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Audubon Center Designated and Memorial Recognition Opportunities

Audubon Nature Center $4,000,000 Reserved
A 18,000 sq. ft. nature center in the heart of downtown Columbus designed using sustainable “green” building design.

Welcome Area and Lobby $1,000,000 Reserved
Point of entry for all 50,000 people expected to enjoy the center annually. Includes site orientation displays and reception area.

Auditorium/Multipurpose Room $1,000,000 Reserved
The Auditorium/Multipurpose Room will have the ability to seat 200 people in chairs and can be divided into two spaces if needed. Will be used for educational activities, special events, lectures, meetings, and small conferences.

Library/Observation Area $1,000,000 Reserved
An integrated exhibit space will have the bird viewing windows set in the environmental library. This will allow visitors quietly to enjoy the sounds of the outdoors while they observe through the windows or utilize the resources of the library.

Center Director: Endowed Position $1,000,000 Available
The importance of endowed positions cannot be overstated. They help ensure the financial security of the center while honoring the donor or donor’s designee in perpetuity.

Green Building Technologies $500,000 Reserved
Audubon will strive for LEED certification for the building and will use the facility as an interpretive tool for green technologies. Although the green technologies appropriate for the Center will be determined in the design phase, they may include use of recycled and recyclable materials, green roof, permeable surfaces, bio-treatments for gray water, and geothermal heating and cooling.

Green Transportation $500,000 Available
Our target audiences have identified transportation as the single most important barrier to participation in Center programs. We will acquire two vans for transportation of students, displays, and activities on wheels. The vans will utilize alternative fuel technologies and be kept in a detached garage on the site. This naming opportunity includes signage on the traveling vans which will be seen throughout the Columbus area.

Outdoor Learning Station $500,000 Reserved
An Outdoor Learning Station is invaluable since outside is the resource we want to interpret. This space will also be used for campfires, community events, and special events.

Classrooms $500,000 2 Available; 1 Reserved
Each themed classroom will hold 30 students allowing for one classroom of children. The classrooms will also serve as exhibit space when not being used for education programming. Activities will include nature study, crafts, and arts.

Teacher/Naturalist: Endowed Position $500,000 Available
The importance of endowed positions cannot be overstated. They help ensure the financial security of the center while honoring the donor or donor’s designee in perpetuity.

Outdoor Nature Playground $500,000 Reserved
A natural “play” area where children can explore nature by turning over rocks, building forts, and digging in the dirt. This will be an area to enjoy unstructured time connecting with nature.

Exhibit Area $250,000 Reserved
The exhibit space will incorporate changeable hands-on activities for walk-through guests and will also allow for circulation of education groups.

Nature Gift Shop $250,000 Reserved
The nature gift shop will support our educational mission while generating income to help support operations. It will also include a snack area. Items to be sold will include books, bird feeders, wildlife guides, and educational materials.

Wildlife Viewing Decks $250,000 Reserved
The wildlife viewing decks are a great transition area for children and adults who may not be comfortable or familiar with a landscape that may seem wild compared to the surrounding urban mix. Groups can be slowly moved from the well-known building to the decks to native gardens to a wilder habitat near the Center. Walk-by visitors may choose to spend lounging on the decks enjoying the wildlife.

Boardwalk $250,000 Reserved
The boardwalk will allow access to the wetlands area. This will encourage students to reach down and get their hands dirty while exploring this aquatic habitat.

Entry Court $250,000 Available
As the main entrance to the Center, the Entry Court will provide that important and lasting first impression as visitors arrive. The space is also designed to hold outdoor receptions and gatherings.

Geothermal Well Field $100,000 Available
The Center will be using a geothermal heating and cooling system. This will require a field of up to 30 wells designed to capture the temperature of the earth, dug to a depth of 300 feet. The field will provide a unique opportunity to teach visitors about developing and using alternative energy sources.

Rainwater Collection Feature $100,000 Available
Rainwater collection from the rooftop will be a work of art, with water streaming down the side of the building and under the Entry Court walkway as it makes its way to the Rain Garden.

Wetland $100,000 Reserved
This outdoor education area will be the focus of aquatic ecology exploration. It will also serve as habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife.

Bird Habitat with Feeding Stations $100,000 2 Reserved
The outdoor garden areas will be planted with native trees and plants to attract wildlife and encourage biodiversity. Other features may include bird feeding stations and water pools.

Volunteer Workroom $100,000 Reserved
Volunteers will form the heart of the center and will be critical to achieving our mission. Their room will include office space, computer stations, meeting and networking space, lockers and storage.

