Bedford Unleashed Sponsors

I. Introduction

This document outlines the policies and procedures for sponsorships in our local community Facebook group Bedford Unleashed. Our goal is to ensure that all sponsor promotional posts are delivered transparently, fairly, and in a way that respects our community’s values. The policy covers everything from sponsor eligibility and content guidelines to booking procedures, payment terms, monitoring, and dispute resolution.


II. Scope

Who This Applies To:
All local businesses, individuals, and service providers wishing to participate as a sponsor within the group; plus, the group’s administrators, moderators, and sponsor coordinators.

Sponsor Post Formats Include:
- Pinned (featured) posts
- Event promotions and special announcements
- Cross-posted content (where applicable)


III. Sponsor Promotional Opportunities & Offerings

Types of placements available to sponsors:

Pinned Sponsor Posts:
A featured post that remains as a pinned post for an agreed period and are marked as “Sponsored” or "Advertisement" at the head of the post.

Sponsored Posts:
Regular posts that are marked as “Sponsored” or "Advertisement" with enhanced visibility.

Event Promotions:
Targeted posts highlighting local events or community activities and are marked as “Sponsored” or "Advertisement".

Each type has a clearly defined duration and pricing options that keep the community’s best interests in mind.


IV. Sponsor Participation Rates and Payment Terms

SEE BELOW FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Payment Terms:
- Payment is due in full before publication (unless special arrangements have been made).
- Acceptable payment methods might include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal.
- There are no refunds once a payment has been accepted. If a sponsor needs to cancel, a posting credit will be issued. 
- Discounts and Packages:
Discounts are available for multi-post packages, subscriptions, and not-for-profit organizations. Group administrators may occasionally allow free promotional posts for certain not-for-profit organizations on a limited basis. Revenue generating events will generally not qualify for free promotional posts.


V. Sponsor Post Content Policies

To maintain the quality and integrity of our community, all sponsor post content must adhere to the following guidelines:

Local Relevance:
Sponsor posts must be directly connected to the local community or its interests. All posts must include a location or a local phone number. Sending or soliciting private messages is not permitted. Soliciting or sending private messages is cause the advertisement to be removed. No refunds will be issued for posts canceled for sending or soliciting private messages. 

Compliance with Facebook & Local Laws:
All sponsor posts must meet Facebook’s community standards and any relevant local ordinances.

Content Guidelines:
- No hate speech, harassment, or discriminatory language.
- No misleading or false claims.
- Clear contact information, disclaimers, and stipulations where necessary.
- Visual and textual content should be professionally designed, respectful, and in harmony with the group’s tone.

Prohibited Content:
- Political campaigning (unless approved under special circumstances).
- Content that could lead to harm, such as scams or dangerous products.
- Overly repetitive or other posts that could alienate community members.
- Posts that violate any of Bedford Unleashed's rules.


VI. Eligibility Criteria for Sponsors

Bedford Unleashed sponsors must meet the following standards:

Verification:
Sponsors should provide evidence of local business registration or associations (if applicable).

Relevance:
The product, service, or event must be of local interest and supportive of community values.

Compliance Agreement:
Prior to scheduling, advertisers must agree to abide by these policies and any contractual obligations outlined in the sponsorship agreement.

Active Non-promotional Participation Required
Bedford Unleashed is a community forum. It is not a place for advertisers and spammers to use as a dumping ground to promote their businesses or scams. Sponsors must also participate in the group in non-monetary meaningful ways other than promoting their businesses. Non-promotional posts and comments in group discussions should be equal to, or exceed, the sponsor's number of business related posts. Sponsors who do not actively participate in the group other than to post promotional content will be removed as sponsors.


VII. Application & Booking Procedures

Follow this step-by-step process for booking sponsor promotional posts:

1. Post Submission:
- Sponsors may submit an ad via email or the sponsor may submit a post for review by a group administrator prior to publication.
- An email submission must include business details, the desired post placement(s), proposed run dates, and a brief description of the content.

2. Initial Review & Quotation:
- The sponsor coordinator or a group administrator will review the post for eligibility and fit with community guidelines.
- A customized quote and available scheduling options will be sent to the sponsor for special posting arrangements.  

