PIEDMONT PARK CONSERVANCY (Atlanta, GA) - Building a Corporate Environment
Saturday, June 25, 2005(Parks Practices)
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Atlanta, GA
In This
Profile:
Program
Description
• Program
Goals
• Timeframe
• Budget
• Funding/Support
• Results
Achieved
• Lessons
Learned
• Ask The
Expert
• Contact
Information
Introduction
Piedmont Park Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration, maintenance and enhancement of Piedmont Park. Founded in 1989, the Conservancy has raised nearly $20 million in private funds for the restoration of our historic and premiere green space. Through member and donor support, the Conservancy funds landscape maintenance workers and off-duty police officers to keep Piedmont Park safe, clean and beautiful, and offers a variety of programming including environmental education, through its Community Center. In partnership with the City of Atlanta, the Conservancy is committed to launching a new era of Piedmont Park, Atlanta's common ground since 1904. The Conservancy is a member of the City Parks Alliance and the National Association for Olmsted Parks. Its executive director, Debbie McCown, serves on the City Parks Alliance board.
Program description
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They choose to give for varied reasons. We may fall within their giving profile for environmental, education, youth services or historic preservation. They may seek the recognition and benefits of a corporate sponsorship, or we may have a high level officer of the corporation on our board lobbying for corporate support. Active board participation is vitally important to having strong corporate support. Of course, a sound track record of excellent fiscal management and stewardship encourages continued giving. In other words, they must see the tangible results of their investment in the park and trust us to use their gifts wisely.
Having corporate leaders seeing and hearing our story from the inside is a very effective tool in this relationship-building process, but we also help corporations without board representation become aware of their stake in the park's restoration by allowing them to be a part of our story. Through outreach, organized events and volunteerism, we provide a service to all companies that help them realize their own team building and community involvement goals.
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By participating in volunteer community service projects in our park, companies can experience the results of their work 365 days a year. Once they have planted a tree or created a beautiful flower garden they can return to the park with family and friends and watch their investment grow.
Program goals/issues addressed:
- Increase community connections
- Create an ongoing relationship
- Cultivate future donors
- Build awareness of Piedmont Park Conservancy as a fiscally responsible caretaker of the park
- Bring the community back to the park
Timeframe:
Strengthening and building corporate relations is an on-going process. Timelines for specific corporate volunteer opportunities in the park vary. Some projects are planned months ahead of the actual work date, while others we managed within weeks notice. Once corporate teams are recruited, we work closely with them to manage their projects. Our volunteer coordinator meets with the group beforehand to discuss the project and to promote the work of the Conservancy. At the actual project, our volunteer coordinator and landscape maintenance staff work closely with the volunteers.
Annual program budget:
Since 1996, Piedmont Park Conservancy has raised nearly $20 million in private donations for capital improvements, endowment, programs and services. Of this total number, 24% or $4,835,319 comes from corporations. In 2004, our annual operating budget was $2,276,000 of which $850,317 was donated support. Of that, 35% or $303,110 came from corporate contributions.
Additionally, the Conservancy relies on in-kind contributions. Last year, we recruited corporate volunteers who contributed 5,400 volunteer hours to plant trees, pick up trash, spread mulch and lead park tours — at a cost-value of $16 per hour that equates to $86,400 of in-kind labor donated to the park.
Funding sources/partnerships and type of support provided:
- More Sponsorship Choices: We developed different sponsorship levels with a range of benefits for each level. Corporations sponsor fundraising events including our Landmark Luncheon, Passion for Piedmont and Old Time Baseball. They sponsor activities like our Green Market and scholarships for our summer camp kids.
- Restoration and Programs: We have created revenue sources by salvaging three neglected buildings that now are event rental spaces and classrooms, and by instituting youth-oriented programs that bring more kids and their families into the park. Corporate retreats and banquets are a source of rental income.
- Creating Donor Levels: When faced with a goal of raising $3 million — we created the Centennial Donor Level (in honor of the park's 100th anniversary) as our highest donor level. This level provided year-round recognition and branding strategies for our corporate partner.
- Event Marketing: An example is our "Screen on the Green" event now in its fifth year. We developed a partnership/sponsorship with Turner Broadcasting. They were excited about bringing this type of community activity to Atlanta and signed on quickly as the primary sponsor. Each Thursday in June, the movie attracts between 6,000 and 20,000 people together under the stars in the park to enjoy classic movies. TBS also makes a $25,000 donation to support a park gardener as part of this event.
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Bringing In Programs And Services: Here is another example of a corporate partnership that helps provide a program or service to the community, Kaiser Permanente joined us as cause-related sponsor of our Green Market program. Our market seeks to bring people into the park to shop for organic, Georgia-grown produce and products. This was a perfect fit for Kaiser, which promotes a healthy lifestyle of proper eating and exercise. The partnership has enabled us to continue the program and to expand it with cooking demonstrations and live entertainment.Night Scene of Lake Clara Meer - Partnering with Outside Event Producers: Another way we seek alternative funding sources is through the talents of our internal staff. When outside event organizations produce events in Piedmont Park, we provide a consultant service in exchange for a donation to the park. Our staff assists with the permitting process, obtaining neighborhood approval, site-selection, vendor recruitment, publicity and with any other area required. Self magazine's annual event is an example where we provided much needed event services in exchange for a donation of $10,000.
