Photo Credit: Wheaton Park District
In the last six years, the Wheaton Park District in Illinois has given more than $700,000 in special-event proceeds to local nonprofits and organizations. While the park district maintains a portion of the proceeds from some of the events to help cover administrative costs (and not all of the special events finish in the black), the district does its best to host events to raise money for charitable organizations. As the economy and times change, it is imperative for park districts to recognize their reliance on tax dollars and do their part to give back to the communities they serve. For the Wheaton Park District, there was no better way to do this than to find a good partner.
The district’s Executive Director, Michael Benard, has worked to create partnerships to fund approximately 60 percent of the district’s large annual events. The partnerships are not always perfect—they come with their own sets of struggles—but in the right hands, they are extremely successful in providing high-level special events and raising a lot of money.
Wheaton Park District Special-Event Partnerships
Month Event Partnering Organization Total Event Profit in 2017 Participation April Fun Run in Color Wheaton Rotary AM $32,786.04 1,200 June Taste of Wheaton Wheaton Chamber of Commerce $95,247.65 30,000