profitable non profits for park and recreation
TRANSCRIPT
PROFITABLE NONPROFITS:
How to Raise Funds and Fans for Parks and Recreation
Presented by Rosemary Cameron
Rosemary Cameron
Public Affairs and Fundraising Consultant
Who’s talking?
• Have you ever served on a nonprofit board?
• Do you volunteer for or donate to any nonprofits? Give some examples of these nonprofit organizations.
What’s your experience with nonprofits?
• Tried and true nonprofit models• Benefits and pitfalls of establishing a
nonprofit• Requirements for forming a nonprofit• Why donors prefer giving to
nonprofits• Alternatives to forming a nonprofit• Basic fundraising techniques
Here’s what we’ll be focusing on:
•In your chat box, please share the name of any nonprofits that are currently providing support for your agency/department.
What type of nonprofits already support your park agency/department?
Nonprofit Models for Parks and Recreation Agency Support
• Foundations
• Friends Groups
• Operating Entity
• Umbrella Organization/Fiscal Sponsor Organization
• Land Trust
Regional Parks FoundationThe Regional Parks Foundation was established in 1969 to support the East Bay Regional Park District. The Foundation’s mission is to support our Regional Parks through fundraising that provides broader public access, resource protection and preservation, education and recreational programs, and the acquisition of parklands. One of the top priorities is to ensure that underserved populations have equal access to the East Bay Regional Park District’s parks, trails, programs, and services.
The Preservation Foundation is the charitable partner of the Lake County Forest Preserves. It supports the growth, development and sustainability of our region’s natural lands and cultural heritage.
Preservation Foundation of the Lake County Forest Preserves
Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation
The FOPR bridges the gap between the City of Oakland’s Office of Parks and Recreation’s funding and the public’s need for safe, clean, and well maintained parks and recreation centers.
The Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County exists to advance the vision of the Forest Preserve District through philanthropic endeavors.
Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Entertaining, Educating, and Enriching through Powerful Live Performances
Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation
Established in 1976, SRI’s mission is to sponsor, promote, and initiate recreation and cultural and educational activities for the residents of the Southgate community
Southarea Recreation, Inc.
Partners of Parks
Partners of ParksA Nonprofit Corporation Supporting Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Beaches
Partners of Parks is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents of Long Beach by supporting recreational, environmental, educational, and cultural programs at parks, recreation facilities, and beaches
San Francisco Parks AllianceThe mission of the San Francisco Park Alliance (SFPA) is to inspire and promote civic engagement and philanthropy to protect, sustain, and enrich San Francisco parks and green open spaces.
POST protects and cares for open space, farms, and parklands in and around Silicon Valley
Peninsula Open Space Trust
The Conservation Foundation is a non-profit land and river protection organization founded in 1972. The support of more than 3,500 members and 500 volunteers helps us carry out our mission to preserve and restore open space and natural lands, protect rivers and watersheds, and promote stewardship of our environment in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois.
The Conservation Foundation
Foundations/Friends Groups/NonprofitsWhat do they all have in common?
• Inform• Involve• Mobilize
Passive
Volunteers
Small
Dependent
Active
Paid staff
Large
Independent
• Conduct programs/events
• Raise funds
There’s no one model that’s right for every agency and community.
How a nonprofit can benefit a park & recreation agency…• Provide public support for all aspects of Department
programs
• Act as the focal point for stimulating private sector support
• Act quickly, aggressively, and without political impediments
• Hold funds beyond the fiscal year and outside the general revenue and budgetary process
• Use foundation gifts as matching funds for government grants
• Provide access to programs and grants other foundation funds that are not available to government agencies
How a nonprofit can benefit a park & recreation agency…• Allows use of nonprofit postal rates, which
saves on bulk mailing costs
• Make advance and capital purchases outside the lengthy bid process and handle emergency purchases in a timely manner
• Be a visible advocate for the organization with regard to the governing authority, the general public, and the private sector
• Provide funding to a campaign to support a city/county/special park district ballot measure
• Use it to fund PR expenditures, such as buying tables for community events
• Builds relationships between public agency and business/corporate or other community leaders
• Provides funding for “scholarships” for low income program participation
• Allows focus on a single important project or program that already has, or could have, broad-based community support
Nonprofits can help build community support and involvement too!
Now that you’ve looked at the benefits a nonprofit can deliver to parks and recreation….
Share a few of the ways a nonprofit could help YOUR department/agency?
What does your department/agency need?
Do you really need to form a nonprofit?
•No! Gifts to public agencies are tax deductible. •But, some donors don’t want to give to a public agency.
Why do you think that is? Write your answer in the chat box.
• Perception that charitable contributions cannot be dedicated to a specific purpose
• Perception that gifts will “get lost” in the General Fund
• Public agencies are not easily, quickly, and graciously able to say “thank you”
Donor “psychology”
What motivates you to donate to a nonprofit?
Type your answer(s) in the chat box.
What’s the #1 rule of fundraising?
The #1 rule of fundraising is…..
People give to people!
A few other fundamentals of fundraising
• Clarity of purpose-define the project or program for which funds are to be raised
• Know your community values/interests-needs are perceived differently by different people at different times
• What motivates donors?– Charitable nature-to help where it is needed– Participation in a winner– Recognition– Tax deductibility of gift
What is Required to Form a Nonprofit?1. Have a clear idea or mission of what you want to accomplish
2. Recruit a dedicated group of interested volunteer/board members
3. Have realistic goals for success
4. Develop a commitment to success by staff, and a clear understanding of support needs
5. Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws
6. Have a good bookkeeping or financial person
7. Understand the challenges of operating a nonprofit as to the administrative requirements (record keeping, financial reporting, IRS rules, etc.)
8. Have a good attorney
9. If you start this as a “staff driven” organization, make sure there is one person in charge that has this as their main job
• Staffing and/or active and sophisticated volunteer efforts
• A fundraising plan• Formal procedures and ongoing record keeping
(policies, procedures, meeting minutes)• Financial record keeping/book keeping• Annual audit• Errors and Omissions insurance for board
members at minimum, possibly other liability insurance
What’s required after a nonprofit has been established?
• You must overcome the perception that tax dollars support public agencies and asking for donations is inappropriate
• Staff time involved• Legal/accounting issues• The funds you raise may not justify the
level of effort involved
What could possibly go wrong?
•YES! Fiscal Sponsorship
• Resources:www.fiscalsponsorsdirectory.org
www.grantspace.orgwww.councilofnonprofits.orgwww.sff.org
This sounds like a lot of work – is there another option?
Within your group, brainstorm ideas for parks and recreation projects that would be good candidates for fundraising in your community.
List 2 or 3 of your ideas in the chat box.
Questions?
