Des Plaines History Center vows to thrive despite funding cut

Despite losing a huge chunk of its funding from the city, the Des Plaines Historical Society vows to keep marching along, an official said Tuesday.

The city council recently authorized granting $40,000 to the historical society in the 2010 operating budget.

It's better than zero, which is what the group would have received had aldermen accepted the administration's recommendation of axing the society's entire $166,000 funding request. But it's a significant blow to the group's operations.

"When we first heard it, we were just stunned," Historical Society President John Burke said. "It represents a 75 percent reduction in the city's financial support to us ... potentially catastrophic. We realize that we have no choice but to try to find alternate outside sources of funding."

The city's $166,000 contribution this year amounted to more than two-thirds of the group's outside revenues, which help pay for four full-time and three part-time employees.

The society collects more than $45,000 largely through fundraising efforts and membership dues. It operates on a $230,000 yearly budget and maintains and runs three historic buildings - the History Center, The Kinder House and The Fisher-Wright House.

Burke said his board members had decided to slowly wean themselves off city funding after the full scope of the city's financial problems became known during last month's budget hearings.

The city is facing cuts in all departments and will eliminate 38 staff positions next year to plug a $3.6 million deficit in the general fund for operations.

Now, the impetus to be independent of the city's funding is greater, Burke said.

He said the society will have to fundraise more and ask its membership to step up.

Meanwhile, the Des Plaines Park District upped its contribution to the historical society by $2,400, from $73,200 to $75,600.

Within a week, the group's 450 dues-paying members will receive letters in the mail soliciting donations.

"In the past, we have not suggested or specified a contribution level, although this year we might, just to encourage people to be as generous as they can (be)," Burke said.

He said that in recent weeks a number of people who have experience with major fundraising campaigns, organizing benefit dinners and telethons, have approached the group.

"It's going to take a major, consistent, year-to-year fundraising effort to the point where we'd like to be self sufficient," Burke said. "We'd like to build up an endowment sufficient that we can operate off. That's ambitious. It's going to take us four or five years at least to get to that point."

City officials also might consider increasing the society's funding in future, Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan said.

"It all depends how much money is coming in next year and the following year," he said. "They have to do their best effort to see what they can provide. I think everybody needs to do a little bit more."