Presentation from Park Pride's 2015 Parks and Greenspace Conference. The presenters are Mark Banta, Rosa McHugh, and Catherine Spillman. The directors of three Atlanta park conservancies at different stages of development will provide a comprehensive look at the evolution of park conservancies. The panel will offer unique perspectives on the operations, funding mechanisms and donor relations of their organizations.

1. Welcome to
The Evolution of a
Park Conservancy
Breakout Session

2. Meet our Panel
Piedmont Park Conservancy
Mark Banta – President/CEO
Chastain Park Conservancy
Rosa McHugh – Executive Director
Atlanta Memorial Park Conservancy
Catherine Spillman – Executive Director

3. A Conservancy Today
What it is - What it isn’t
“Conservancies are private, nonprofit park –benefit organizations
that raise money independent of the city and spend it under a
plan of action mutually agreed upon with the government. Most
Conservancies neither own nor hold easements on the parkland.”
“Not every park support organization is a conservancy. Friends
Groups are generally all volunteers groups that focus on hands-
on clean up and grassroots advocacy.”
– Public Spaces / Private Money The Triumphs and Pitfalls of
Urban Park Conservancies, The Trust for Public Land

4. The Conservancy Model
• Formal Agreement with the City
(Memorandum of Understanding- MOU)
• Community Input Visioning
• Long Term Master Plan
• Strategic Plan
• Fund Development Plan
• Operations and Programs

5. Evolution of an Atlanta Conservancy
Three case studies
Chastain
Park
Piedmont
Park
Atlanta Memorial
Park

6. Community Involvement
• ParkPride
• Friendsgroups
• Neighborhoodassociations
andmanymore!

7. Visioning
Long Term Master Plan

8. Strategic Plan
3- 5 Year implementation document
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER ATLANTA:
1. Organization establishes clear goals, measureable objectives &
annual work plans with assigned staff and/or board roles
2. Planning takes into account & includes resources, costs and staff
capacity necessary to achieve objectives
3. Strategic plan includes evidence of an environmental scan,
including assessing stakeholder & community needs and SWOT
analysis
4. Planning covers at least 2 or more years, & includes periodic
written assessment by staff & board to measure progress toward
goals
5. Developed with stakeholder participation, including input from
staff, board & consumer/clients

9. Fund Development Plan

10. Operations and Programs
Park Maintenance
• Volunteer Programs
• Designed Corporate Team Building Events
• Leverage Public Maintenance
Programs & Services:
• Fee for Service Programs (Summer Camps, Events,
Rentals)
• Educational Programs (Gardening, Sustainability)
• Membership / Events

11. Conservancies help build Communities
Recent Successes!

12. Thank you
Question and Answer Session
MARK BANTA
mbanta@piedmontpark.org
ROSA MCHUGH
rosa@chastainparkconservancy.org
CATHERINE SPILLMAN
execdirector@atlmemorialpark.org

13. Additional Resources
1. PARK PRIDE - http://www.parkpride.org/
2. GEORGIA CENTER FOR NON PROFITS -
http://www.gcn.org/
3. THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER
ATLANTA - http://www.cfgreateratlanta.org/
4. TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND - http://www.tpl.org/
5. GUIDESTAR - http://www.guidestar.org/