Land conservancy adds legacy focus to its giving program
The Pasadena-based Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy has a robust donation program powered by people who care about preserving local open space and wildlife habitats. What it needed next was a legacy giving program—one that would encourage supporters to think about their conservation efforts not only as an individual act, but a legacy across generations.
AFC works to conserve, protect and steward natural open space in and around urbanized areas of the San Gabriel and Crescenta Valleys in order to combat climate change and support wildlife habitats. Key habitat areas are strategically protected via land acquisition, conservation easements, land use planning and implementation, and education. This summer, the organization acquired land in Glendale, now dubbed the Sunshine Preserve, which enables safe passage for local wildlife between the Verdugo Mountains and the San Rafael Hills.
When AFC came to Jericho Road Pasadena for help in formulating a planned giving program, they linked the organization with Heather Tunis of Achieving Effectiveness Coaching and Counsel. With over three decades of experience in organizational effectiveness and development, capacity building, management and philanthropy in the nonprofit and philanthropic fields, she was a powerful choice to put the organization on the right track.
“AFC’s Development Director graciously allowed me to review its current development strategies and major gift supporters,” says Heather. “We explored ways of integrating planning giving into overall development and major gifts strategies. I gave them draft documents including a planned gifts pledge form, pledge form cover letter and case narrative. We also developed a framework for planned gift acceptance policies that the Development Director, CEO and Business Manager can use as they design the program.”
” It was very helpful to have outside input and assessment of AFC’s goals, strategies, and approaches, along with some best practices and norms from the wider community,” said AFC Development Dir. Dr. Katie Clark, who oversaw the process for the organization.
Conservation is a challenging process that reaches over decades. Now its fundraising approach is geared do the same.
Thanks to volunteer Linda Taubenreuther for writing JRP social media posts!