Whether it’s a gala to support the Milwaukee Ballet or the Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee’s nonprofit community is still drawing crowds to A-list charity events.But there’s no question that the recession has patrons cutting back. Sponsors who previously spent tens of thousands on multiple tables at such events are now buying just one, and attendees are limiting annual donations.
Still, representatives of the city’s nonprofits say they’ve been pleased with the turnout at their big events so far in 2009, despite the worst economic downturn in decades.
“The economy had, and still has, our undivided attention through all operations,” said Robert Davis, chief executive officer and president of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. “Still, we’re anticipating (our) Zoo Ball will be a wonderful affair. While our numbers might be slightly less this year, we’re still on target for a successful event.”
When the ball is over on June 27, Davis hopes to net $400,000 for the Milwaukee County Zoo. The ball, at which tickets range from $300 per person to $7,500 for a table of 10, is the Zoo’s biggest fundraiser.
Even if Davis is right and the Zoo Ball nets $400,000, it still would be $100,000 less than in 2008, the most successful in the society’s 25-year history.
The Zoological Society searched aggressively for sponsors this year, adding U.S. Cellular to the list which brought in close to $50,000, Davis said. That effort will help offset a decline in attendance.
“We’ve been fortunate that our challenges are not as steep as our counterparts in the nonprofit world,” Davis said.
Cut the budget
The Milwaukee Ballet held its annual ball Feb. 28, bringing in $104,312, a 10 percent increase over 2008.
The increase came in large part by slicing about $10,000 from the ball budget.
At the same time, many donors chose to make the ball their “gift” for the year, rather than attending the event and giving a larger donation later, said Carolyn Muckelberg, the Ballet’s annual campaign and grants manager.
The ball and other special events throughout the year represent about 5 percent of the Ballet’s overall budget. Muckelberg is also charged with adding new donors, which hasn’t been easy this year.
Usually the Ballet can get 150 new donors a year. Currently, the number stands at about 60 to 75 new donors.
“Hopefully we’ll make up for it in other areas,” she said. “Right now it’s all about donor retention.”
Deborah Fugenschuh, president of the Donors Forum of Wisconsin, anticipates attendance at many charity events will be lower this year, although most of these events don’t make or break an organization’s year.
Smaller organizations with a tight bond with their donors will fare better, Fugenschuh said.
That was the case at Hope House, an emergency and transitional living center in Milwaukee, which held a $91-per-plate dinner May 28.
Hope House raised $35,000, which was $15,000 less than the goal but still “as good as could possibly be expected,” said Ken Schmidt, executive director. About 40 percent of the Hope House budget comes from fundraising.
“Before the year started, I cut $100,000 out of my budget, which was probably a smart thing to do,” Schmidt said. “I think a lot of folks who didn’t take these steps could be in for some real trouble the second half of the year.”
Many nonprofits have been forced to cut their budgets or take steps to cut costs of the actual events themselves.
0 comments: