Countryside Conservancy 2007-2009 Fundraising Plan * Introduction to the Conservancy and its Financial Resources The Countryside Conservancy was established in 1994 as the Northeast Heritage Land Trust; the current name was adopted in 1995. From the start, the organization's mission has focused on land conservation in northeast Pennsylvania. In 2004, the Conservancy's mission was reviewed and restated as "to protect lands and waters in and near the Tunkhannock Creek Watershed for the public benefit now, and for the future." This encapsulates the organization's geographical focus (encompassing parts of Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties), its emphasis on creating public benefit, and its vision of working for the long term. To date, the Conservancy has directly protected over 750 acres: 500 through conservation easement and over 250 through acquisition. The Conservancy actively manages the lands it owns to maintain their conservation value, and makes them available to the public free of charge for educational and recreational use. In 2006 the Conservancy held a retreat that targeted updating its Strategic Plan, developing a Conservation Plan, and developing a Fundraising Plan. These plans are intended to guide the Conservancy's work and help it prioritize its activities. This Fundraising Plan is an outcome of the 2006 retreat. The Conservancy is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which complies with all relevant State and Federal regulations governing such entities. The Conservancy files IRS Form 990, conducts an annual audit, and publishes an Annual Report to its membership and supporters. In 2008, the Conservancy intends to apply for accreditation with the national Land Trust Alliance, the umbrella organization for land trusts and conservancies nationwide. The Conservancy lays great stress on being a responsible steward of its financial resources as well as of the land and water resources it protects, and of remaining financially viable over the long term in order to protect the land and water legacy it has taken on. It is the Conservancy's goal to become more pro-active in protecting the region's most significant lands and waters. To do this, it must increase its financial and human resources to protect as many important acres as possible before development pressure in this region becomes acute. The Conservancy is growing steadily. It hired its first part-time staff in 1999, and its first full-time staff member, an Executive Director, in 2001. In 2006, one full-time and four part-time staff were on the payroll. Much of the organization's work continues to rely on volunteers, particularly Board members. Fundraising for the Conservancy is accomplished by members of the Board, the Executive Director, and volunteers, supported by the other staff members of the organization. Financial resources of the Countryside Conservancy are used in three types of activities: Program is targeted directly at conservation of lands and waters, and includes: acquisition of conservation easements; acquisition of trail easements; acquisition of lands in fee simple; monitoring and defense of easements held by the Conservancy; stewardship and management of lands and trails owned by the Conservancy; support for activities of the South Branch Tunkhannock Creek Watershed Coalition; and outreach and education efforts to increase public awareness of and support for the organization and its mission. Administration includes the day-to-day, mostly office-based work that keeps the organization running. Fundraising includes all efforts to raise the financial resources required to maintain and grow the organization. Funds raised by the Conservancy can be classed into three categories: * unrestricted, which can be used toward any of the above types of activities; * temporarily restricted, which are restricted to the use specified by the donor (most grants, for example, are restricted to a specified use, such as land acquisition or purchase of office equipment). Some temporarily restricted funds may be restricted by internal decision of the Conservancy Board, for example funds transferred to the Land Fund to be used in land or easement acquisition. However, Board restrictions can be altered by a decision of the Board, while donor restrictions cannot; and * permanently restricted, which can be used to generate income but which cannot themselves be spent down. Endowments are an example of a permanently restricted fund. The Conservancy held no permanently restricted funds as of end 2006, although the Stewardship Fund is treated as one. * Goals of the Fundraising Plan The Conservancy's basic strategic goal for fundraising is to increase and diversify its sources of financial support, particularly unrestricted financial support. In the past we have relied heavily on the generosity of a few foundations and major donors to cover both operating and program expenses, and we wish to expand this pool of donors to include more sources from a wider geographical area. In particular, we hope to increase greatly the number and level of membership gifts and other unrestricted gifts from individuals. The general goals of this Fundraising Plan are to help the Conservancy: * increase the total revenue of the organization, in order to increase its capacity to carry out its mission; * diversify revenue sources to minimize reliance on any single source of revenue; * increase the percentage of unrestricted revenue; * grow the Conservancy's membership; * pursue grant opportunities more effectively; * steadily increase the levels of the land and easement stewardship funds; and * generally, to support the Strategic Plan goals. Specific targets: Within the next three years, the Conservancy aims to: * increase revenues to support a second full-time staff member, starting in 2007, and the expenses associated with organizational growth; * increase membership in the Conservancy by 40%; * increase the Land Fund to a level of $250,000. While this is not sufficient to fund major land or easement acquisitions, it can leverage loans, be used to match grants, or act as seed money to attract more funds; and * increase the stewardship funds for Conservancy landholdings and easements to at least $200,000. (The long-term target should be at least $270,000, based on $5,000 per easement held and $20,000 per property owned as of end 2006). * Sources and Uses of Funds, 2003-2006 This section summarizes past revenues and expenditures over the four most recent years, from 2003-2006. Table 1 below summarizes sources of revenue and how funds were spent in the fiscal years 2003 to 2006. (The Conservancy's fiscal year runs from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.) Extraordinary revenues and expenditures relating to land projects are separated from other items. Revenues and expenditures for conservation