revealed that counties with the highest poverty rates in the State are largely concentrated
on the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland. Most counties in those areas had more than 10%
of residents living below the federal poverty line.6
Maryland 529 is committed to providing low-income households the information and resources
they need to help them save for college and is excited to offer them the opportunity to apply
for the State Contribution Program. To ensure we are reaching low-income families, Maryland
529 has identified the following partners to host informational workshops and/or distribute
information about the Maryland 529 Plans and State Contribution Program:

Maryland CASH Campaign: Maryland CASH Campaign promotes programs, products,

and policies that increase the financial security of low to moderate-income individuals
and families across the State. They have 34 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites
throughout the metropolitan Baltimore area, Eastern Shore, and Western Maryland that
offer free tax preparation services for Maryland residents. Maryland 529 will provide
informational flyers on the Maryland 529 Plans and State Contribution Program that will
be distributed at every VITA site.
Maryland CASH Campaign also offers free and low-cost financial education classes
through the Maryland CASH Academy. These classes are offered throughout the State to
all Maryland residents. Maryland 529 will participate in select classes to explain 529
Plans and the State Contribution Program to participants and distribute flyers and
applications;

Junior Achievement: Junior Achievement of Central Maryland is part of the world's

largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they
need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic
and economic choices. Their K-12 programs provide relevant, hands-on experiences in
financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Junior Achievement of Central
Maryland reaches more than 40,000 total students in 12 Maryland counties each year.
During the 2016-17 school year, Maryland 529 will have representation in JA BizTown, a
10,000 square-foot, life-like city designed to reflect the importance of workplace
performance and financial decisions in an authentic economy. After a few weeks of inclassroom coursework, fourth through sixth-grade students are selected for a job and
spend a day at the JA facility to experience what a typical day in the life of an adult may
be like. Maryland 529 will be on-site during various JA BizTown sessions to educate
children about the importance of saving for college and providing them materials about
college savings and the new State Contribution Program to give to their parents;

CASA: CASAs mission is to create a more just society by building power and improving
the quality of life in low-income immigrant communities. CASA provides tax
preparation, individual counseling and workshops on issues such as obtaining
identification documents (Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), passport, consular
identification, and drivers license), opening a bank account, writing a check, using a
debit card, debt analysis, financial planning, and creating a budget. Maryland 529 will
partner with CASA to distribute flyers about the Maryland 529 Plans and the new State
Contribution Program and speak at their financial literacy programs;

Maryland Head Start Association: The Maryland Head Start Association (MHSA) is a link
between local Head Start Programs and the National Head Start Association. MHSA
seeks to assist Head Start programs through: education and training opportunities;
advocating on behalf of Head Start children and families across the State of Maryland;
and by educating the community at large on the developmental needs of low-income
children and families.
Head Start sites are located in every county in Maryland, with a total of 247 Head Start
sites throughout the State. Maryland 529 will partner with county Head Start sites to
have Maryland 529 materials and State Contribution Program flyers distributed to
families enrolled in their programs;

Maryland Teachers and State Employees Supplemental Retirement Plans (MSRP) and
Maryland State Department of Education: As stated in the College Affordability Act of
2016, Maryland 529 will coordinate with the Board of Trustees of the Maryland
Teachers and State Employees Supplemental Retirement Plans and local school systems,
respectively, to identify methods to increase participation in the college savings plans
among: (1) State employees who participate in other State tax savings programs; and (2)
families of students in local school systems with lower rates of participation in the
college savings plans than the State population.
Maryland 529 will coordinate with MSRP to determine which methods would be most
effective in promoting the Maryland 529 plans and the State Contribution Program.
Opportunities include featuring the Maryland 529 plans and payroll direct deposit
option as a benefit on the plans description section of the MSRP website. The Maryland
529 plans description would include information about the State Contribution Program.
Statement messaging and a link to the Maryland 529 website could also be featured on
the MSRP websites home page.
Maryland 529 will work with the Maryland State Department of Education and each
county public school system to distribute State Contribution Program flyers and
distribute/or email to parents at Title I elementary and middle schools. These Title 1
schools are part of a federally funded program that annually provides over $14 billion to
school systems across the country for students living at or near poverty. Maryland 529

will also work with PTA organizations in Title I schools to disseminate State Contribution
Program information through either presentations or informational material;

Maryland State Educators Association (MSEA):

Maryland 529 participated in the
annual MSEA convention on October 21, 2016 and distributed information about the
Maryland 529 Plans and State Contribution Program in the Exhibit Hall. This convention
was a great opportunity to reach educators and school counselors to enlist their help
and resources to extend our reach to families they serve;

