Ashley Gaither

Founded in 1993 with 156 charter membersMission StatementRaised over $20 million 501(c)(3) non-profit organizationApproximately 4,500 members

Average membership increase is only 290 new members per year

To increase membership in Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to 5,000 members by January 1, 2009

To increase readership of brochures to 250,000 within 6 monthsTo increase business membership by 33% within 6 months

To increase local membership by 5% within 6 monthsTo increase membership by referral by 5% within 6 monthsTo maintain membership at 5,000 after January 2009

Visitors of Great Smoky Mountains National ParkGatlinburg businessesSevier County / Gatlinburg residentsFriends / relatives of current members

Stress benefits of membership and overall good of the organizationBrochures available throughout areaReach tourists through local media campaignHost hot air balloon event and bluegrass concertPresentations at local meetings

JulyHot Air Balloons Event, Brochure DebutAugustPresentation @ Gatlinburg Chamber of CommerceSeptemberBillboard DebutOctoberBluegrass Concert Event, Media CampaignNovemberPresentation @ Gatlinburg City HallDecemberMail Thank You Stickers, Member References

Hot Air Balloon Event$1250Bluegrass Concert Event$1000Brochures$500Media Campaign$2000Presentations$250Contingencies$500Total$5500

Membership recordsSurvey results

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park (n.d.). Friends of the Smokies. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from http://www.friendsofthesmokies.org/ U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.). Gatlinburg city, Tennessee Fact Sheet American FactFinder. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from http://factfinder.census.gov/U.S. National Park Service (2008). Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from http://www.nps.gov/grsm/