Forest preserve may get fundraising help
Economic times are tough, but the Lake County Forest Preserve District is considering an investment in staff it hopes will pay off for years to come.
Top forest preserve officials want to add the equivalent of another position to assist Barb Vicory, who was hired as a fundraiser nearly two years ago.
With $43 million in unfunded projects, the district needs to look beyond the tax rolls for help, Executive Director Tom Hahn said during a recent discussion.
"This is spending wisely to ensure some of our future funding needs that won't come from the taxpayers," he said. "There are a lot of opportunities out there."
How much that might cost is to be determined. The idea will be floated to forest board commissioners through committee presentations, so it's not a done deal. Even if regarded favorably, how much help Vicory might get would be open to discussion.
As development officer, Vicory works with individuals, corporations, foundations and charitable groups to raise money.
She had a similar job with WTTW-TV and WFMT-FM. The pitch may be somewhat different, but the goal is the same.
"People have a real love of the forest preserves, like they have of PBS and Channel 11," she said. "Nothing is recession-proof but the more diversified your fund base is, the better. The key is not to rely on one sector."
The district has a "Green Gift" program and has received periodic but modest donations.
Katherine Hamilton-Smith, director of cultural resources and Vicory's boss, says adding staff would help intensify the effort.
"This is a little bit more out front," she said. "This is more a public awareness program that the forest preserve district is a worthy recipient of charitable dollars."
That gift-giving landscape has been changing. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, the district received about $77,000. For the current fiscal year, the amount is near $1 million.
"It makes it an easier sell for us to show them (potential donors) what we've done," Hahn said. "I feel we need to take advantage of it."
Convincing donors is time consuming and those who are willing don't necessarily want to be kept waiting when they have a question or need information. Adding staff would ease that and allow Vicory more time for pursuit.
"We want you out there nurturing these big contacts," forest board President Bonnie Thomson Carter told Vicory when the matter was discussed by the district's executive advisory committee.
One area Vicory will concentrate on is planned giving -- convincing people to consider the district as a benefactor upon their death.
"A lot of times it has to deal with leaving a legacy," Vicory said. "That legacy is hopefully what people will find very rewarding."