Maryland Public Library System: The public library system is an excellent resource in
disseminating information about the Maryland 529 Plans and State Contribution
Program, especially to low-income households and households that lack Internet access.
Each county within the public library system has its own unique set of public programs,
and Maryland 529 has already established partnerships with several counties
throughout the State to promote the Maryland 529 Plans, including the Talbot County
Free Library, Alleghany County Public Library, Howard County Public Library, Baltimore
County Public Library, Wicomico County Public Library, Frederick County Public Library,
and Washington County Public Library. Maryland 529 will leverage its existing
partnerships and reach out to other county public library systems to identify
opportunities in which the State Contribution Program can be promoted to its
constituency this upcoming year, including flyer distribution, college savings workshops
for parents, and sponsorship of summer reading programs;

Maryland Department of Budget and Management: From September 26 through

November 10, 2016, Maryland 529 attended the Department of Budget and
Managements (DBM) health and benefits fairs throughout the State to promote the
Maryland 529 plans and the State Contribution Program. Maryland 529 will work to
have information about the State Contribution Program as a link on the DBM employee
web page and update our payroll messaging to promote the Program. In addition,
Maryland 529 will reach out to the State Benefits Managers group to attend one of their
quarterly meetings to help identify new opportunities to promote the match and
provide State Contribution Program flyers that can be inserted into employee benefits
packages/an or distributed to attendees of DBM hosted events; and

Maryland Society of Accounting & Tax Professionals: As cited in the College

Affordability Act of 2016, Maryland residents in higher income households, between
$112,000 - $175,000, are eligible to apply for the State Contribution Program. According
to the 2013 Maryland 529 market research study, more than half of the respondents
indicated that their spouse and/or financial advisor has the most influence when it
comes to financial decisions. Maryland 529s Executive Director presented a seminar on
college savings and the State Contribution Program at the Maryland Society of
Accounting & Tax Professionals (MSATPs) membership meeting on November 10, 2016.

While the attendees were accounting and tax professionals, this audience will be helpful
in promoting the State Contribution Program and college savings plans in general.
Community Outreach and partnership development is a key component of Maryland 529
efforts. It is worth noting that the Plans utilize the same strategy to also reach underserved and
minority families in Maryland.

Maryland 529 Marketing and Communications Projected Timeline

Timeline

Target Date

Online web ads/digital advertising

July 1 June 30

Participation in State Benefits Fairs

And Community Events

On-going

State Contribution Program web page

goes live (www.Maryland529.com/MDMatch$250)

September 1 (completed)

:15 Television Spot to air on Maryland Public Televisions

Education Week programming

September 12-16 (completed)

Cable and Broadcast Television Advertising

October April (in progress)

Develop State Contribution Program information

marketing materials

November 1 (completed)

State Contribution Program flyers delivered to partner

organizations

On-going

Cinema and Online Radio Advertising

November - December (in

progress)

Post State Contribution Program application on website

January 1

Initiate public relations efforts for State Contribution Program

January 2

On-going advertising, community outreach, and PR

for State Contribution Program

January 2 June 1

Conclusion
Maryland 529 is committed to educating Maryland families on the benefits of saving through
Marylands 529 plans and appreciates the opportunity to promote the State Contribution
Program to help expand college savings across the State of Maryland. We look forward to
increasing participation in the Maryland 529 plans to help Maryland families reduce or
eliminate their reliance on loans to pay for higher education costs. Additionally, while not
easily trackable, there is evidence (as stated earlier) that even a small amount of college savings
can potentially increase the number of children going to college.

References
1. 10 Student Loan Facts Students Need to Know, U.S. News and World Report (May 19,
2016) (http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-forcollege/slideshows/10-student-loan-facts-college-grads-need-to-know
2. CFED Fact File 2014, Scholarly Research on Childrens Savings Accounts, Corporation
For Enterprise Development (July 21,
2014) http://cfed.org/assets/pdfs/FactFile__Scholarly_Research_On_Childrens_Savings
_Accounts.pdf
3. Thom File and Camille Ryan, Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2013
American Community Survey Reports, (November
2013) https://www.census.gov/history/pdf/2013computeruse.pdf
4. Rachel Bluth, Many Maryland Rural Residents Are Left Without Wired Broadband,
Chestertown Spy, April 14, 2016
http://chestertownspy.org/2016/04/16/many-maryland-rural-residents-are-leftwithout-wired-broadband/
5. Technorati, TechnoratiMedia 2013 Digital Influence Report, 2013
http://technorati.com/report/2013-dir/consumer-behavior/
6. Timothy Sandavol, This map shows you where most poverty is concentrated in
Maryland, Baltimore Business Journal, December 14, 2015
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2015/12/14/this-map-shows-you-wheremost-poverty-is.html