Who: The Friends of Indianola (Iowa) Public Library Foundation
Challenge: In anticipation of a revenue bond issue, this organization asked TPG Philanthropy Group to prepare the organization for one or more multi-faceted campaigns (bond issue support, charitable fund-raising, public relations, public and private funding, etc.).
Outcomes: TPG conducted an assessment of organizational readiness for a $1 million capital campaign, helped with public relations positioning, facilitated conflicts resolution with historic and current stakeholders, and facilitated a leadership planning process. As a result of TPG’s work, the library’s case for support was approved by two library boards and the city council with little controversy – an unexpected boost to the organization. Stakeholders became actively re-engaged, and a dual entity campaign strategy involving the library and a proposed recreation facility was developed – saving both organizations money and enabling a single joint campaign rather than two simultaneous competing campaigns.
“In just over two months, [TPG] took both groups from having nothing prepared to being ready for whatever came. [They] grasped the intricacies of our situation very quickly and were ready with suggestions on how to proceed when unexpected situations arose….[The TPG team] saw the broad picture and were able to steer us in directions we might not have taken – partnerships and collaborations that at first glance didn’t appear to be worth pursuing. Their emphasis was much more than on just fundraising but rather on positioning the Library for the best results possible in the community.”
