Latest / North Shore News / Fundraising campaign study for recreation centre shows nearly 60% of respondents likely to donate towards $2 million goal

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Fundraising campaign study for recreation centre shows nearly 60% of respondents likely to donate towards $2 million goal · North Shore News

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  Nearly 60% of respondents in a fundraising campaign study for the W.J. Henderson Recreation
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  Center said they'd be likely to donate towards the $2 million goal.
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  Interviews for the study were conducted by BNP Goldie, Canada.
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  Loyalist Township Council approved the motion to receive the report and approved commencement
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  of the capital campaign outlined within it.
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  Senior consultant with BNP Goldie, Canada, Lee Pizzo, spoke about the amount of people
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  willing to donate.
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  Close to 60% of people said they would make a donation they're ready to give.
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  And those who weren't sure, nobody said no.
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  Some said unsure.
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  The majority of those said they were likely to give if they could understand the rationale
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  behind it a little better.
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  So that again, it was seen as a fairly positive comment.
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  Pizzo explains the focus of the study.
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  Our question was to determine whether raising $2 million in donations for the renewal of
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  the W.J. Henderson Recreation Center in donations and sponsorship is realistic and achievable.
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  So we wanted to determine whether a fundraising campaign could be undertaken and how much
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  support that campaign would have in the community.
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  We wanted to identify the level of participation in that fundraising campaign by donors and
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  volunteers and to identify campaign leaders and to assess their level of engagement so
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  we know who would be working with Loyalist to raise the funds.
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  Pizzo detailed the process they took in the study.
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  We prepare a case for support or a rationale around the question.
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  We work to get a list of people to interview, influencers, decision makers, people in the
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  know in the community.
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  We prepare and agreed to interview questionnaire and we send out some meeting requests by email
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  and follow them up.
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  Then, of course, we do the appointments and then our third phase, of course, is the consolidation
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  of those results, our analysis, the creation of the report, and that all happened between
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  September and today's date.
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  Pizzo noted the main demographics that showed interest.
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  There were generally two types of people that were considered to be interested in the project
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  itself and that's the new or younger residents and potential residents of Loyalist Township
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  who want services like this and will move into an area where there are services.
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  And then there are more established residents who are interested in the project because
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  they wanted something to be proud of.
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  Pizzo explained some of the challenges they found in the study.
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  The challenges of running a $2 million campaign right now was that there are competition from
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  other large charities such as the hospitals and post-secondary institutes in the area.
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  There is a perception from some people that it is already built because it is and therefore
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  is already paid for.
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  So why would you need a campaign?
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  The general economy and community demographics were seen by some as a challenge.
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  It was also commented that not everybody uses it.
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  There are some regional dynamics at play because Loyalist is a smaller community next to a
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  larger community and there were some who wondered that aren't the taxes already paying for it.
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  Pizzo spoke about the response to the $2 million goal itself.
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  We talked about and we tested the $2 million goal.
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  The feedback we got was either uncertain or positive.
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  There was no negativity around that and the uncertainty we had was people projecting their
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  uncertainty onto others.
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  So the people we interviewed said, I think it's a great idea, but I'm not sure how others
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  would take the goal.
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  So that was really an interesting part of the campaign for us and something again that
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  will need to be addressed in communication.
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  Pizzo noted some common themes brought up within the interviews.
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  There was general agreement that the facility is needed and a new facility.
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  That it is a world-class project.
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  It's not just another arena.
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  It is regional.
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  It is not just Loyalist Township that they would bring people in from other areas and
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  that many clubs, groups and ages can participate in the community campaign.
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  That there would be broad acceptance from the general community.
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  And there was a broad support for donations and participation across the interviews.
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  Pizzo detailed the next steps.
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  The immediate next steps is that our organization BMP will create a campaign plan and timeline
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  that will put all of this together, include a campaign committee, a working committee.
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  Of those volunteers who are going to hit the ground, get out there and get the major donations.
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  That will mean in terms of reference, the scope, the scale of what they're doing.
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  A fundraising advisory committee that would be made up of both council staff and volunteers
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  so that there would be a bit of an oversight to what's going on.
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  And specifically around timing, goals and naming opportunities.
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  And again, that's about quantifying something so that you know when you've achieved something.
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  And specifically a very strong communications plan that sets out actionable items as well
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  as strategy to make the campaign successful.
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  Pizzo went on to speak about a timeline for next year and beyond.
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  In January, we will complete the campaign case, the justification, the full rationale
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  around it, as well as recruiting campaign leadership, getting a campaign chair specifically.
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  And then next year, we would start with recruiting the other committee members, finalizing the
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  communication materials themselves, create a campaign reference guide and training materials
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  for those volunteers and staff, those question and answers, scenarios, the ability for people
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  to move forward on some things like that.
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  And then finally next January, we have our final report and future planning for sponsorship
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  and other activities.
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  Pizzo noted the positive outlook in the interviews and highlighted a positive quote.
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  One of the big things that came out of it was that it was a legacy project.
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  It was a rallying point for the community.
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  This is a once in a generation project.
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  As in this quote, it's a community hub.
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  It's safe in its accessible space.
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  It's something that many people in this council probably would only make a decision on once
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  in a lifetime.
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  Mayor Jim Haggadourne spoke about the report and where the township stands.
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  I had great information and it looks like we've got a solid plan to start moving forward
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  on.
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  This is the Cameron-Styland Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative.
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  I'm Tat Evans.
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  This is North Shore News.