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In-kind Donations: Examples of corporate or business in-kind support includes Habersham Gardens. This company's staff of landscape designers and installers donated their time and plant materials (valued at nearly $15,000) to enhance one of the main gate entrances to the park. Additionally, Habersham Gardens has committed to maintaining the area until the plants are well established. This allows our landscape team to focus on other areas needing improvement.Turner Volunteer Day
The Coca-Cola Company is a long-time financial supporter of the Conservancy and also donates in-kind such as recycling bins, cases of water, and beverages for volunteer and program events. - Volunteer Component: As
we stated earlier, we
believe that having a corporate volunteer
component is important to
insuring the park is green and growing for the
next 100 years. We have
hired a full-time volunteer coordinator who
works with area
corporations to ensure the experience is
beneficial to all.
Through this work we are able to secure thousands of hands-on volunteers who help with the day-to-day maintenance. This service provides the corporation with a team building opportunity, community awareness, the ability to gather as a group in another setting and provides recreational activities. Some examples are:- Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. made an annual day called "Turner Day in the Park" — where the entire staff comes out to the park and works together on a project. They have lunch and enjoy fun, team-building activities, such as old-fashioned kick-ball games.
- Spring Fling — a variety of corporations who specialize in the event industry donated their time and services for our annual Spring Fling event. A variety of caterers, florist, event planners and musicians contribute to the yearly "party" that brings in other industry professionals and potential facility renters into the park.
- We had an egg hunt and activities for children. A local department store with a strong volunteer program supported it with funds and employees who helped to staff event.
- Home Depot donated dogwood trees and had their staff members come out to plant the trees.
- Follow-up: We are a
volunteer created, driven
and guided organization, and we rely on private
donations to further
our mission. So, we thank our supporters
regularly and often. Some of
the ways we accomplish this are:
- We highlight special volunteer groups and individuals in our quarterly newsletters & regularly on our website.
- Park plaques or banners: When appropriate we recognize outstanding corporations or individuals with temporary banners at events and on plaques installed strategically within the park. A permanent donor sculpture outside the park visitor center recognizes our largest donors ($100,000 or more).
- Created Annual Appreciation event: Every year for our Screen on the Green event mentioned earlier, we invite all our donors and frequent volunteers to a free, pre-party prior to the movie. They are then acknowledged publicly again prior to the start of the movie.
- Created Annual Volunteer Awards Reception: This formal event presents awards in a variety of categories such as outstanding corporate volunteer or outstanding individual.
Results achieved/impact:
The park is now cleaner, greener and safer with the result that thousands more people visit the park every day. Our marketing research shows that park users are diverse and that families and children and people with disabilities are returning to the park. Today's parks are more than just a place to play ball: cultural events, after-school programs, educational training, volunteer programs, gathering spots for clubs — these are becoming the norm for our parks across this nation. Piedmont Park Conservancy, in partnership with the City of Atlanta, has led that charge locally. From summer camps for children, environmental education and historic tours to public events, such as Screen on the Green, Improv in the Park and the Green Market where guests can purchase Georgia-grown vegetables — this park has continued to grow as the place where all Atlantans gather.
Lessons learned:
- Imagine trying to keep a yard the size of Piedmont Park green and growing — now imagine doing so with nearly three million visitors walking across your yard every year. The Conservancy does this amazing job with only six talented landscape professionals, which is incredible considering they would need to hire nine additional landscapers to reach the recommended ratio of staff per one hundred acres. We learned that in order to accomplish as much as we have, we depend on the support of volunteers, corporate and individual, to make this happen. We have learned that together we are strong. There is an African proverb that illustrates this belief, "When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion."
- Don't be afraid to ask.
- Aim high. Sometimes we don't aim high enough. We need to be able to articulate importance of parks and why they ought to be supported. The case can be historic, economic, focused on community (children and families), or the corporation's own volunteers. We need to understand their focus and craft the case based on their interest.
- Benefits: Connect with key leadership and get involved. Get people into the park. Take them on a tour. When they see the work that has been completed, they get excited.
- Above all respect the partnership. Say thank you in different ways and often.
- Turner as case study: We had a project that Turner was interested in supporting: Screen on the Green. They got excited about our work. We recruited a Turner executive to our Board. She used to live in NYC, loved Central Park, became involved and then became an officer. We needed a significant gift to complete a capital project. She knew about the need because she serves on our executive committee. Turner was looking to make a significant gift as statement of support of Atlanta and the environment so they gave $1.2 million for restoration of ball fields. Their gift fit with their corporate culture and supported their mission.
Ask the Expert:
Name: Debbie McCown
E-mail: dmccown@piedmontpark.org
Date submitted: June 23, 2005
Contact Information:
Organization: Piedmont Park Conservancy
Address: P.O. Box 7795 Atlanta, GA
30357-0795
Tel/Fax: 404-875-7275
(PARK)/404-875-0530
E-mail: info@piedmontpark.org
Web site address: http://www.piedmontpark.org
Photos courtesy of Piedmont Park Conservancy
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