Elawa Farm enjoys National Treasure status as a significant historical structure that helps to “illuminate the history and culture of the United States.” Elawa Farm offers the City of Lake Forest, Lake County, the State of Illinois, and the U.S. an opportunity to preserve one of the few remaining Midwestern gentleman’s farms. It is a particularly unique community asset.

Elawa Farm’s location as a gateway to “nationally significant nature preserve and conservancy areas” enhances its importance. During a period in which collaborations are prized, this project serves as a model to other preservation groups. Elawa Farm boasts an Executive Steering Committee comprised of representatives from:

Elawa Farm will function as a nationally known museum to promote cultural development; an education center focused on history, architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, local culture, nature conservation, ecosystems management and wildlife education, and school programs; a park and recreation facility; a social and cultural activities center; a hub between area facilities and programs; and a gateway to nature preserves.

Elawa Farm is positioned to attract the attention, involvement, and support of government, foundations, business, individuals, and groups. Roles in programming, communication, fund raising, volunteer leadership, and staff support provide diverse opportunities to those wishing to participate in the preservation of this “national treasure.”

Successful fund raising depends on several factors: an attractive project; valued impact; solid program; believable financial projections; effective marketing; strong volunteer leadership; and a committed prospect base.

Elawa Farm leadership will take advantage of the unique facets of the project to build awareness, visibility, and participation in programs and support. Leadership will carefully expand marketing efforts - broadly enough to increase awareness but not so quickly as to drain resources from the fund raising campaign and restoration. As programming is implemented, these programs can serve as opportunities for cultivation as well as education. Web site development and enhancement may play a significant role for the project.

Opportunities abound, especially given Elawa Farm’s National Treasure status, its unique collaborations, and its physical setting as a gateway to nature preserve and conservancy areas. Capitalizing on these opportunities is a high priority for the Executive Steering Committee throughout the initial restoration, program implementation, and fund raising period.

Beginning in the Fall of 2000, the Executive Steering Committee will develop a more concrete plan outlining strategies for volunteer leadership development, communication and marketing, and fund raising. These strategies will focus on the near-term restoration need as well as longer-term marketing and financial support requirements. See the attached table for campaign detail.

Elawa Farm is carefully looking at its capacity to attract significant gifts to achieve its capital and endowment goals. To a great extent, success will depend upon a commitment to the strategic aspects of fund raising, rather than to isolated activities. This is essential to building capacity and raising more money.

An effective private resource development program integrates fund raising with volunteer leadership involvement and targeted communication activities. Meeting a perceived need for a priority service generates private support. Belief in the mission of an organization and its capacity to meet a stated need is basic to donor motivation.

A strategically driven, well-planned fund raising program that builds relationships, and that involves and educates current contributors, donor prospects, members, committee members, and the broader community is essential. When donors make connections with the organization, get involved, and are knowledgeable about mission and program, they renew and increase their support. To be effective, Elawa Farm must understand the philanthropic marketplace, factors that drive funding decisions within the private sector, and its donor constituencies in particular.

According to the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel Trust for Philanthropy, in 1998, $175 billion was given to not-for-profit organizations from the following sources:

The greatest emphasis is placed on securing gifts from individuals, because this group clearly gives the most money, through current contributions and bequests, to not-for-profits. In 1998, total philanthropic giving exceeded 2 percent of the gross domestic product for the first time since 1972. The percentage of GDP was 2.1 percent, up from 1.9 percent in 1997.

According to AAFRC Trust for Philanthropy, contributions in 1998 were given to the following causes:

*Includes gifts to environment/wildlife, international affairs, and undesignated gifts.

A number of factors will compel a person to contribute to any of these causes. Greatest among them is a belief in the organization and its mission. Following this belief is the understanding that the current needs and future goals of the organization are important. If the donor has a sense of loyalty or gratitude toward the institution, a contribution is more likely. Tax considerations, which can be offered by any not-for-profit, and friendship with the solicitor play a much smaller role in influencing a decision to give.