purchases tend to rise and fall unpredictably, as the Conservancy raises funds for and completes more or fewer major conservation acquisitions in a given year. A single major land acquisition can dominate the organization's annual budget. Land conservation opportunities are difficult to plan ahead for, since they are often driven by decisions made by private landowners. The Conservancy must often act opportunistically and quickly to achieve a significant conservation gain. The unpredictable nature of the business is reflected in the fact that total revenues and expenditures do not rise steadily year by year in the reporting period of 2003-2006 in table 1 below. Table 1. Countryside Conservancy Revenues and Expenditures, 2003-2006 (percentages may not total 100% due to rounding) +----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Revenues: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |------------------------------------+------------+------------+------------+------------| | | Amount | % | Amount | % | Amount | % | Amount | % | |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Memberships | $23,048| 14| $28,475| 17| $49,795| 24| $48,609| 18| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Auction | $39,011| 24| $46,432| 28| $54,398| 26| $66,521| 25| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Government grants | $28,735| 17| $500| 0| $24,425| 12| $53,345| 20| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Foundation grants | $16,250| 10| $68,844| 41| $11,555| 5| $46,000| 17| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Corporate gifts | $0| 0| $1,700| 1| $100| 0| $0| 0| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Stewardship gifts | $0| 0| 0| 0| 0| 0| $15,200| 6| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Planned Giving (includes memorial | | | | | | | | | |gifts and individual donors' pledges| $53,235| 32| $11,775| 7| $53,717| 25| $26,995| 10| |for land projects) | | | | | | | | | |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Endowment/Interest | $1,911| 1| $2,682| 2| $7,042| 3| $9,665| 4| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Other events (excluding Auction) | $1,052| 1| $2,902| 2| $3,189| 2| $418| 0| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Miscellaneous | $2,651| 2| $3,658| 2| $1,510| 1| $705| 0| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Item sales (books, T-shirts, etc.) | $0| 0| $150| 0| $4,975| 2| $2,820| 1| |------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Total: |$165,892|100|$167,118|100|$210,706|100|$270,278|100| +----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Extraordinary land revenues: +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Revenues: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |------------------------------+---------+----------+----------+---------| | Government grants for | $0 | $142,500 | $58,080 | $0 | | land/easement acquisition | | | | | |------------------------------+---------+----------+----------+---------| | Foundation grants for | $10,000 | $135,000 | $62,500 | $15,000 | | land/easement acquisition | | | | | |------------------------------+---------+----------+----------+---------| | Sale of land | $0 | $54,356 | $0 | $0 | |------------------------------+---------+----------+----------+---------| | Total: | $10,000 | $331,856 | $120,580 | $15,000 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Expenses: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |-------------------------------------------+------------+------------+------------+------------| | | Amount| %| Amount| %| Amount| %| Amount| %| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Administration | $27,536| 25| $31,830| 18| $38,649| 19| $39,219| 22| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Fundraising | | | | | | | | | |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Membership campaign (incl. major donors) | $1,799| 2| $5,208| 3| $5,319| 3| $3,660| 2| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Auction | $18,361| 16| $14,341| 8| $20,475| 10| $25,916| 14| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Other events (picnic, trail run, etc.) | $4,648| 4| $9,393| 5| $9,457| 5| $6,281| 3| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Items for sale (books, T-shirts, etc.) | $0| 0| $0| 0| $11,000| 5| $0| 0| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Planned Giving | $161| 0| $79| 0| $0| 0| $0| 0| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Grantwriting | $0| 0| $0| 0| $0| 0| $0| 0| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Fundraising (pro-rated admin. expenses) * | $5,155| 5| $6,004| 3| $6,201| 3| $8,364| 5| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Program | | | | | | | | | |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |PR, Education, Outreach | $4,956| 4| $15,954| 9| $19,978| 10| $27,229| 15| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Land Projects: | | | | | | | | | |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Land Acquisition | $5,417| 5| $34,955| 20| $27,273| 13| $8,170| 5| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Conservation Easement Acquisition | $4,236| 4| $1,375| 1| $9,306| 5| $9,177| 5| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Stewardship: | | | | | | | | | |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Little Rocky Glen | $0| 0| $0| 0| $0| 0| $7,102| 4| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Preserve mgmt. (other) | $3,400| 3| $0| 0| $0| 0| $9,987| 6| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Trail | $1,113| 1| $3,632| 2| $6,776| 3| $2,890| 2| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Beautification/Protection | $21,184| 19| $37,218| 21| $30,624| 15| $6,221| 3| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Easement stewardship | $791| 1| $1,342| 1| $5,095| 2| $4,524| 2| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Program (pro-rated admin. expenses) * | $12,886| 12| $15,009| 9| $15,501| 8| $20,909| 12| |-------------------------------------------+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---+--------+---| |Total: |$111,644|100|$176,340|100|$205,653|100|$179,649|100| +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ * Expenses associated with Conservancy operations (including rent, office supplies & equipment, general insurance and audit) are totaled and pro-rated to Administration (30%); Fundraising (20%); Program (50%). Extraordinary land expenditures: +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Expenditures: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+----------| | Land Acquisition | $3,000 | $225,000 | $120,926 | $111,004 | |------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+----------| | Conservation Easement | $1,000 | $31,653 | $30,546 | $0 | | Acquisition | | | | | |------------------------------+--------+----------+----------+----------| | Total: | $4,000 | $256,653 | $151,472 | $111,004 | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+ * Sources and Uses of Funds, 2007-2009 Projection This section outlines projected revenues and expenditures over the next three years, 2007-2009. Table 2 below lays out a projected three-year budget for the Conservancy, from 2007-2009. An effort has been made to predict expenditures in the next three years as accurately as possible, and to project how much we must raise from each source of revenue to meet these needs. Land and easement acquisition expenses are very hard to project from year to year, so we have approximated based on experience from 2003-2006. At the same time, we set an ambitious target of adding $190,000 to the Land Fund and $100,000 to the Land and Easement Stewardship Funds by the end of 2009. Table 2. Countryside Conservancy Projected Revenues and Expenditures, 2007-2009 (percentages may not total 100% due to rounding) +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Revenues: | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | | % | % | % | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Memberships | 3 | 2 | 2 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Annual Campaign | 3 | 3 | 2 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Major Donor gifts | 7 | 6 | 6 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Subtotal of preceding items: | 13 | 11 | 10 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Auction | 10 | 8 | 7 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Government grants | 2 | 16 | 18 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Foundation grants | 30 | 24 | 24 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Corporate gifts | 1 | 1 | 2 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Conservation donors | 25 | 22 | 23 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Stewardship gifts | 2 | 6 | 7 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Planned Giving (includes Memorials) | 12 | 9 | 7 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Endowment/Interest | 2 | 2 | 2 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Other events (excluding Auction) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Miscellaneous | 0 | 0 | 0 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Sales of items | 0 | 0 | 0 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Sale of land | 0 | 0 | 0 | |-------------------------------------+----------+----------+---------| | Total: | 100 | 100 | 100 | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Expenses: | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | | % | % | % | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Administration | 11 | 11 | 9 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Fundraising | | | | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Membership campaign | 1 | 1 | 1 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Annual campaign | 0 | 0 | 0 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Major donors | 0 | 0 | 0 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Auction | 6 | 6 | 5 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Other events (picnic, trail run, etc.) | 2 | 2 | 2 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Items for sale (books, T-shirts, etc.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Planned Giving | 0 | 0 | 0 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Grantwriting | 0 | 0 | 0 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Fundraising (pro-rated admin. expenses)* | 2 | 2 | 2 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Program | | | | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | PR, Education, Outreach | 10 | 9 | 8 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Land Projects: | | | | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Land Acquisition | 33 | 43 | 49 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Conservation Easement Acquisition | 7 | 9 | 9 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Stewardship: | | | | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Little Rocky Glen | 10 | 4 | 4 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Preserve management (other) | 5 | 3 | 3 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Trail | 3 | 2 | 1 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Beautification/Protection | 1 | 1 | 1 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Easement stewardship | 2 | 1 | 1 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Program (pro-rated admin. expenses)* | 5 | 5 | 5 | |------------------------------------------+---------+--------+--------| | Total: | 100 | 100 | 100 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ * Expenses associated with Conservancy operations (including rent, office supplies & equipment, general insurance and audit) are totaled and pro-rated to Administration (30%); Fundraising (20%); Program (50%). Excess revenue over expenditures in 2007-09 is to be directed toward the Land Fund (target $100,000) and the Land and Easement Stewardship Funds (target $190,000). * Sources of Revenue and Areas for Improvement This section of the plan lists the Conservancy's major sources of revenue and how they are raised. For each source of revenue, specific tasks are identified to be carried out over the next three years with the goal of strengthening our fundraising capacity. The tasks outlined in this section are based upon the strategies and tasks in the Strategic Plan, but go into greater detail. 1. Membership Contributions in the form of membership gifts. "Membership" in the Conservancy is conferred upon individuals and companies that make an unrestricted financial gift to the Conservancy (excluding event sponsorships and grants). Membership in the Conservancy does not confer voting rights; according to the bylaws, only members of the Board of Directors are voting members. Membership gifts are treated as unrestricted income, which may be used to meet any of the Conservancy's expenses. Donors receive a thank-you tax letter from the Conservancy, which is typically sent within three days of receiving the gift. Membership gifts are acknowledged quarterly in the CountryViews Newsletter, unless the donor requests anonymity. In 2006, the Conservancy had about 450 active members. Through the end of 2006, all gifts given to the Annual Campaign, regardless of size, were treated as membership gifts. Membership gifts are also made using the tear-off form in the quarterly newsletter, or by individuals joining at Conservancy events. Membership levels are identified in Conservancy publications as: Family: $35 Friend: $70 Founder: $100 Patron: $250 Benefactor: $500 Trust Partner: $1,000 and up Membership Benefits: The Conservancy has since 2003 given a twelve-month