More 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 Jill Kaplan, development director, a trained fundraiser.
There is no one secret to successful fundraising, they say. Instead, success 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, refine 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.
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 final 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 who 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.
Kaplan says to remember your own website. “Get the word out on Facebook and Twitter,” adds Kyle Shepherd, the zoo’s media relations manager. One more important caveat: “It’s really important to build an online community before asking them to give,” Shepherd says. “Encourage them to be active and participate by exchanging information before you ask them to support you financially.”
Although it may sound like a lot to do and remember, Walczak says everything you need to know about fundraising you learned at your grandmother’s knee.
“I heard someone say this, and it took me a while to get my mind wrapped around what he was saying,” Walczak says. “I now take it to mean that you will succeed if you respect the individuals you are working with and treat them with utter sincerity, if you treat them the way you to be treated. If there’s a key to fundraising, that’s it. As a bonus, you make some great friends. It can be fun and so rewarding.”
Debra Gibson is a freelance writer in Kentucky.