To be successful in this competitive market, organizations must establish well run resource development programs that typically have the following in place:

• Volunteer leadership actively participating in organizing and implementing fund raising strategies;
• A long range strategic plan linking the fund raising needs with the current, and especially the future, program needs of the organization;
• A case for support that communicates, in a compelling and inspiring way, the impact and benefits of the organization which deserve donor support;
• Systematic and targeted relationship building and communication activities that deepen current donors’ interest in the organization and inform new constituencies of its contributions and impact;
• Special solicitation activities targeted to selected donors with the capacity to give larger gifts;
• Well-organized donor records and systems that allow for easy retrieval of current and cumulative donor information to facilitate the solicitation and acknowledgment process.

A donor’s interest and priorities as well as resources influence the decision to invest in an organization. The challenge then for Elawa Farm is to engage potential donors or “investors” by inspiring them with its vision for the future and by building lasting relationships based on trust.

THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF IN SECURING MAJOR GIFTS

At some point, Elawa Farm may wish to hire a development officer. The primary role of a development officer is to manage the process of building relationships with private funders to increase contributions to Elawa Farm. Gifts will flow from relationships; as a donor or volunteer comes closer to the project, his or her gifts will grow. Maximizing the level of contributions to Elawa Farm will involve a focus on nurturing meaningful relationships.

A major gifts approach views the volunteer as the key player. Development staff assumes responsibility for managing the outcome of strategic activity by designing effective programs to make the work of the volunteer as easy and as productive as possible. Development staff creates momentum and assists in the process of making things happen.

Volunteers communicate with and solicit prospects. Strategies to attract a greater number and size of gifts must be built around various constituent groups. Development staff supports and encourages volunteers, many of whom are already committed to Elawa Farm and its mission.

A successful major gifts program integrates volunteer leadership, communication, and solicitation strategies. Volunteers build relationships through personal communication. This personalization enhances a prospect’s understanding of, interest in, and involvement with Elawa Farm. Cultivation is followed by personal solicitation, resulting in larger gifts.

Elawa Farm has significant opportunities to sustain its position as a National Treasure beyond the restoration and the fund raising campaign. While programming itself may not generate significant funds, it can be a source of some income for Elawa Farm. In addition, ongoing support from Elawa Farm’s partners, as well as increased national and international marketing, a well-designed annual fund program, and the implementation of a planned giving program will ensure viability for generations to come.

Support from Partners will be received in many forms, from financial support, to programming expertise, to volunteer leadership. Those partners currently include the Preservation Foundation, the City of Lake Forest, Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois, Lake County Forest Preserve, School District 67, Lake Forest Open Lands Association, Preserve of Middlefork Farm, Lake Forest Park and Recreation Board, and Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Historical Society.

Marketing strategies will be explored, including such ideas as a coffee table book, “Gentleman Farmer Retreats,” etc. All ideas will be evaluated for their relevance to the mission of Elawa Farm, capacity to enhance the project’s visibility, and potential to generate revenue to support program goals.

An annual fund program will be established to generate current operating funds as well as some special programming funds. The annual fund will include targeted as well as broader communication strategies: media, newsletters, bulletins, web-site enhancements. Fund raising strategies will include major gifts (personal calling), special events (on and off-site), annual direct mail appeal (two to three times each year), membership program (tied to or separate from the direct mail appeal). Strategies will be evaluated for their impact in telling the story and generating support for Elawa Farm, as well as for the resources of time, talent, and money required to implement them.

Creating a planned giving program, focused on current as well as revocable commitments will help Elawa Farm build its endowment(s). The endowment will be beneficial to ensuring long term maintenance of the buildings and properties as well as innovative programming.

Elawa Farm is a project that will attract support for restoration as well as for endowment and ongoing programming. It’s National Treasure status, the collaborations that are central to its beginnings, its capability to function as a museum, an education center, a park and recreation facility, an activities center, and as a gateway to nature preserves all add to Elawa Farm’s attractiveness.