membership for any unrestricted gift, starting from the month the gift was received. However, as no significant rights or benefits are currently associated with membership, the concept of a membership "expiring" is tenuous. Strictly speaking, the only membership benefit, as of 2006, was free admission to the Tailgate Picnic. Other benefits such as the quarterly newsletter and invitations to the Annual Auction and Annual Meeting are extended to some non-members as well as to members. Overall goals for Membership are to retain existing members and encourage them to increase size of membership gift (advance to "donor" or "major donor" level), to identify and solicit new members, to replace deceased/lost members and to grow the organization's membership. Tasks moving forward: 2007: Starting in early 2007, start a program of "rolling" monthly renewals, whereby each member is asked to renew his membership 12 months from the date of the last gift. This will help spread membership revenues more evenly across the year, in contrast to the past system whereby the bulk of membership gifts were made in November, December and January. (Responsible party: staff, with outside support as needed) Experiment with distinguishing different levels of giving by noting levels of giving in the newsletter, offering premiums, offering certain events to donors above a certain level, etc. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) Consider creating more members-only benefits or premiums (such as members-only events, or discounted tickets to certain events). Benefits or premiums given to members should be of low cost to the Conservancy (example: a nature walk on a Conservancy preserve, led by a volunteer), or should help to expand name recognition of the Conservancy in the community (example: bumper sticker). (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee) Seek new members through Board contacts, readily available public information (such as published member lists of other non-profit organizations) and other sources. (Responsible party: Executive Director with Board support) Review Conservancy database to identify overlooked individuals who should be approached for donations. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee, staff) Review the Conservancy database software (a customized version of MS Access) and determine whether it can meet our needs, or whether it should be replaced with professionally-developed donor software. Train staff in the software we select. The donor database is an essential tool, currently very much underused. (Responsible party: Staff, with consultant support as needed.) 2008: Establish regular email and Web contact with donors and members. (Responsible party: Executive Director, supported by outside consultant as needed) Do a ZIP-code targeted fundraising mailing in an area where the Conservancy has completed a high-profile project. (Responsible party: Executive Director, supported by Fundraising Committee) 2009: Review demographics of our region, assess where additional effort can be placed to increase membership. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) Look into creating an online giving facility for the Conservancy. Membership targets: 2007: 500 members 2008: 550 members 2009: 610 members (and by 2009, aim to recover 25% of all lapsed members still alive) Annual Campaign The following table shows donor numbers, total gifts and average gift size to the Conservancy in the Annual Campaign. This table folds together membership gifts, annual campaign gifts, and gifts from major donors, since these were not treated separately in the past. Table 3. Past Unrestricted Giving to Countryside Conservancy +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Summary table: Annual Campaign Returns | |---------------------------------------------------------------------| | Campaign year* | Number of | Campaign | Average | No. of new | | | members | revenues | gift | members | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2000 | 138 | | | | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2001 | 169 | $19,680.00 | $116.45 | | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2002 | 207 | $26,040.00 | $125.80 | | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2003 | 240 | $24,894.00 | $103.73 | | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2004 | 284 | $31,113.25 | $109.55 | 34 | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2005 | 420 | $41,795.82 | $99.51 | 108 | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2006 (to 10/1/06) | 442 | $44,478.00 | $100.62 | 64 | |---------------------+-----------+------------+---------+------------| | 2006 year-end | | | | | | (10/2/06 - | 204 | $25,995.00 | $127.40 | 20 | | 12/31/06) | | | | | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ * Historically, the Annual Campaign ran from fall to fall, e.g. November 2004 to October 2005. A separate year-end campaign was run in late 2006 to close out the fall-to-fall campaign schedule and prepare to launch a January-December schedule. The Annual Campaign has taken the form of a letter appeal each fall, starting between early October and Thanksgiving. New and renewing members have been solicited through an annual letter appeal in fall, with at least one follow-up letter for non-responders and sometimes with follow-up phone calls. Appeal letters are signed by the Executive Director or by the Campaign Chair, if one has been appointed. Starting in about 2004, Conservancy Board members and staff made calls to some donors thanking them for their gifts; this seemed to generate good feeling and positive feedback. Starting in 2007, the Conservancy will run an annual campaign separate from its membership campaign. A first step was taken in late 2006, when a letter was sent to approximately 1,000 past and current donors, appealing for a year-end gift rather than a membership gift. The thank-you letter acknowledged their gift but did not indicate a membership status or membership expiration date. To complete the transition, the Conservancy will need to organize a distinct membership campaign starting in 2007 (see Section 5.1 above). In future, every donor should be asked for a gift at least twice a year: for a membership donation, which may be modest, and for an annual campaign gift, for which the Conservancy should seek a higher level of giving. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Clearly separate the two campaigns (Membership and Annual) in the database, and clarify what each means (benefits, forms of thanking and acknowledgement). (Responsible party: Executive Director and staff; Fundraising Committee) Determine how to acknowledge each type of gift in the newsletter and other channels. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) 2008: Review feedback and assess our success in separating the Membership and Annual campaigns, both in our bookkeeping and in the minds of our supporters. Adjust our approach as needed. 