GRIT Internal Production Reference

Internal reference for the Communications & Publications Committee, GRIT editor, layout volunteers, and office staff. This page tracks the working rhythm and handoffs behind each issue.

Purpose

The Communications & Publications Committee produces the GRIT, the monthly community newsletter of the Sandia Heights Homeowners Association.

This page is an internal operating reference. It is not the public contributor guide and it is not a replacement for official publication policy.

Audience And Format

• Primary medium: printed newsletter, approximately 1,800 copies distributed monthly.
• Secondary medium: digital PDF distributed by email and posted online.
• Digital reach: email distribution reaches approximately 3,000 subscribers, with typical open/click rates of 200-300 readers per issue.

Because most readers receive the printed edition, publication schedules and content selection should prioritize the print audience.

Monthly Schedule

1st-15th: Content Collection

Committee chairs, Board members, residents, and staff submit articles, announcements, photographs, classifieds, and other content.

Submissions should be entered through sandiaheightsgrit.app.

20th: Submission Deadline

Content should be submitted by the 20th of the month preceding publication. Late submissions may be held for a future issue.

20th-25th: Editorial Review

The Editor:

• Reviews submissions
• Performs copy editing
• Requests revisions if needed
• Selects photographs and artwork
• Determines article placement
• Resolves layout constraints

The Editor may shorten or edit submissions for clarity, space, style, and consistency.

25th-29th: Layout And Proofing

The Editor and layout volunteers:

• Assemble the issue in Adobe InDesign
• Verify links, captions, dates, and contact information
• Prepare advertisements and classifieds
• Generate proof PDFs

Committee members review proofs and provide comments.

End Of Month: Final Approval

The Editor prepares the final print-ready PDF.

The final PDF is uploaded to the Editor's Google Drive. The final Google Drive link becomes the authoritative version for printing and distribution.

Printer Handoff

Office staff:

• Send the printer the final Google Drive link
• Confirm receipt
• Confirm expected print completion date
• Confirm expected delivery date

Avoid emailing large PDF attachments whenever possible. Use the final Google Drive link.

Distribution

Office staff:

• Coordinate printed newsletter distribution
• Send email distribution
• Post the digital version online

Working Roles

• Communications & Publications Committee: owns the GRIT as a committee function and supports editorial direction.
• Editor: reviews submissions, edits copy, selects content, resolves fit/placement, and prepares the final issue.
• Layout volunteers: assemble the issue in InDesign and prepare proof PDFs.
• Office staff: handle printer handoff, printed distribution coordination, email distribution, and posting support.

Internal Checkpoints

• Are events still timely by the time the printed GRIT reaches residents?
• Are dates, locations, names, contact details, and URLs checked?
• Are photos likely to work in black-and-white print?
• Are ads and classifieds in the correct issue folder?
• Is the final Google Drive PDF link clearly identified as the authoritative version?
• Has the printer confirmed receipt and delivery timing?

Goal

The purpose of the schedule is to ensure that:

• Events are announced before they occur
• Information remains timely and useful
• Print readers receive current content
• Workload is distributed among volunteers and staff
• Publication is not dependent on any one individual