Most of you have probably noticed that the season of fundraising is upon us. The life of a nonprofit organization is really structured around how much funding it can raise by gathering the support of people in the community who care about the work it does.
The Discovery Museum is certainly no exception to this, and with our inaugural Bippity, Boppity, Boo Ball happening on Saturday, Oct. 29, the support of our guests and sponsors is utmost on my mind.
Without fundraising, the museum could not exist on the revenue we earn alone. We work hard to earn our own revenue in the form of admission prices and by promoting annual memberships. We also must charge for some of our programs, such as our drama or science camps. I approach foundations and corporations for their support with grants they might make to underwrite projects or programs. Finally, the support of individual donors and the fundraisers they attend makes up the third line of revenue the museum works for.
The revenue we generate by fundraising is what keeps our regular charges so affordable. Instead of $8 per person admission, the museum would cost more than $18 per person for a visit! Our Drama Camp would be close to $1,000 per child—instead of the much more affordable $300—if donors did not help underwrite those costs!
We want the museum to be accessible and available to all children, so when you are approached to lend your support, consider how truly valuable your donation will be to the children who want to learn from the Discovery Museum. And don’t forget to thank the people who make those donations; they are doing it for you!
Kelly White O’Neill is executive director of the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum. Discovery Corner is a weekly column in the Sun, highlighting events, science activities, and more for the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum at 705 S. McClelland in Santa Maria. Send comments to discoverycorner@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 20-27, 2011.
