Chapter Services Conference Call

February 16, 2010

partner. promote. preserve.

Membership Sales

• January slumped -membership packets not available• December sales onsite were up from last year but

also slow• Gift purchases up for December - Newsletter

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

2008 2009 2010

Membership Revenue

Currently 9% above forecast for FY2010

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

FY2008

36078.75

25747.5 32381.25

31197.5 25508.75

28552.5 20942.5 25609.75

45723.75

53462.5 53906.25

48601.25

FY2009

43448.75

33505 28325 32292.5 24345 16407.75

22511.25

31627.75

47529.5 61214.75

97159.75

107018.25

FY2010

91307.75

56726.5 58677.75

63404.55

51388.5 32451 23861.5 NaN NaN NaN NaN NaN

FY2010 Fore-cast

68927.04938790

48

50960 52757.40911795

45

55097.89853814

95

43293.94694423

02

39208.06251998

02

37328.21171274

66

46812.00160712

47

80430.51055401

63

86981.15792701

34

86557.54537401

43

79285.08759791

55

$10,000

$30,000

$50,000

$70,000

$90,000

$110,000

Important Reminders

• Donate excess volunteer hours to Friends of DNR Search & Rescue– Up to 250 hours per chapter per year

• Conference materials available online• Chapter store available online– www.friendsofgastateparksstore.com

• March 17 – State Parks Day at the Capitol

Ten for 2010 Grants

• Application deadline for competitive grant extended to March 15

• Base grants available now– Only five chapters have received their $750

• Ten for 2010 lists– Meet and review your list with your chapter and

site staff– Send in your lists so we can celebrate

Advocacy Update

Current Budget Situation

• Parks aren’t closing for now – but must ‘make-do’ with less– 22% of staff positions are vacant system-wide – Budgets for operations and maintenance severely impacted – Capital improvements sharply curtailed– No funds for vehicles & equipment improvements/purchases– Limitations on programs & services– Uncertainty about outsourcing of lodges and golf operations

• Future is uncertain as General Assembly searches for deep cuts

2010 Amended Budget• Governor’s Budget Recommendation made

only minor cuts and introduced bond package.• Gov’s recommendation modified by the House

and forwarded to Senate – NO substantive cuts to PRHSD.

• Senate should approve FY10A this week.

2011 Budget• Legislators are under intense pressure to make

even more budget cuts.• House will take up FY 2011 budget next week.• PRHSD expects possible deep cuts ($1 M plus).• IF they approve the Bond package, PRHSD

might be able to make further cuts to capital outlay budgets and avoid closures.

• Deep cuts may impact golf courses, lodges, parks and historic sites systemwide.

Legislators’ Views

• Most appreciate the natural, cultural and historic resources

• Most agree they need to be protected and maintained

• Many worry about how to fund these “luxuries” while cutting education and other services

• Most do not understand the economic value of parks & historic sites

Approaches2009 – “Please don’t cut”• Last year, we focused on

encouraging legislators not to make cuts– Don’t cut lodges and golf

courses– Don’t allow closures– Etc.

2010 – Education• This year we will focus on

education for legislators– Economic value of parks and

historic sites– Importance of sites to

Georgia’s workforce and economy

– Responsibility to protect legacy of Georgia’s natural, cultural and historic treasures

The facts about Economic Impact

• FACT: Vital component of Georgia’s huge tourism industry.

• FACT: More than 10 million people visit state parks & historic sites every year and spend over $32 million.

• FACT: Total economic impact exceeds $769 million per year for state and local economies.

• FACT: Every $1 of state appropriated funds to PRHSD returns $33 in economic impact.

Unicoi

Panola Mountain

Victoria Bryant

What is “Our Message”?

Gift Shop at Amicalola Falls State Park

State parks and historic sites are economic

engines for Georgia and their respective

communities

Why choose this Message?

Save My State Parks DaySeptember 2009

Legislative Listening Session November 2009

NASPD ConferenceSeptember 2009

• Friends role growing in importance – stakeholders notice us and listen to us

• In previous years we have emphasized the intangible values of our sites.

But in today’s economy,

the critical message must be expressed in

economic value!

Education Strategy

Problem:• Legislators do not know the

economic value of the sites in their districts or statewide.

• During the Legislative Listening Session in November, we found that they actually WANT to know

Solution:• Condense the important

facts about the economic impact of each site in each legislator’s district.

• Present these facts in one easy-to-read document

Delivering Our MessageEduCards

• Cards for each site in the district will be delivered to each legislator• Legislators will receive

an overview of the impact from the system as a whole• Cards available to

chapters for distribution to appropriate community partners• Additional packets can

be created and customized for the audience

Legislator Profiles

• Provides economic impact data for all sites in the legislator’s district

• Provides important committee information

• Starting point for information gathering

Distributing the Message

Direct Target Audience• Legislators who have

sites within their districts

• High Impact Legislators who hold key positions within the General Assembly

AlliesPeople who are in position

to influence legislators• Chapters – Especially those with

Advocacy Teams• Organizations with similar

concerns, such as Georgia Wildlife Federation

• Business and Local Government, such as Chambers of Commerce

• The general public

Get Targets out to Your Site

• Nothing tells the story of the site better than the site itself

• Help legislators, community leaders and the public connect with the site

• Help them understand the economic impact of the site

To do Invite state legislators to a

program at your site just for fun not to “advocate”

Invite the mayor, city council, chamber of commerce and others to your site for Community Appreciation Day

Find clubs, civic groups, and associations who can call your site “home”

Share Feedback and Experiences

• Let us know how your efforts are going

• Celebrate accomplishments

• Share frustrations

• Provide feedback

• Use your local media

• Letters to editor

• Invite press to your community events

• Share your efforts with press releases