2009: Explore the feasibility of introducing a third annual giving opportunity for all supporters. Each year: Aim for 100% giving to Annual Campaign from all Board members; this is vitally important for grant seeking and requesting gifts from major donors. (Responsible party: Board President) 2. Major Donors Major donors are currently defined as individuals (including family foundations and donor advised funds) who give a cumulative yearly unrestricted gift of $250 or more (excluding grants and gifts with donor-designated restrictions). The Conservancy currently has approximately 60 major donors. In the past, major donors have been solicited much the same as other levels of donors: through letter campaigns. They are asked to give once a year through a letter campaign, followed up by phone calls as necessary. Minor added attention is given in the form of hand-signed rather than digitally-signed letters, letters signed by close friends who are Board members, stamped rather than metered letters, etc. In special cases or for special appeals, a personal visit is scheduled. The Conservancy will need to differentiate treatment of major donors from its other supporters: for example, by offering free tickets to events, premiums, special events for major donors only, etc. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Consider the appropriate cutoff level for "major donor"; $500 may be a more appropriate level. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) Develop a distinct approach to major donors; set aside Board/staff time to phone and visit them at least once per year, to give them an opportunity to provide their opinions on the Conservancy as well as opportunities to request gifts. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee, Board) Identify a most appropriate personal contact for each major donor - either a Board or a staff member, occasionally possibly a non-Board volunteer. Flag these contact people in the database. Develop special methods of recognizing and thanking major donors, distinct from other donors (example: private guided tours of Conservancy properties). Aim to create "thank yous" that are personal or unique, but do not entail excessive outlays of dollars, staff or volunteer time. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) 2008: Cultivate major donors more actively, with multiple contacts and possibly multiple appeals per year. Consider a special letter or newsletter keeping them informed of Conservancy activities, news clippings featuring the Conservancy, etc. (Responsible party: Executive Director) Target past and current donors who may be good candidates to "raise" to the major donor level; approach them. (Responsible party: Executive Director, Board) 2009: Consider holding "house parties" for major donors or potential major donors. These could be hosted by a Board member or major donor. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee) 3. Auction The Auction, first held in 2000, has become a major source of unrestricted income for the Conservancy. It is an outdoor event featuring cocktails with live music, a buffet dinner under a tent, and Silent Auction and Live Auction bidding. Table 4. Countryside Conservancy Auction Attendance and Revenues +------------------------------------------------------------+ | Auction Attendance and Revenue | |------------------------------------------------------------| | Year | Net proceeds | No. tickets | No. in attendance | | | | purchased | | |------+-----------------------------------------------------| | 2000 | data to be gathered | |------+-----------------------------------------------------| | 2001 | data to be gathered | |------+-----------------------------------------------------| | 2002 | $30,000.00 | ? | 175 | |------+--------------+------------------+-------------------| | 2003 | $24,560.00 | ? | 125 | |------+--------------+------------------+-------------------| | 2004 | $33,220.00 | 151 | 135 | |------+--------------+------------------+-------------------| | 2005 | $35,100.00 | 147 | about 160 | |------+--------------+------------------+-------------------| | 2006 | $44,919,64 | 184 | 221 | +------------------------------------------------------------+ Starting in 2003, this table includes value of Executive Director's time expended on the Auction, but excludes value of other staff members' time (data to be added). Sources of Auction revenue include the following: Table 5. Contributors to Auction Revenues (2006 figures) +-------------------------------------------------------------+ | Item | % of gross | Remarks | | | revenues | | |----------------------------+------------+-------------------| | Sales of Live Auction | 38% | | | items | | | |----------------------------+------------+-------------------| | Sales of Silent Auction | 24% | | | items | | | |----------------------------+------------+-------------------| | | | $50 regular | | Auction tickets | 17% | admission, | | | | $75 patron ticket | |----------------------------+------------+-------------------| | Sponsorships | 12% | | |----------------------------+------------+-------------------| | Cash Donations | 8% | | +-------------------------------------------------------------+ Major Auction outlays are for venue rental, tent, food, bar, and food/bar service. The time of volunteers, including the Auctioneer and masters of ceremonies, is donated. The value of volunteer time donated for this event is unknown, but very large. The Auction is undoubtedly a significant source of unrestricted revenue, in some years raising funds to cover nearly a third of the Conservancy's operating expenses. It showed significant growth in attendance and net proceeds in 2006, indicating that it will probably remain viable as a fundraising event for the next few years. The Auction is also a "friendraiser" for many people who make it a regular event of their summer calendar, and encourage friends to attend. It appears to attract some people whom we might not reach through other types of events. However, the Auction also requires a high number of volunteers, volunteer hours, and staff hours, and these costs have not been fully counted to make a cost-benefit analysis possible. