A Little Help From Your Friends: A Fundraising Success

Thursday, December 3, 2020 1:00 PM by Taylor Studios in Inspiration and Client Success Stories


Are you gearing up to start a project in the new year? You probably have questions about fundraising. Sometimes you just need a little help from your Friends...

Check out this interview with the Holliday Park Nature Center, and read about their successful experience fundraising.

Originally posted February 2016


We loved the exhibit that was designed and built for installation at the Holliday Park Nature Center and we were thrilled when we ran across this visitor experience article. The article not only echoed our love of the exhibit but also underscored our client’s success.

Holliday Park

We recently reached out to Adam Barnes, Park Manager of Holliday Park and Nature Center and asked him to share his thoughts on the park’s recent fundraising success.

How did you raise the funds for your new exhibit and promote community involvement?

A private friends group called The Friends of Holliday Park planned a very strategic campaign that became a five-year process. During their initial meetings, The Friends group decided they wanted to widen the pool of people willing to donate so they combined two different projects and rolled them into one capital campaign. The first project was a new educational nature center; the second, a landscape renovation to the Ruins. They felt this combination of projects, one focusing on education and the other focusing on nature and recreation, would reach a broader scope of people willing to donate to a cause they are passionate about.

Holliday Park

The Friends started their campaign with a silent phase, targeting large donors from big foundations around Indianapolis. They estimated that 60% of their funds would come from private donations in the silent phase. Next, they opened donations up to the public. For public donations, they cast a wide net that included social media, mailing lists, and announcements at special events hosted by the park. Taylor Studios also helped by providing extra renderings for the design of the new nature center. Based on past experience, Adam feels that they are typically more successful with hands-on fundraising tools. Tasks such as traditional mailing lists, exhibit renderings on display, and face to face public speaking at events have proven to be their most successful fundraising techniques.

Holliday Park

What does your foundation do that you think is different from other foundations that haven’t succeeded?

There is always one part-time staff person available to the public to answer questions. Creating a relationship between volunteers and staff is crucial. The face to face interaction helps them see what the park is doing and helps them feel more involved. Having staff available to create a connection with volunteers and visitors is something most places aren’t able to do.

Holliday Park is also lucky enough to have tremendous support within their community. The park was established in the early '90s by the neighborhood surrounding the park. When spreading the word to gain supporters they told their story from a positive standpoint. They focused on community improvement and specific ways the park could enhance the neighborhood rather than focusing on the negative and “ridding the bad.” Community support has been paramount to the park’s fundraising success.

Holliday Park

What is the best tip you could give others that are trying to raise funds for new exhibits?

You can’t be afraid to ask. There is a fear and/or awkwardness most people feel when asking for something, especially if it’s a high dollar amount. Along with that, don’t be afraid to hear the word “No.”

Getting over that fear helps you put your own mind at ease and leads to being a more successful ambassador when fundraising for your foundation.

Holliday Park

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