Patterned Glass & Window Mullion System $100,000 Available
Patterned glass will deter window strikes by birds and, at the same time, tell the story of the sun’s path across the sky through the seasons.

Conference/Board Room $100,000 Available
The conference room will allow for meeting space for 8-10 people. This space can be utilized by other organizations when needed.

Education Suite $100,000 Reserved
Administration offices and workspaces will be necessary for program development and management. These spaces will be designed to maximize indoor environmental quality and will be included on all “green” tours of the building and site.

Adopt-a-School $100,000 Many Available
Endowing a school program ensures 24 hours of program each of the first two years, in a combination of in-school programs and field trips, for an individual urban school. The number of programs will be reassessed annually after year two.

Animal Care Room $100,000 Available
We will keep a few local non-mammal animals that children can see and touch, which will add immeasurably to programs, especially for urban dwellers that do not often get this type of opportunity. Animal maintenance requires space for cleaning exhibits; storing, preparing and maintaining feed; and housing animals that are not on exhibit.

Kitchen $100,000 Available
A kitchen for preparing food for small events and managing catered events will be needed. This area will be in close proximity to the Auditorium/Multipurpose Room and will be used often by outside organizations.

Community Action Center $100,000 Reserved
This space will be the hub for youth advocacy and will house computers, resources, action boards, and small group meeting space.

Nature Art Garden $50,000 Available
The Art Garden will be a creative space that allows visitors to capture the beauty of the natural world through personal works of art. Materials will be provided for artists of all ages to create their own masterpieces, inspired by their surroundings.

Neighborhood Garden $50,000 Reserved
Comprised of community garden plots, the neighborhood garden can be planted with anything from food to native wildflowers. Plots will also be set aside for use with school programs.

Rain Garden $50,000 Reserved
This large, beautiful garden of native plants, located directly off the entryway to the building, will be designed to capture and soak up storm water runoff from the roof and other impervious areas around the Center. Home and business owners alike will learn how to beautify their landscapes and protect water quality by incorporating a rain garden in their landscape

Trail Head $50,000 Available
A hiking trail will wind through the Audubon Center site allowing access to all of the outdoor areas. It will link up to trails within the Scioto Audubon Metro Park area.

Outdoor Courtyard $50,000 Available
The outdoor courtyard will be a beautiful area to sit and relax, read a book, or enjoy bird watching. The courtyard will also be used for special programs and gatherings.

Outdoor Interpretive Kiosks $50,000 each Many Available
Interpretive kiosks will be strategically placed in and around the Center to enhance and compliment visitors’ hands-on experiences. They will be used to provide site-specific facts, suggest ways to look at and enjoy nature, and help visitors understand the unexpected joys that the urban environment has to offer.

Entry Feature $50,000 Available
Entry to the Audubon Center site will include native plant materials and signage.

Library Furnishings $25,000 Reserved
The library/bird viewing room will be a special sanctuary within the Center. Guests will observe nature by relaxing in a rocking chair, pick up a book to read, or listen to the sounds of the birds outside. Furnishings will be specifically selected to create this relaxing oasis.

Conference/Board Room Furnishings $25,000 Available
The conference/board room will allow for 8-10 people. Furnishings will be selected to provide a comfortable, functional meeting space for Center board members and volunteers, as well as outside organizations.

Digital Projection and Sound System $25,000 Available
The Auditorium/Multipurpose Room, designed to seat 200 people, will host a variety of events from meetings and conferences to weddings. A digital projection and sound system will offer the latest technology for multi-media presentations.

Meditative Benches $10,000 each Many Available
A variety of benches will be used throughout the site to provide a relaxing spot for visitors to sit and enjoy nature.

Binoculars/Spotting Scopes $10,000 Reserved
Binoculars and spotting scopes will be available for school and community program groups, as well as the general public. Spotting will be permanently mounted near windows while other equipment can be used on trail walks.

Reference Library Materials $5,000 per subject Many Available
Shelves in the Library/Observation Area will be stocked with reference books and guides related to birds, trees, plants, insects, recycling, sustainability, and other nature-based educational materials, available to the general public as well as program participants.

Commemorative Brick Pavers/Stones Many Available
Leave your mark at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center through a personalized, engraved brick paver that honors or pays tribute to friends, family members or loved ones. Made from natural materials, these pavers will be installed to enhance the design of the building and its surroundings. Two locations have been specifically designated for commemorative pavers and stones:

• Long Stones $2,500 per stone
• Pavers $ 250 per brick

All donors of $10,000 and above will be identified on a plaque in the entry way.

All donors of $250 and above will be acknowledged in a special publication to be produced at the conclusion of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center capital campaign.