WCS Development Overview

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Presented to the Development and External Relations Committee

WCS Board of Trustee MeetingJune 15, 2009

Librado Romero/The New York Times

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!

“Because there is absolutely nothing cooler than partying with sea lions”

Vanity Fair

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!Over 600 guests filled 3 beautifully decorated tents at Central Park Zoo on June 10th

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!

All to honor the Wildlife Conservation Society and celebrate the opening of the Allison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit at Central Park Zoo

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!

WCS raised $1.8M from gala ticket sales, the WCS Gala journal, and donor contributions

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!

Thank you!

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!Thank you!

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!Thank you!

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2009 GALA: Fundraising success!

Thank you!

Overview

I. 2009 Fundraising Update

II. Development 2010 Update

III. Individual Giving Update

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2009 Fundraising Update

For the 11 months ending 5/31/2009, overall fundraising is trending up vs. the same period last year

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 FY09 YTD FY08 YTDYTD Variance

09-08 % chg

       

Individual Giving $17,290 $15,058 $2,232 15%         

Foundation Giving $15,283 $15,856 ($573) -4%         Corporation $2,127 $4,562 ($2,435) -53%         Bequests $3,793 $2,130 $1,663 78%         Events (Gross) $1,392 $1,652 ($232) -14%         Membership $9,706 $9,336 $369 4%         TOTAL $49,713 $48,615 $1,097 2%

2009 Fundraising Update: Individual Giving

DonorCategory

FY 2009 FY 2008 Variance

# of Donors

$ Total # of Donors

$ Total # of Gifts

$ Total

$1M or more 8 $9,457 4 $6,763 4 $2,694

$250K-$999K 5 $1,846 4 $1,481 1 $365

$50K- $249K 39 $3,732 38 $3,616 1 $116

Total 52 $15,035 46 $11,860

6 $3,175

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• Accounts for 35% of total--the biggest area of fundraising for WCS

• Strength driven by closing campaign gifts and developing major gift commitments

• Because of the intensified focus on major gifts this year, we have seen a growth in gifts of over $50K, particularly those over $250K.

• Gifts of over $50K represent 87% of the Individual Giving total

2009 Fundraising Update

• Though overall results are strong, total operating support is -2% YTD.

• Softness in some of our fundraising programs such as paid events and corporate philanthropy have impacted general operating and unrestricted support.

• As such, we are facing a $500K shortfall in Unrestricted fundraising

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Goal Raised to Date Variance

General Operating Support $4.6M $4.2M $400K

Global Unrestricted $3.8M $3.7M $100K

2009 Fundraising Update: Board Giving

• Board annual giving fuels a substantial part of our operating support and is critical to our success in maintaining programmatic flexibility

• 4 Ways to Give1. Annual gift2. Campaign or multi-year, long-term commitment3. Event giving4. Planned giving

• Year to date, 50% of Board members have made an annual gift to WCS

• Total raised from Board annual giving thus far is $2.7M

• Our goal this year is 100% Board participation in annual giving

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Development 2010

Development 2010

•Reorganized Development program to grow our fundraising capabilities

•Opportunities for growth in three key areas:

1. Individual Giving

2. Corporate partnerships– Unified corporate sponsorship and philanthropy areas in order to

develop better integrated and strategic approaches to corporations.

– Corporate funding partnerships will span traditional philanthropy, business and CSR relationships, marketing sponsorships, and corporate employee membership programs.

3. National membership fundraising

– Develop a broad-based small-donor program that taps into national and international conservation constituencies

– Membership division will lead this effort and will use the newly launched wcs.org as a core platform to develop and grow our donor base.

Development 2010

Fundraising Goals

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  FY10 GoalFY09

Projected%

ChangeIndividual $18,000 $17,600 2%Foundation $17,000 $15,700 8%Corporate* $6,000 $3,500 71%Membership $10,700 $10,400 3%Events $1,800 $2,000 -10%Bequests $2,500 $4,000 -38%Total $56,000 $53,200 5%

Discussion

BACK UP(DO NOT SHOW)

Key Findings: Corporate

• Opportunity for a better integrated approach to corporations.• Currently, WCS approach to corporations is segmented in several areas:

• There has not been a dedicated corporate point-person or lead fundraiser at WCS.

• Development-led fundraising activity is heavily focused on facilities-based Corporate Membership• Membership revenue: $400K (7% to total corporate revenue)• Larger gifts have been highly programmatic. The top 5 gifts

account for close to 70% of total revenue

• Corporate sponsorship deals have provided a steady but flat stream of income

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Development

Public Affairs

Business Services

ProgramOffice of

thePresident

Recommendations: Corporate

•Develop strategy that integrates philanthropy and sponsorship in order to take advantage of the corporate business opportunity

• Approach corporations as strategic partners in WCS mission fulfillment

• Define WCS’s value proposition

•Identify 20-30 companies to target in key industries• National and international is scope• Interest in conservation and aligning their brand with WCS

•Reformulate Corporate membership program to be in line with other NYC cultural institutions in terms of benefits and giving levels.

Key Findings and Recommendations: Online Fundraising

Recommendation • The re-launch of wcs.org can provide the necessary platform

for building a national small donor program.• Strategy will need to be aligned with WCS communications efforts• Investment in online marketing as well as direct mail to build

awareness and acquire donors will be essential.

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Finding• The web has been underutilized as a fundraising

channel. • In addition, the only national small gifts program in

place is centered around the sale of Wildlife Conservation magazine.

  FY08   FY07

 # of gifts Total $

% to Total #

% to Total $  

# of gifts Total $

% to Total #

% to Total $

$0-$249 609 $33,620 80% 22%   975 $58,619 84% 31%$250-$999 118 $41,347 16% 28%   132 $44,707 16% 23%$1000 + 36 $74,500 5% 50%   49 $87,550 5% 46%

Totals 763$149,46

7 100% 100%   1156 $190,876 100% 100%