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: What are key areas for improvement within the Auction? (E.g. reduce dollar value of staff time expended.) (Responsible party: Auction Committee, staff) Aim to raise proportionately more of Auction revenues from sponsorship. A good target might be to have sufficient sponsorship to cover all event expenses. (Responsible party: Auction Committee, staff) Better define responsibilities for each task, to keep too much work from falling on the Auction chair(s), particularly in the week before the event. (Responsible party: Auction Chair, committee) Find more effective ways to thank and recognize donors, sponsors, and volunteers. (Responsible party: Auction Chair, Board, staff) Continue expanding advertising of the event; finding a media sponsor and airing TV ads were very successful in generating awareness in 2006. (Responsible party: Auction Committee, staff) Post photos and descriptions of key Auction items on the Conservancy website several weeks before the event, to generate interest. (Responsible part: Executive Director, Auction Committee) 2008: Review ticket prices and targeted number of attendees. Critically assess the scale of the event. How big can/should the Auction get? (Responsible party: Auction Committee, staff) Look into feasibility of doing online bidding in advance of the event. (Responsible party: Executive Director) 2009: Gather full data on staff and volunteer hours spent on Auction, and do a thorough review of the event's expenses and revenues over the past five years. Assess the value of this event against the opportunity costs: other areas where we might invest the same amount of effort to get a bigger benefit. 4. Government, Foundation and Corporate Grants The Conservancy receives significant support for both operating and program expenses from government grants, private foundation grants, and some corporate grants. Government grants are directed toward program activities such as easement purchases, land purchases, tree planting, and stewardship planning. Some government grants, particularly DCED grants, can be used to cover staff time and are a significant help in this respect. For major land and easement purchases, government grants such as DCNR's Community Conservation Partnership grants are among the largest sources of capital, though they must be matched by an equal amount from non-governmental sources. Looking forward, it is anticipated that the Conservancy will continue to seek large government grants for conservation projects. Private foundation grants are a very significant source of income for capacity building: addition and training of new staff, improvement of office equipment, development of organizational plans, etc. They are also an important source of matching funds for government grants. The Conservancy has had strong support from area foundations, particularly several based in Lackawanna County, and expects to continue to approach local foundations for future support. However, we need to expand our scope of search to include foundations elsewhere in the state and out of state. Corporate grants to the Conservancy have mainly been directed to land acquisition and stewardship (Little Rocky Glen). Corporate sponsorships for Conservancy events like the Auction are considered separately (see section 5.3 above. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Develop list of grant-fundable projects based on the Strategic Plan. (Responsible party: Executive Director) Continue to monitor state and Federal government grant programs that could support the Conservancy's Strategic Plan, and pursue grants where appropriate. Meet with government representatives and elected officials periodically to keep them aware of our programs and needs. (Responsible party: Executive Director, Fundraising Committee, Board; consultant as needed) Research private and corporate foundations with the help of Nonprofit Community Action Center, Foundation Center, and similar sources. (Responsible party: Executive Director, with outside help as needed) Identify officers and board members of key foundations we work with or hope to work with, and meet with them. (Responsible party: Executive Director with Board support) Get commitment from at least two foundations for multi-year challenge grants to build capacity. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Executive Committee) Develop list of businesses in the area to approach for financial contributions. Target local offices of regional or national corporations; also approach well-established local businesses, particularly those that have a logical tie-in in our mission. (Responsible party: Executive Director, Fundraising Committee, Advisory Board) 2008: Review all grants received to date; identify grantmakers to approach again. (Responsible party: Executive Director supported by Fundraising Committee) Meet with foundations that have provided repeated or ongoing support; assess their priorities and wishes against this Plan. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Chair) Begin regularly approaching corporate donors in the area for contributions. (Responsible party: Board and Executive Director) Research and approach foundations outside our immediate area--elsewhere in Pennsylvania or nationwide. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) 2009: Review the Conservancy's needs and strategize grant-seeking for future years. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) 5. Planned Giving Memorial gifts: The Conservancy accepts gifts in memory of, in honor of, or in celebration of individuals. Donors are thanked by letter, and honorees/families of deceased individuals are notified of the gift and its donor (but not of its value). The gifts are listed in the newsletter each quarter. These gifts go into the Land Fund, except for gifts on behalf of Peck family members, which are placed in the Peck Memorial Trail Fund. No planned giving program is currently active in the Conservancy. The Conservancy has benefited from at least one trust established through a supporter's will, and there is great potential to do more in this area. Ideally, we should cultivate long-term members and major donors as members of a Legacy Society. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Look into opportunities for establishing a Legacy Society. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) Develop a list of local professionals knowledgeable about trusts and financial planning to whom we can refer prospective donors. (Responsible party: Board and Executive Director) 2008: Create an information packet on planned giving; distribute to supporters, potential donors, and estate planners. (Responsible party: Executive Director, supported by Fundraising Committee & Finance Committee) 2009: Develop planned-giving cultivation efforts as part of membership and major donor programs. