Matching Grants Help Campaign Exceed Expectations

When Rotary Charities of Traverse City awarded the New Interlochen Public Library Campaign a $100,000 challenge grant in June, it was with clear intent. “We award challenge grants specifically to spark community giving,” said Rotary Charities Executive Director Marsha Smith. Just six months later, it was evident the challenge had done just that.

Not only did the campaign meet the challenge in half the allotted time, it more than doubled its donor base from 133 in 2014 to 315 in 2015. “The breadth of donors really energized the campaign,” said Campaign Co-Chair Mary Beth Hardwicke, M.D. “On one end of the spectrum, young people brought in their piggy banks and raised money through garage sales and on the other end major foundations awarded us six figures.” The campaign exceeded its 2015 goal by 27 percent, pushing it past $1.6 million by year’s end, leaving a 2016 goal of $827,573 to reach the campaign’s $2.5 million goal.

The campaign’s success has been fueled by a steady steam of challenge grants, including $100,000 from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation based in Midland. Awarded in early December, year-end donations have helped the campaign bank more than seventy-five percent of the match in a little over a month. After that, the campaign will work to meet a $50,000 challenge from a private donor. Major grants played a key role in the campaign’s 2015 success. “This is an exciting initiative that will provide the Interlochen community with enrichment and education for years to come,” said Gerstacker Foundation Chairperson Gail Lanphear. “We are impressed with the local leadership and support for this project.”

Hardwicke credits donors big and small with recognizing the library’s critical community role. “We have great momentum and continue to have new interest in the campaign. The cabinet is confident we’ll be celebrating the campaign’s completion in a year.” For a graph of campaign progress, click here https://www.newinterlochenlibrary.org/timeline/