February 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 30

Who, What, Where & hoW around the Parks

FUNdraising and FRIeNDraising
Behind the scenes at a multi-million dollar fundraising project
By debra Gibson

Parks & Recreation F E B R U A R Y

depends upon myriad factors. Here are
a few of them.

Get to know people
" Capital campaigns are all about relationship-building, " Kaplan says. " It is as much
about friendraising as fundraising. " Find
out what interests each person, and make
their contribution meaningful for them. "
Also, never underestimate the value of
kindness. Those acts are never wasted.

Define Roles
Building relationships is not a vague activity or an art that cannot be quantified.
Be sure to keep board members informed, refi ne the message for different
audiences, and facilitate the needs of individual board members.

Know your community
It's also important to know your particular community. " They [community members] are the ones who are going to help
you achieve success, " Walczak says.

Be Flexible
Kaplan says their plans were changing all the time during the Glacier Run
campaign.

Phase it in
A huge exhibit such as Glacier Run can
be years, even decades in the making. By
opening it in phases, the zoo was able to
celebrate each phase, garnering media
attention and fundraising for each. This
approach also respects donors since
they are not asked for contributions every
year. An additional benefit: Supporters
are often attracted by other supporters.

2 0 1 2 w w w . N R P A . O R G

Remember that small can be large
Success doesn't totally depend upon large
contributions, Kaplan and Walczak say.
For example, 37 schools from 16 counties in Kentucky and Indiana participated
in a " Pennies for Polar Bears Campaign "
that raised more than $30,000 in a student-driven effort. During the fi nal two
months of the campaign, a direct mail
piece brought in 500 new donors, with an
average gift of $66 each. The zoo's 49 staff
members gave $30,000. Board members,
all of whom had already donated to the
campaign, gave again. One member donated $200 a month to the campaign. One
board member had a cocktail party at her
house. A camel stood in the front yard as
Walczak and board members ask for the
guests' support. Small and large, the donations added up.

Don't be timid
" It's really important to have a director
that is visionary and charismatic, " Kaplan says. " You need a leader who is not
afraid to ask for money when the time
is right. "

Maintain balance
Even so, requests for donations for a capital campaign have to be balanced with
other fundraising tactics, Kaplan notes.
" You certainly want to respect your donors and not continually ask them for support in different ways. "

Get the word out
Media attention can be critical, particularly toward the end of a campaign. " If potential donors don't know what you are trying
to do, they can't help, " she observes.

shutterstock

ore than 100 people
cheered as the mayor,
zoo leaders, and a polar bear expert shattered a ribbon of ice,
officially opening the Louisville (Kentucky)
Zoo's new polar and grizzly bear habitat
known as Glacier Run. A mascot then presented the mayor with a key (also made of
ice) to the town of Glacier Run as resident
bears feasted on salmon, mackerel, trout,
and herring contained in blocks of ice.
There were parties, special events, and
media previews. It was all great fun for a
great cause. Perhaps just as important, the
exhibit is expected to attract more than
890,000 visitors annually, with an economic impact exceeding $36 million.
Behind the celebration and increased
revenues, however, were years of fundraising. As municipal budgets tighten and
operational costs soar, fundraising has
become increasingly important to zoos,
parks, and other recreational venues. That
is certainly the case in Louisville where
the zoo-a sister organization to metro
parks-receives a smaller percentage of
its budget each year from city funds, necessitating capital fundraising campaigns
such as the one for Glacier Run.
Capital fundraising is still a new, and
daunting, reality at many public organizations. Such was the case for John Walczak, a herpetologist by training, when he
became head of the Louisville Zoo. Today, fundraising is an important aspect of
his job as executive director. He is assisted by development director Jill Kaplan, a
trained fundraiser.
There is no one secret to successful
fundraising, they say. Instead, success

February 2012 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2012 - Parks & Recreation