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Fundraising Committee) 6. Endowment and Interest Interest and earnings: The Conservancy receives some income each year from interest-bearing bank accounts and from dividends on/growth of investments. The Finance Committee should continue exploring means of maximizing these sources of revenues without tying up funds that may be needed at short notice. Endowment: no program is active as yet. The creation of one or more endowment funds with local foundations has been proposed. An endowment could increase awareness of the Conservancy in certain philanthropic circles, and it would give donors the assurance that their gift would be invested in the long-term growth of the Conservancy. It would also send a message of permanence, i.e. that the Conservancy intends to continue to exist and to carry out its mission over the long term. The Conservancy holds some funds (unrestricted gifts and trust distributions), not earmarked for expenditure in the short term, which could be used to start an endowment. We might then launch a campaign to increase the endowment's value to the point where it would generate a useful amount of income. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Explore the creation of an endowment with a local foundation, using savings not needed in the next few years for operating or program expenses. (Responsible party: Executive Committee, Finance Committee and Executive Director) 2008-2009: If an endowment has been established, explore launching a fundraising campaign to increase the size of the endowment. The goal would be to grow the endowment to the point where it could generate significant income for the Conservancy. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) 7. Other Events In the past, the Conservancy has held events with an entry fee or ticket price (e.g. Tailgate Picnic, Trail Run). These events have not, however, been significant sources of revenue. It is proposed that all events except the Auction be re-invented as free events, and that pressure to raise funds through these other events be removed. Sponsorships and donations may still be sought to cover costs of these events, but the focus will be on holding an enjoyable and/or educational event for Conservancy members or members of the public while keeping expenditures minimal. To meet our fundraising goals, events should not be a top priority compared to, for example, individual gift requests and grants. The overheads (time, labor and money) associated with running events are significant, and should not be underestimated. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Reassess all Conservancy events and justify why they are worth doing. Events may be worthwhile if they increase public awareness of the Conservancy, reach out to target landowners and decisionmakers, cultivate potential members, etc. Discontinue events that cannot be well justified. (Responsible party: Outreach Committee and Executive Director) 2008: Identify new events that might provide the desired sorts of benefits for the Conservancy. (Responsible party: Outreach Committee and Executive Director) 2009: Explore holding a joint event with a non-profit organization not directly competing with the Conservancy, to cross-fertilize membership. Examples might be a children's or social-services charity. (Responsible party: Outreach Committee supported by staff) 8. Gifts to Stewardship Fund The Stewardship Fund is the source of funds for monitoring and legal defense of conservation easements, and for management and stewardship of lands owned by the Conservancy. The Conservancy established this fund early in its history and has made steady efforts to increase its value in line with our conservation holdings. In 2006 the Conservancy adopted a formal policy for the management of the Stewardship Fund, including the solicitation of contributions thereto. A gift at a base level of $5,000 is to be solicited in association with each conservation easement we hold, and a gift at a base level of $20,000 is to be sought for each property we own in fee simple. These amounts may be adjusted upward on a case by case basis, based on the anticipated challenges of monitoring and stewardship. The Conservancy may choose not to request this gift from the donor or seller of the easement or land, but in that case it must commit to finding the funds from another source. There are several properties or easements which the Conservancy accepted before the adoption of the policy, for which a stewardship allotment is yet to be raised. To address this situation, this Plan targets adding a total of $100,000 to this Fund by the end of 2009. 2007: Explore grant sources that might provide funds to grow the Stewardship Fund, and pursue any promising leads. (Responsible party: Executive Director) Discuss strengthening the Stewardship Fund with selected major donors who might act as "angels," perhaps contributing stewardship funds for a selected easement or preserve of interest to them. (Responsible party: Executive Director, Fundraising Committee and Board) 2008: Approach neighbors of Conservancy easements and preserves, or other individuals who are in a position to appreciate the importance of these properties, to seek contributions to the Stewardship Fund. Personal visits by Board and staff members may be most effective. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee, Land and Water Protection Committee, Board) 2009: To address any remaining needs, explore running a community-wide campaign to increase the level of the Stewardship Fund. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) 9. Conservation Donors Conservation donors are individuals (possibly including foundations) who provide funds for the purchase of easements and properties by the Conservancy. Several such donors have come forward in the past to help protect properties of strategic importance. It is proposed that conservation donors be approached, alongside foundations and government sources, to provide supplementary funds for the Land Fund. Our target is to raise the Land Fund to a level of $250,000. Most valuable to us will be those funds not tied to a specific parcel, which would be available for any important acquisition requiring rapid action. 2007: Explore options for seeking donations to the Land Fund from individuals, foundations and donor-advised funds. In particular, assess the feasibility of raising funds that would not be restricted to any single property. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) As each high-priority land project arises, develop lists of neighbors and supporters who might contribute to the Land Fund specifically for that project. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee, Land and Water Protection Committee) 2008-2009: Explore launching a campaign specifically to grow the Land Fund. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee and Executive Director) 10. Sales of Items Items available for sale by the Conservancy include: * Conservancy T-shirts * Little Rocky Glen T-shirts * Conservancy golf caps * Norm Brauer's book The Northern Electric (a tie-in with the Trolley Trail project; printing partly supported by a grant) Sale of merchandise has been a fairly minor source of income to date, and there is a certain amount of effort and expense associated with holding inventory and paying sales tax. Some items have not proven big sellers, and we retain a significant stockpile at the office. The Conservancy should sell only items that either get the Conservancy name into the public eye (T-shirts, bumper stickers for example), or directly promote the Conservancy's mission. