HOW DO BOTANIC GARDENS SURVIVE WHEN FUNDING IS LOST A Discussion Forum to Share Experiences facilitated by Chris Fominyam of by Chris Fominyam of Limbe Botanic Garden Cameroon

DISCUSION PLAN Introduction Key Questions Some Gardens’ Experiences Encouragement Resumé

Introduction –Challenges when funding is lost –Different ways of awareness of fund lost: Garden concerned is pre informed or warned of an eminent lost of funds for some reasons and asked to get prepared for the hit. The lost of funds takes the garden by surprise (no time to get prepared for the hit) No warning but a gradual reduction of funding year after year.

KEY QUESTIONS –How many Gardens are currently facing this problem or about to face it? –what are, our experiences in handling this scenario –What are the measures to be put in place in order to survive? –How were they carried out, and what are or were their successes? –What lesson did we learn passing through these difficult times? –Are the ‘Surviving Gardens’ really going to survive in the long term?

General Tips from Minnesota Landscape Arboretum USA Experience 1. Lay off the least needed staff. I like to think of this as the last resort 2. Try to draw in more visitors who will spend money. - 2 for one entrance passes (we charge an entry fee) - special events such as music, displays, etc - try to attract kids -- Kids bring the parents!! 3. Find corporate sponsors where they give you money and you use their logo and promote them as sponsors (not their products necessarily, but you could do that too). 4. More effort spent trying to get donors to give more money - more requests sent out, maybe for special projects such as children's gardens or horticultural therapy, or special or specific collections or gardens that are popular 5. Promote memorials - people give money (in memory of someone who dies) for a tree, bench or particular garden.(don't undersell it!) 6. Reduce non-essential spending, such as trips, classes for staff, even though I think these things are important. 7 Ask staff to volunteer for things or to work more special occasions, special events or during very busy times and then take off the time during slower parts of the year. 8. Use more volunteers to work in offices and on the grounds. (This may be difficult in highly unionized countries but if they do jobs that are non- traditional (deadheading flowers, etc) you might get away with it.)

General Tips from Limbe Botanic Garden Cameroon Experience Cost centre analysis Cost-reduction strategies put in place rigorously Limbe did most of what MLA mentioned above. Raise funds through paid consultancy; Lobby and tender for contracted jobs with the expertise of the institution (identify staff skills and use them to make money) like a private firm Increase rental facilities Establish profitable partnership with other organizations both locally and outside. Funded Collaborative research

Encouragement Don’t be afraid of fund lost, face it bravely it could be a door opener Look at it as ‘stick’ that could be turn into a ‘carrot’ for a better independent source of income Leads to the discovery of other opportunities that weren’t exploited properly Develop Garden Managers to be more Entrepreneurial

Resumé Lessons learnt resulting from our discussions

THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION WISH YOU SUCCESS IN SURVIVAL EFFORTS AFTER FUNDING IS LOST