Colleen:
        Your membership is much larger than ours but I find membership/friends
groups are the bottom of the pyramid of giving. We offer, free receptions
and special discounts, etc. for our members. Our planned giving and annual
fund campaigns come from this select group. I have found if people believe
in your mission enough to become a member they will give and give again if
you treat them special. I would be happy to discuss these issues further,
if you want detailed information. (Big or small -- sound planning for a
strong development program is the key.)

Estie Karpman
Development Director
Illinois State Museum


At 12:25 PM 11/5/97 +1000, you wrote:
>I am interested in contacting people with specific interest in Museum
>Membership/Friends groups.
>
>Background:  We are a smallish membership group (12,500 members) facing
>many challenges.  We have recently changed from an incorporated
>independent Friends group to an internal part of the Marketing
>Department.  We have also closed a major campus of our organisation, and
>are in the planning stages for two new Museums (one to be opened next
>year, the other in 2000).  At present we have a Science & Technology
>Museum, an alliance agreement with a regional Wool Museum and have
>reciprocal rights at major interstate museums.
>
>I would be interested in finding out more about your membership group
>and discussing such issues as support given, membership retention,
>programming,  relationship between members/volunteers, fund raising and
>anything else that is of concern/interest to people running these
>organisations.
>
>Look forward to hearing from you!
>
>Colleen Wendt
>Acting Members Manager
>Museum Victoria.
>
>