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Identify one or two items that we are confident would sell well, and would help get the Conservancy name in the public eye. Produce a limited quantity at cheapest reasonable cost and price to sell. These items could also be used as premiums for members or donors above a certain level. (Responsible party: Outreach Committee and staff) 2008-2009: Revisit success of merchandise sales and make a decision to discontinue, continue, or expand. (Responsible party: Outreach Committee and staff) 1. Sale of Land The sale of land is an occasional source of revenue. The Conservancy may from time to time decide to re-sell land it has acquired, in order to generate funds for further land protection. Land of conservation value would only be re-sold with a conservation easement in place, to ensure its important values are protected. Urban land, contaminated land or other land with little or no conservation value could in theory be sold without encumbrances. This is not likely to be a significant source of ongoing revenue, but could be used to help rebuild the Land Fund balance following major acquisitions. Many land-protection projects fail because the landowner needs income that the Conservancy cannot provide. If the Conservancy could buy land and re-sell it, with a conservation easement in place, to a "conservation buyer," this would allow more projects to go forward. However, placing a conservation easement on a property typically reduces the value of land, and these deals are more likely to deplete the Land Fund over time than to replenish it. This approach should be viewed as an investment in land conservation rather than as a potential source of net income. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Assemble a list of conservation buyers who would be willing to purchase land under conservation easement. (Responsible party: Board, Advisory Board and staff) Contact area realtors and appraisers to enlist their help in identifying buyers who specifically want land that will be conserved in a minimally developed state. (Responsible party: Board, Advisory Board and staff) 2008-2009: Explore ways of reaching out to realtors and potential buyers outside our immediate area, for example in Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York. Consider use of advertising channels, including the Internet, to locate buyers. (Responsible party: Board, Advisory Board and staff) * Policies and Training: the Support Structure 1. Fundraising Policies The Conservancy has policies on the use of funds (particularly those for acquisition of conservation interests and for long-term stewardship of same), but it does not currently have many guidelines on how funds are to be raised. Policies will be needed to guide fundraising practices, acceptance of gifts, acknowledgement of gifts, etc. These will be developed as separate documents by the staff and the Fundraising Committee, and submitted to the Board for approval. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Identify fundraising policies required by the Land Trust Alliance for accreditation, and develop these for Board approval. Look into any other fundraising policies that would help improve our fundraising credibility and effectiveness. (Responsible party: Staff and Fundraising Committee) 2008: Refer to the Association of Fundraising Professionals and similar bodies to ascertain best practices in fundraising, and institutionalize these in this Plan or in separate policies as appropriate. (Responsible party: Staff and Fundraising Committee) Ensure that all individuals raising funds for the Conservancy are aware of the relevant policies and best practices. (Responsible party: Fundraising Committee) 2009: Develop and implement gift acceptance policy, donor recognition policy and other policies needed to guide fundraising. (Responsible party: Executive Director, Project Manager and Fundraising Committee) 2. Fundraising Training All staff members and volunteers (including Board members) involved in fundraising for the Conservancy should receive training to help them in the tasks they take on, whether they are requesting an Auction donation or developing a relationship with a major donor. Once the skills are mastered by staff and volunteers, every opportunity should be taken to pass these skills on to new staff and volunteers coming on board. Tasks for 2007-2009: 2007: Provide staff training in fundraising. (Responsible party: Staff, with outside consultants and training programs) Train Board members in basic fundraising skills. (Responsible party: Board, with outside consultant and training programs) Add individuals with fundraising expertise to Board or Advisory Board. (Responsible party: Board) 2008: Identify and cultivate fundraising leaders within the Fundraising Committee. (Responsible party: Board supported by Executive Director) 2009: Assess fundraising skills of Board and Advisory Board members. (Responsible party: Executive Director and Board) Assess staff capacity and the need for dedicated development staff. (Responsible party: Executive Director) * Next Steps This section outlines the next steps required to move this plan forward, and specifies an annual review process for the plan. Relevant tasks defined in this plan will be extracted from this Plan and turned into annual workplans for the Fundraising Committee and Executive Director. Separate work plans are to be created for all fundraising projects: Auction, Annual Campaign, etc. A Chair should be designated for each fundraising project. The Fundraising Committee and the Executive Director will review this Fundraising Plan annually, amend it as needed, and present it to the Board for approval. This Plan should be reviewed in conjunction with the Conservancy's Strategic Plan, which is also to be reviewed and updated yearly. * Acknowledgements The Countryside Conservancy acknowledges the efforts of its Board and staff members who contributed to the development of this plan; the contributions of consultant Marc Smiley, who worked with the Conservancy during and after the 2006 Retreat; and especially the support of the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association, which kindly provided financial support for the production of this plan, the Strategic Plan for 2007-09, and the 2007 Annual Plan. With continued support of expert advisors, grantmakers, community members and other supporters, we aim to continually improve the work we do for all. S:\Countryside\Institutional\FundraisingPlan\CountrysideFundraisingPlan-PALTA.doc Page 16