University Donor Walk
Since this university already had two donor walls it previously used for two $1 million capital campaigns--one with ceramic plaques and the other with engraved plates--for their next effort the new director of development sought a more exclusive donor recognition alternative that could more easily be installed and updated with donors' names.

After learning about Valley Monuments' products at an Association of Fundraising Professionals trade show, plans were soon approved to transform a 100 yard stretch of sidewalk that connected a parking lot to the administration building into a natural Donor Walk with assigned spaces for 200 Recognition Rocks™ on either side of the thoroughfare.

Students from the university's landscape architect course assisted in the design of the project which was required to feature low-maintenance and drought tolerant plants. The removal of eight feet of the existing turf and irrigation sprinkler system on both sides of the sidewalk kicked off the start of four weeks of work on the project which included earthen mounds, a dry creek bed, low-growing native shrubs, benches and more. A pair of wood and rock pillars constructed by a local masonry firm at both ends of the Donor Walk serve as gateways to welcome those visiting the project or strolling through it.

Fifty Recognition Rocks™ were installed in separate areas along the walkway with the remainder to be ordered and filled in among them weekly or monthly as the campaign progressed (instead of annually as was the case with the university's two donor walls).

It was a goal to finish a section of the Donor Walk early in the construction so interest could be generated among potential donors before the entire project was completed. The development and alumni relations office worked hand-in-hand with the university's media and graphics department to promote the Donor Walk and plan several events leading up to the grand opening including catered preview tours with the opportunity to reserve one or more Recognition Rocks™ for themselves or as a gift to honor or remember someone special or to mark an important occasion.

The university plans to sell the Recognition Rocks™ at the following levels:

• 50 with a single name on the bronze plaque at $5,000 each   $250,000 total
• 50 with two names on the bronze plaque at $2,500 each         $250,000 total
• 50 with five names on the bronze plaque at $1,000 each         $250,000 total
• 50 with 10 names on the bronze plaque at $500 each             $250,000 total

Hospital Donor Garden
Looking forward to its 10th anniversary, the board of directors of this hospital's foundation knew it wanted to do something special to recognize those individual and corporate partners who made major gifts in the organization's early years of existence as well as to new donors it hoped to attract for an expanded hospice wing at the facility.

Rather than the usual wooden background of a framed donor wall with a list of names engraved in brass plaques located in one of their hallways, the board decided it could do something more substantial to recognize their donors while also taking advantage of the hospital's outdoor courtyard and landscaped areas. The board's members immediately liked the concept of the Recognition Rocks™ and the ability to order as few, or as many, of them as necessary depending on the success of the various stages of their campaign.

Past, present and future donors will be recognized in contribution categories of between $500 and $100,000 on the bronze plaques of the Recognition Rocks.™ Although they don't expect to need all of it now, they estimate the area located immediately in front of the hospital can accommodate more than $3 million worth of Recognition Rock™ donors with additional space available on both sides and in the rear of the main building.

"The Recognition Rocks™ look very natural, are maintenance-free, and definitely add to the beauty of the hospital's landscaping while at the same time being functional," says the board's president. "Potential donors who heard about our Donor Garden from a recent newspaper article are immediately impressed when given a tour and seeing this more back-to-nature type of recognition we can offer them."

Museum Donor Park
To raise funds for improvements to several exhibits at their museum, a fundraising committee sought donor recognition program that gave them the flexibility to start small and expand their campaign as needed. They didn't like the idea of being locked into securing a specific number of donors or risk a long period of having a half-empty donor wall while waiting months or years to fill it (even if they wanted one, they didn't have any interior space remaining for such a wall).

When they discovered the Recognition Rocks™ on Valley Monuments' website, they realized the potential of using the products throughout the landscaping of their two-acre property.

After ordering and installing an initial assortment of 20 of the realistic replicated rocks, the committee kicked-off the campaign with a gala dinner complete with entertainment, a raffle and tour of what they were now calling their "Donor Park."

Nearly 250 guests and a variety of representatives from the media attended. Commitments of $150,000--the most ever received by the museum from a single event--were received during the unveiling of the park with some guests making requests to have two or three Recognition Rocks™ reserved near each other for other family members.

Due to the uniqueness of the "Donor Park," and the good cause it was associated with, a generous amount of publicity followed the premier in the following days and weeks. The fundraising committee's coordinator was pleasantly surprised when she found herself over the next three months having to make more orders of complete sets of the Recognition Rocks™ for their landscape maintenance company to install in a growing number of areas.

Performing Arts Theatre Donor Path
A new state-of-the-art theatre and administrative offices will become a reality for a regional
performing arts organization in part because it's executive committee intends to appeal to their highly-educated patrons' fondness for the environment and outdoor leisure activities with a capital campaign centered around a tranquil Donor Path--accented with Recognition Rocks™--meandering maze-like around the two-story building.

Once construction on the complex is largely completed, a landscape firm will begin transforming an initial 1/3-acre phase of the property around the main building into a garden atmosphere featuring a crushed granite pathway, three man-made waterfalls connected by a creek, two gazebos,
two pedestrian bridges, and an event area suitable for outdoor mini-concerts, weddings or other gatherings (all of which will have naming opportunities attached to them).

The committee's goal is for the Donor Path and gardens to be multi-purpose. They want donors to feel as honored to be recognized along the path as others will feel privileged to attend theatre-hosted or public functions such as weddings and receptions there. Their expectations are that, by designing a space for these types of events, revenue will be derived from bookings and diverse groups of guests will continually be exposed to the theatre's fundraising and donor recognition program.

Municipal Golf Course Donor Trail
In search of a practical and profitable way to raise $1.5 million for a general improvement fund for their golf course, management formed a fundraising committee which was soon introduced to Valley Monuments' Recognition Rocks.™

The committee's members were enthusiastic the natural-looking rocks would be an ideal means of meeting their goal while at the same time beautifying the 150-acre course's landscaping. But before making a commitment to a campaign, the committee ordered a Recognition Rock™ display sample with a fictitious bronze plaque and prepared a survey that was given to all players at the pro shop when they signed in for their tee times.

More than 350 golfers completed the 15-question survey and saw the display sample during a two-week period. The results were promising. Nearly 93 percent felt the Recognition Rocks™ were a good idea and would be well-received by corporate donors and other players. Seventy-three percent of those who thought the replicated rocks made sense said they would be "somewhat or very likely" to make their own contribution to the fund in return for recognition on one of the rocks.

Several somewhat controversial questions were also asked. Since the Recognition Rocks™ can be ordered with 250-cubic-inch internal urn for cremated remains, survey participants were polled about their feelings of having avid golfers memorialized at the course in such a manner.

Incredibly, 80 percent said they wouldn't oppose "memorial rocks" being installed in specific areas of the course (where loved ones could easily visit) with 48 percent of those respondents saying they would be "somewhat or very likely" to consider this type of memorial for themselves!

Although management hasn't made up its mind about allowing memorial rocks on the course, with such favorable comments on their survey, staff has been directed to look into available options.

These include creating spaces for the memorial rocks with renewable 15-year leases and drafting policies and procedures for installation, removal and relocation of them (if necessary due to changes of the course layout) as well as legal contingencies should the city be unable to reach the deceased person's family in the future.

"The idea of being interred after passing away at a place they enjoyed so much is attractive to many of the golfers I spoke with," says the committee's chairman. "However we're taking one step at a time and focusing on confirming the contribution levels and kicking off the campaign for the regular Recognition Rocks.™"