75% of $2,000,000 goal reach in just 18 months!
Shore Line Trolley Museum
Challenge:
Founded in 1945, at the twilight of the trolley era, the Shore Line Trolley Museum of East Haven, Connecticut, preserves that era through a collection of 100 vintage trolleys and buses from around the country and Canada, including the New Orleans “Streetcar Named Desire” immortalized by Tennessee Williams. The vintage collection, however, is stored in open-air sheds on land where severe flood damage is a looming danger. To protect the collection, the museum needs to erect two enclosed storage buildings at a cost of $2 million. The museum has no paid professional staff and is operated entirely by volunteers.
Solution:
LAPA created a defined capital campaign with a $2M goal, and brought together board members, donors, members, and community leaders to drive the campaign. We built a strategy that included conventional fundraising, Web-based giving, naming opportunities, and a planned giving program. We also developed a plan to pay for the program, which made the campaign possible.
Results:
The culture of the Shore Line Trolley Museum now emphasizes fundraising, community outreach, and a long-term view of the Museum’s possibilities. One hundred percent of the Board members have made personal commitments to the campaign. The Connecticut state legislature just approved a $1 million grant for the campaign. A total of $1,500,000 has been raised in the campaign’s first 18 months, and the museum is on track to reach its ultimate goal ahead of schedule.