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The Campaign for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center

What is the Campaign for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center?
The Campaign for the Grange Insurance Audubon Center is an organized community initiative, led by Audubon Ohio, to raise funds to build a nature education center located on a five-acre park setting on the Whittier Peninsula.

Who are the partners in this project?
Audubon Ohio has collaborated with the City of Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks and Franklin County Metro Parks to formulate a plan for the Whittier Peninsula, a 160-acre site on the Scioto River. The city of Columbus owns the entire peninsula. The plan calls for the Metro Parks to lease half (80 acres) with Audubon subleasing five acres to establish the Audubon Center in a nature-based educational environment.

Why does Audubon Ohio need a capital campaign?
The campaign is necessary to fund the construction of the Audubon Center, and to provide ongoing support for education programs and services. Thanks to the partnership between the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks, and Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks, Audubon Ohio will be able to lease the acreage for the nominal fee of $1 for each of three 25 year lease periods.

How did Audubon Ohio determine the need for the Center?
Through a partnership with the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks and Franklin County Metro Parks, Audubon Ohio developed a plan to play a critical part in the reclamation and redevelopment of the Whittier Peninsula. Audubon Ohio’s board of trustees established these priorities in cooperation with management, staff, and community experts. The decisions were based on a series of professional studies, surveys, and input from community experts, volunteers, and the public-at-large.

What will the Center be like?
The Audubon Center will be a green building project, incorporating recycled materials, and built to maximize the level of energy efficiency. The Center will contain an exhibit space, classrooms, an auditorium, gift shop, library, and observation decks. Audubon Ohio will work with LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified architects during all stages of development, and Audubon will seek LEED certification for the facility.

How much money does Audubon Ohio hope to raise?
The total goal for the campaign is $14.5 million.

How will the funds be raised?
To reach the $14.5 million goal, Audubon Ohio will raise $7.9 million for capital needs, $3.1 million for start-up and operating support, and $3.5 million for endowment. Grange Insurance has made a generous Lead Gift, and the facility will be called the Grange Insurance Audubon Center when it opens to the public in 2009.

Who will the Center serve?
In its third year of operation, the Audubon Center hopes to attract 50,000 visitors in its third year of operation. The target audiences for the center are elementary schools, teachers, after school groups, childcare and preschool agencies, and youth groups. A central part of the Center’s educational mission is to engage and involve children and youth from lower income, inner city, and minority populations. The Center will also be a destination for families, tourists, secondary school groups, and civic organizations.

Why build a nature center in an urban area?
Environmental education is based on teaching children how to think, rather than what to think. If we can give children and youth the information and the tools they need in order to ask questions and make decisions, we give them ownership of their environment and ensure good stewardship.

The Audubon Center, and the park surrounding it, will bring high-quality, hands-on environmental education to the Columbus metropolitan area. At the same time, it will help to turn a blighted and underutilized area into a natural oasis. The Grange Insurance Audubon center will be an invaluable educational resource, as well as a catalyst for the development of downtown Columbus.

What kind of programs will be offered?
The Audubon Center will offer nature-based education programs to serve a variety of audiences. We will have nature walks, conservation projects, art programs, science labs, live animal interactions and many more. We will also have programming for community groups relating to their needs (for example Girl Scout and Boy Scout Patch/Badge Programs.)

What about the environmental problems with the Whittier Peninsula?
In partnership with the City and Metro Parks, we have discussed the environmental issues on the site. The City has taken responsibility for addressing all environmental issues. These problems are typical of an urban site. The project aims to clean up the existing environmental and health issues and provide a renewed and enhanced habitat for the community as well as wildlife.

What is the relationship of Audubon Ohio to the National Audubon Society?
Audubon Ohio is a state program of the National Audubon Society (NAS). There are 25 state offices throughout the United States, as well as more than 400 local chapters with 18 chapters in Ohio. While the state programs are satellites of National Audubon Society, the chapters are independently incorporated and are “chartered” by NAS.

Is NAS providing financial support for the Audubon Center?
While NAS cannot provide direct financial support, the organization can provide expertise, attract national foundation funding to the project, and help to leverage federal grants. NAS has indirectly supported the project by subsidizing the start-up expenses of the Ohio program for the first seven years of operations.

How is the Columbus Audubon Chapter supporting the capital campaign?
The Columbus Audubon Chapter is not only providing substantial volunteer support for the project, but made a commitment of $100,000 to the project, a donation unprecedented among Audubon chapters in the United States.

What are the plans for commercial and residential development on riverfront?
From the initial planning stages of the Whittier Peninsula project, there have been discussions among city officials regarding retail/residential development adjacent to the site. Audubon Ohio's plans to develop the Audubon Center and outdoor education environment are independent of the city’s selection of a master developer. In fact, the opposite is the case: the success of any plan for retail and housing development on the Peninsula is indelibly linked to the development of the Audubon Center. The City of Columbus has initiated the search process for a master developer.

Who will be asked to give to the campaign for the Audubon Center?
The agency seeks to raise these funds for the campaign from members of the Audubon Ohio “family” (campaign committee, trustees, staff and volunteers) and from community-minded individuals, businesses and foundations. In addition, state and federal requests for funding support are also in consideration.

How will my gift be recognized?
All gifts to the campaign will be recognized in a special recognition publication printed at the conclusion of the campaign. Names of donors at designated levels and above will be permanently displayed in prominent locations.

Is my gift tax deductible?
Yes. Within the provisions of the tax law, your full contribution to the campaign for the Audubon Center is tax deductible. You will receive a letter of tax documentation for your records. Please consult your personal financial advisor with any specific tax questions.

Can I make provide stocks, bonds, and other negotiable instruments as a payment on my pledge?
Yes. In fact, there may be significant tax advantages to providing appreciated stock as payment. Again, please consult your financial advisor for specific information.

Can I dedicate my pledge toward a Named Giving opportunity?
Yes. Audubon Ohio encourages this type of recognition for individuals, families and businesses. Your selected or designated area can also be memorialized. A complete listing of Memorial and Designated gift areas and their related campaign amounts will be available through the volunteer contacting you for your pledge.

Can I dedicate my pledge toward either the Audubon Center building project or the endowment fund?
Yes. Your pledge will be gratefully appreciated as either a capital or an endowment gift, or you may chose to give to both funds. Information regarding named endowment fund opportunities and their related amounts will are available through the volunteer contacting you for your pledge.

Donors are advised to seek qualified legal and tax advice before establishing any kind of will, bequest, or other deferred gift vehicle.

How can I get involved in the campaign?
You may contact Campaign Manager Kelly Brown at (614) 224-3303, if you have any questions or need any additional information.