3. Agreement:
- Where applicable, upon acceptance of the quote, a sponsorship agreement is entered into that includes:
- Sponsor responsibilities
- Detailed scope of the sponsorship (sponsorship type, duration, number of postings)
- Payment terms and cancellation policies
- Making a payment constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.

4. Content Submission:
- Sponsors submit final post content by uploading to Bedford unleashed before the scheduled posting.
- All submissions must adhere to the format requirements (image resolution, text length, etc.) as may be stipulated in the content guideline document and in compliance with Facebook's rules.

5. Pre-Publication Review:
- A group administrator or sponsor coordinator evaluates the post for compliance.
- If revisions are needed, clear feedback is provided and a resubmission deadline is established.

6. Scheduling & Confirmation:
- Once approved, the sponsor's post is scheduled for publication.
- In most cases, the post will be posted within one business day of its submission. Otherwise, a final confirmation, including time and date of posting, is sent to the sponsor.

7. Payment Collection:
- Payment is verified and processed prior to post placement.
- The sponsor's will be published only after payment clearance, barring any pre-arrangements.


VIII. Ad Scheduling & Publication Guidelines

Publication Schedule:
- Sponsor posts will be published on predetermined days/times or as mutually agreed upon.
- In most cases, the post will be posted within one business day of its submission. Otherwise, a final confirmation, including time and date of posting, is sent to the sponsor.
- Once a post is approved, the sponsor can post it in accordance with the terms of the sponsorship. For security purposes, there will be a brief delay between when a post is submitted and when it appears in the group.  

Frequency Limitations:
- To maintain a balance between sponsor promotional posts and organic community content, a limit on the number of business related posts is enforced.
- A sponsor is permitted to run one business related post for each designated period unless otherwise agreed upon.

- Post Format & Tagging:
- Promotional posts should be clearly tagged as “Sponsored” or “Advertisement.” The words "Sponsored" or "Advertisement" must be at the beginning of the sponsor's promotional post.
- Multiple ad formats are available as outlined below in the sponsorship tables.


IX. Monitoring, Compliance, & Reporting

Compliance Monitoring:
- Administrators and moderators will regularly review post content during its run to ensure ongoing compliance.
- If issues are detected post-publication, the content may be removed, and the sponsor will be notified immediately.

Feedback and Iteration:
- Sponsors and other community members are encouraged to provide feedback on sponsor posted promotional content and frequency.
- Feedback channels (email or an online survey) may occasionally be available to ensure continuous improvement in the sponsorship management process.


X. Cancellation & Dispute Resolution

Cancellation Policy:
- Advertisers may cancel their sponsorship posts as outlined in these terms. 
- There are no refunds for ads once payment has been made. Sponsorship promotional posts may be rescheduled in most cases.

Dispute Resolution:
- Any disputes regarding published content, payment issues, or process delays will first be addressed by direct communication between the sponsor and the sponsor coordinator or a group administrator.
- Final decisions rest with the group administration, ensuring fairness to both community standards and sponsors.

XI. Roles & Responsibilities

Group Administrator(s):
- Oversee the sponsor posts and review process.
- Ensure all content complies with group and Facebook policies.
- Serve as the final decision-maker in disputes related to promotional content.

Sponsor Coordinator:
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all sponsorship inquiries.
- Manage the booking process, document submission, payment processing, and content scheduling.
- Maintain up-to-date policies and communicate any changes to sponsors.

Moderators:
- Assist with monitoring published promotional posts.
- Provide feedback and escalate concerns to the administrators when necessary.

Sponsors:
- Provide accurate, legal, and ethically produced content, both promotional and non-promotional.
- Engage in a transparent process and meet all deadlines, contractual requirements, and payment obligations.


XII. Amendments and Updates

Periodic Review:
The policies and procedures will be reviewed as needed to ensure they remain current with evolving Facebook guidelines, local regulations, and community feedback.

Notification of Changes:
Sponsors and group administrators will be notified via email or a pinned group post regarding any amendments to these policies.


FAQs:
A section addressing common questions and scenarios will be established, maintained and updated regularly.