History of the Once in A Generation Capital Campaign
In the Beginning
When the Town of Los Gatos began exploring the possibility of building a new library in the 1980s, the Friends of the Library were among the most enthusiastic boosters. So in 2007 when the Town began planning for a new structure, the Friends were ready to spring into action to support the effort, and one of their first steps was to set up a new investment account titled The Fund for the Future and to form a fundraising subcommittee tasked with finding a professional fundraiser.
First Steps
In June 2008, the Friends hired Michael Edell of Netzel-Grigsby Associates, Inc., a management and consulting firm that specializes in helping not-for-profit organizations and institutions. Working together, a Campaign Readiness Assessment Task Force and Netzel-Grigsby conducted a study that determined it was feasible for the Friends to set a goal of raising $2.1 million to pay for furniture, fixtures and equipment in the new library.
In preparation for the fundraising campaign, the Friends Board of Directors was expanded and a part-time development director, Katherine Cance, was hired to coordinate the campaign and related fundraising activities.
The Silent Phase
In 2009/2010, termed the Silent Phase of the campaign began with behind-the-scenes work of leadership development, recruitment of chairs for committees, and the establishment of the following groups:
- The Campaign Steering Committee to oversee the entire campaign--Sandy Decker, former Planning Commissioner, Mayor and President of the Museums of Los Gatos co-chair with Jonathan Knowles, co-chair of Music in the Park and Jazz on the Plazz and Chairman of the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Foundation.
- The Leadership Gifts Committee to solicit donations from the Friends board of directors and members of campaign committees
- The Communications Task Force to create campaign materials
- The Prospect Review Task Force to develop a preliminary master list of prospective major donors
- The Campaign Advisory Council made up of prominent Los Gatos citizens who lent their support to the Friends' efforts
- The Major Gifts Committee to solicit donations in the range of $25,000 and above
A Slight Detour
During the spring and summer of 2009, Friends of the Library took on a new task they had not anticipated: countering a petition effort Initiative Limiting Town Authority to Approve Certain Land Purchase and Capital Projects Without Prior Voter Approval that could have forced a delay in building the new library.
The Friends distributed posters and paid for newspaper advertising advising Los Gatans not to sign this petition. They wrote letters to the editor. And they showed up all over town wherever signature-gatherers were working at grocery stores, town-wide events, the post office and other venues carrying signs asking residents not to sign.
In July 2007, the petition was rejected because the petitioners violated a key provision of state law requiring that each petition include a copy of the Notice of Intent to Circulate Petition.
The Community Phase
Identifying and soliciting gifts from individuals and the community at large is the aim of this phase of the campaign which kicked off on Feb. 10, 2011 at a meeting attended by several dozen enthusiastic volunteers chaired by Jill Logar and Kristina Strand. In the Community Phase, five teams will sponsor receptions, appear at library events and Town events, sponsor special events and work in other ways to get the message to Los Gatans that everyone is invited to support the library at whatever level they can afford.
