To Our Valued Supporters,
The Board of Directors of the Sleeping Giant Park Association (SGPA) is excited to share some important updates regarding our membership and fundraising program, aimed at making membership accessible to all while ensuring sustainability and growth for our beloved park.
After careful consideration by our Membership and Fundraising Committee, as well as approval from our Board of Directors, the following changes to SGPA’s membership structure will be implemented on September 1, 2023 (the start of SGPA’s fiscal year). We believe these changes will better serve our supporters and strengthen our mission of protecting and stewarding Sleeping Giant State Park.
Simplifying Membership for Everyone
We’ve listened to your feedback and made several significant enhancements to our membership program. Our ultimate goal is to provide a more inclusive and equitable experience for all supporters of SGPA, while aligning our membership offerings with the true value we bring to the park.
Here’s What’s Changing:
1. Unified Membership and Donation: We are eliminating the distinction between a donation and a membership. Any charitable gift to SGPA, regardless of size, qualifies you as a member in good standing. This change simplifies the giving process and ensures that every contribution, no matter the amount, is recognized. It also creates a more equitable membership program, making membership accessible to all Giant-lovers.
2. New Membership Tiers: We are introducing a tiered membership structure, as follows:
- Gifts less than $25 qualify the donor as a Regular Member, meaning that the member can vote at SGPA’s annual meeting
- Gifts $25 and greater qualify the donor as a Supporting Member*
- Gifts $35 and greater qualify the donor AND their immediate family as Supporting Members*.
*Supporting Members are entitled to additional benefits, including eligibility to participate in the Giant Master Program and eligibility to receive a printed or mailed copy of SGPA’s seasonal newsletter, Giant News. Supporting Members may also vote at SGPA’s annual meeting.
3. Lifetime Membership and Recurring Gifts: SGPA will no longer offer new lifetime memberships. Existing lifetime members will continue to receive the same benefits as always, and SGPA will continue to recognize these individuals as members for the duration of their lifetime. Supporters concerned about their membership lapsing are encouraged to use the “recurring gifts” feature on SGPA’s online donation form. This feature allows supporters to set gifts to recur annually, and ensures you remain an active member of SGPA.
4. Improved Membership Duration: Memberships will now last for a duration of 365 days from the date of your last qualifying gift, ensuring that your support is rewarded for an entire year (rather than for the remainder of the calendar year, as had previously been SGPA’s practice).
Other aspects of SGPA’s membership and fundraising program are not changing – we will still accept honorary and memorial gifts and supporters can still gift a membership to a friend or loved one. We will continue to send a note of thanks following your gift, and your contribution still goes towards supporting SGPA’s important work to care for the park.
Your continued support allows us to maintain the park’s beauty, preserve its natural resources, and provide educational opportunities for all.
Next Steps: Your Involvement Matters
These changes are designed to strengthen our community and increase SGPA’s impact, but we need your support to make it a success. We encourage you to renew your membership at a level that resonates with you. Your generosity helps secure the future of Sleeping Giant State Park and ensures its accessibility for generations to come.
We sincerely thank you for your ongoing dedication to SGPA and the Sleeping Giant State Park. Together, we can continue to make a lasting impact on our natural treasure.
If you have any questions or would like more information about these changes, please don’t hesitate to contact us.