Client
Year
Deliverables
Media Relations
Social Media
Community Engagement
Digital Advertising
Situation
As the original – and largest – hospice and palliative care organization in the state, Hospice of Michigan has significant experience holding smaller, community-specific fundraisers throughout the year. But as the nonprofit’s needs and priorities evolved, so did its fundraising strategy.
Approach
It began with a simple idea: Plan one community-based signature fundraiser that can be replicated and customized across the state.
In 2016, Hospice of Michigan introduced its inaugural Barley, BBQ & Beats event at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, working with the Franco team to help launch the fundraiser through PR, organic social media and digital and traditional advertising support.
Creating a Customizable Template
While Hospice of Michigan had held large-scale events, they were typically centered on traditional fundraiser elements – a formal dinner, an exclusive showing, etc. Barley, BBQ & Beats was truly a bold, new style.
Since this was the first event of its kind, the team didn’t know how it would be received. Previously, nonprofits didn’t typically use Van Andel Arena for fundraisers, but Hospice of Michigan’s local partnerships helped get them into the perfect space to launch the event. And to their surprise, there was a line outside the door.
Walking into Barley, BBQ & Beats was like arriving at a big party. It was night and day from other hospice fundraisers, showing guests that even in this line of work, there can be joy.
Barley, BBQ & Beats’ immediate success in Grand Rapids prompted a strategic shift away from hosting multiple smaller fundraisers each year toward one large-scale, signature event model designed to maximize awareness, attendance and donations.
Growth Across Michigan
What worked in Grand Rapids was soon introduced in Detroit (2017) and Cadillac (2018). Franco supported the events with targeted PR outreach, emphasizing the event’s unique elements – craft cocktails from Michigan distilleries, barbecue from local pit masters and live music – in support of Hospice of Michigan’s Open Access Program, which helps ensure end-of-life care to all, regardless of age, diagnosis or financial circumstances.
Since the events were so visual and fun, Franco reflected this in our social content and media outreach, offering in-studio cooking and cocktail segments, along with in-the-community segments featuring local vendors. By leaning into Hospice of Michigan’s mutually beneficial relationships, we created opportunities to talk about the fundraiser and mission, while sharing the spotlight with high quality local partners.
By 2019, events were staged in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Cadillac, establishing Barley, BBQ & Beats as a statewide tradition and strengthening its reputation as one of Michigan’s most anticipated charity events of the year.
Pandemic Pause & Triumphant Return
Like many live events, Barley, BBQ & Beats went on hold during the pandemic. The time off allowed Hospice of Michigan to go back to the drawing board, so the fundraiser could return stronger than ever. After a three-year hiatus, Barley, BBQ & Beats returned in 2023, expanding into three new cities: Ann Arbor (an Arbor Hospice event), Traverse City and Alpena.
Hyping up the return of Barley, BBQ & Beats came naturally because it had already become a beloved event – both in each community it touched and among the Franco team!
This year’s efforts were twofold: invite the three returning communities back to the event and introduce the three added communities to a fun new tradition.
The 2023 series also featured a special appearance by Kelsea Ballerini in Grand Rapids, generating additional excitement. And all those who donated during the six 2023 events had the opportunity to double their generosity through the $250,000 “Make it a Double” Matching Gift thanks to the Steve and Amy Van Andel Foundation.
Last Call
The final two years of Barley, BBQ & Beats were all about connection and celebration – from community-exclusive elements and silent auction prizes to 2024-star power in the form of GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer and songwriter Gavin DeGraw in Grand Rapids.
In 2025, the series concluded with “Last Call” events across five Michigan cities. Franco engaged local influencers and leveraged storytelling around the finale, positioning the event as both a celebration of impact and a rallying cry for continued support to help ensure end-of-life care for Every Person, Every Time.
After a decade of Barley, BBQ & Beats, the fundraiser wrapped up by celebrating the staff, vendors, musicians, partners, donors, volunteers and communities who helped make it happen.
Results
The Franco team was proud to play our role, providing strategic and evolving communications to help Barley, BBQ & Beats grow from a single local event into a statewide fundraising powerhouse that:
- Expanded from 1 to 6 markets across Michigan
- Held 25 events since 2016
- Hosted 16,500 guests
- Worked with 1,100 volunteers
- Raised $4.12M
- Funded 16,480 days of hospice care
- Leveraged integrated communications to maximize ticket sales, community engagement and mission awareness
- Delivered consistent community-specific coverage across TV, radio, print and digital media. This includes hundreds of earned media mentions and interviews from media outlets across the state. In the 16 post-pandemic events alone, Franco earned nearly 300 pieces of media coverage.
- Yielded more than 5.6M impressions across social media channels, including five community influencers and tourism sites in 2025.
