This document summarizes the results of a survey of aquariums and zoos about their membership and development programs and benchmarks. Key findings included the range of total memberships from 555 to 70,000, renewal rates from less than 40% to 65-69%, and tools used for member acquisition and retention like direct mail, email, and on-site sales. The document also covered benchmarks for annual attendance, budgets, capital campaigns, and more. The goal was to provide membership and development professionals with useful data to compare their programs.

1. Trends, Truths and Benchmarking in Membership and Development The Numbers People Want to Know! Moderator: Crystal Mead, Texas State Aquarium, Membership Manager Dana Hines, Membership Consultants Elizabeth Garza, Houston Zoo, Director of Membership Bob Ramin, National Aquarium in Washington, DC, Executive Director Martha Schumacher, Hazen, Inc. (AFP International Board Member)

2. Membership Benchmarks at Aquariums Crystal Mead, Texas State Aquarium Total of 8 aquarium respondents out of 59 total (13.6 % of respondents)

3. Number of members(hips) Answers ranged from 555 to 70,000 How do we measure? Memberships vs. Members? 5,900 memberships = 26,000 members What are we really asking?

4. Number of new members acquired on annual basis <500 1 501-1,000 1 1,001-2,500 2 2,501-5,000 2 5,001-7,500 0 7,500-10,000 1 >10,000 2

5. Aquarium renewal rates 65 – 69% 1 60-64% 1 50-54% 2 45-49% 2 40-44% 1 Less than 40% 1 Renewal rate increase/decrease Increase over last year 3 Decrease over last year 4 Stayed the same 1 How do we measure? “ Current “ only? Holdovers? Calculating renewal rates Proposal: Set AZA standard of calculating at month’s end for sake of comparisons

6. Tools used in renewal program Direct mail letter packages 7 Email 6 Postcards 4 Phones/Telemarketing 2 On-site renewal sales 7 Social media 0

7. How many lapsed member campaigns per year 0 0% 1 29% 2 29% 3 14% 4 or more 29% How lapsed campaigns were performed Direct mail 57% Telemarketing 29% Email 71%

8. Number of new members(hips) acquired on annual basis <500 1 501-1,000 1 1,001-2,500 2 2,501-5,000 2 5,001-7,500 0 7,500-10,000 1 >10,000 2 Market saturation Divide the total number of members(hips) you have by your total MSA population Total MSA 5,900 memberships 380,000 MSA = 1.6% penetration TSA memberships 5,900 x 4.4 people per membership = 25,960 = 6.8% saturation

9. Means used to acquire new members: What percentage each source provides Don’t Use <10% 10-25% 25-50% >50% Direct mail packets 29% 29% 29% 14% Direct mail self mailers 67% 33% Direct mail postcards 57% 43% Email 17% 33% 50% Website 17% 67% 17% On Site Sales 43% 43% 14% Phone/Telemarketing 100% Gift Programs 20% 80% Mbr-Get-A –Mbr Referrals 100% Special Promotions 17 67 17

10. Most recent direct mail response rate <.5% 1 .51-1.0% 4 1.01-1.50% 0 1.51-2.0% 1 >2% 0 Direct mail compared to last year Increase 0% Decrease 29% Stayed the same 57% n/a 14%

11. Number of direct mail campaigns per year 0 14% 1 14% 2 29% 3 14% 4 29% Use an outside vendor Yes 57% No 29% n/a 14% Email campaigns to: Lapsed Mbrs 57% In-House Prospects 71% Rental Lists 0% Trade Lists 0%

12. Calculation of on-site sales (capture rate) Total daily attendance less groups and attending members Capture rates (annualized) <.5% 0% .5-1.0% 29% 1.01-2% 29% 2.01-3.0% 0% 3.0-4.0% 0% >4% 14% Attendance figure used to calculate capture rate Total Attendance 50% Total less groups 50%

13. Annual attendance <250K 0% 250K-500K 12% 500K-1Mil 50% 1Mil-2Mil 38% Compared to previous year Increase 57% Decrease 43%

14. Total Memberships <5,000 0% 5,000-10,000 25% 10,000-20,000 38% 20,000-30,000 12% 30,000-40,000 12% >40,000 12% Compared to Previous Year Increase 57% Decrease 43%

15. Mbrship Revenue Budget $250K-$500K 13% $500-$1M 25% $1M-$2M 13% $2M-$4M 13% >$4M 25% Mbrship Expense Budget <$250K 57% $250K-$500K 29% $500K-$1M 0% $1M-$2M 14% >$4M 0% Do we include salaries in our expense budgets? Suggestion: Salaries are a part of operation of the Membership Department and should be included for the sake of comparison.

16. Institutional Annual Budget $5M-$10M 29% $10M-$20M 0% $20M-$35M 14% >$35M 14% Don’t know 43% Traveling Exhibits? Yes 57% No 43% Do They Drive Memberships? Yes 43% No 14% N/A 43%

17. Average Number of Visits Per Membership Annually 0 - 1 0% 2 71% 3+ 13% Unable to calculate 14%

18. Sell Extra Programs? Yes 100% No 0% Charge for Members Free 14% Discount 71% Charge Full Price 14% (e.g. train rides, behind the scenes tours)

19. Dues increases Last Year 83% This Year 50% Next Year 33% Reporting relationship for Membership Department Part of Advancement/ Development 71% Part of marketing 14% Free Standing 14%

20. Amount of dues increase <$5 0% $5-$10 14% $10-$15 14% >$15 57% Members reaction to price increase Fine/No problem 43% Bad/Complaints 14% No reaction 28%

21. Representation in survey Response Response Rate Count Zoos 92% 34 Aquariums 5% 2 Other 3% 1 Benchmarks and Trends in Development in Zoo & Aquarium

22. How many donors <500 22% 501-1,000 19% 1,001-2,000 16% 2,001-3,000 3% >3,000 41% Don’t know 3% How many member(hips)s <$2,500 14% 2,501-5,000 14% 5,001-10,000 5% 10,001-20,000 30% 20,001-30,000 11% 30,001-40,000 19% >40,000 7% Should we establish a standard calculation / ratio of donors to members?

23. What percentage of your donors are members? <25% 22% 26 – 50% 24% 51 – 75% 16% > 75% 25% Don’t know 13%

24. Do you solicit members for Annual fund? 94% Capital gifts? 63% Upgraded mbrships? 83% Planned gifts? 40% How many staffers does your Development Department have? 1 manager 68% 2 – 4 managers 22% 5+ managers 10% 1 support person 27% 2 – 5 support people 59% 5+ people 14% Prospect researcher(s) 72%

25. Percentage operating funds raised by Development <25% 16% 26 – 50% 14% 51 – 75% 8% >75% 0% Don’t know 3% Distribution of Development funds? Special projects 90% Endowment 55% Planned giving 52% Other 72% Operating 75% Education 50% Events 30%

26. Total dollars raised by Development <250,000 16% $250K - $500K 11% $500K - $1M 14% $1M - $5M 41% $5M - $10M 8% >$10M 8% Don’t know 3%

27. Do you have giving societies? Yes 51% No 49% Giving threshold Up to $250 28% $500 3% $1,000 21% $2,500 0% $5,000 3% $10,000 0% $25,000 3% Not applicable 41%

28. In the past year, have you seen your annual fund campaign revenues… Increase 29% Decrease 45% Stay the same 26% How do you solicit annual fund gifts? Direct mail letters 97% Email 51% Phone solicitations 23% Personal solicitations 60% Social media 31% Mobile devices 6%

29. Do you perform these solicitations … In-house 79% Outsourced 21% Do you have a planned giving program? Yes 56% No 44% Do you have a prospect researchers? Yes 30% No 70%

30. Under which department is Development located? Free standing 75% Inst’l Advancement 8% Marketing 0% Finance 3% Other 14% (mostly societies) What departments report to Development? Marketing 4% Membership 60% Visitor Services 0% External Affairs (PR) 0% Events 12% Group Sales 0% Other 26%

31. What is your operating model? Private, NPO 62% Private, for profit 3% Public/Private ptnrship 22% Gov’t institution 14% Do you have a foundation or society as your fundraising arm? Yes 62% No 38%

32. Total dollars raised by Development <10% 11-25% 26-50% 51-75% >75% Individual Giving 30 12 15 14% 12 Foundations 41 38 22 Corporate 52 42 7 Public or Government 46 11 21 14 7

33. Capital campaigns… Are you…? Currently in 56% Recently completed 25% Anticipate beginning 47% Are/do you have phases to the campaign(s)? Yes 89% No 11%

34. Size of your capital campaign <$5M 17% $5M - $10M 20% $10M - $25M 29% $25M - $50M 11% $50M - $75M 3% $75M - $100M 6% >$100M 3% Not applicable 11% Did you meet your goal of your last capital campaign? Yes 85% No 15%

35. Thank you for attending Trends, Truths and Benchmarking in Membership and Development … and now you know! Moderator: Crystal Mead, Texas State Aquarium, Membership Manager Dana Hines, Membership Consultants Elizabeth Garza, Houston Zoo, Director of Membership Bob Ramin, National Aquarium in Washington, DC, Executive Director Martha Schumacher, AFB International