Natuurpunt & Commercial Partners Stefan Versweyveld Projects and Grants Department - Natuurpunt
Who is Natuurpunt ? • Non-profit NGO • Since 2001 • Merger of Natuurreservaten vzw & de Wielewaal vzw • Largest Flemish private site manager (26.000 ha) • Nature study (birds, plants, butterflies,…) • Educational institution (adults) • Members organisation (118.000 members) • Volunteer organisation
Natuurpunt = volunteer organisation • 173 local branches/sections • 120 study workgroups • Hundreds of local site management teams • Together 8.500 volunteers with responsabilities for managing our sites and the organisation
Natuurpunt as favoured partner • Strong local involvement and visibility, both on socio- cultural level as on the field • The only large member organisation on the theme of ‘nature’ • Strong knowledge center for nature in Flanders -> Natuurpunt is contacted by companies that want to work together
Co-operating with companies • Natuurpunt : • wants to co-operate (choise!) • preferably in the long (er) term • looks for opportunities • wants to communicate about these collaborations • Natuurpunt : • does active prospecting for partners • responds to questions -> we introduce ourselves through presentation (no sponsor file, no ready-made project!) (focus ons people and co-operation!)
Natuurpunt protects the most beautiful and vulnerable nature in Flanders
Purchase, restoration and management give endangered animals and plants a safe home
With more than 118.000 members - families the largest nature organisation in Flanders
26.000 hectare nature in 420 nature reserves
With 173 branches and 120 study workgroups we are active across Flanders
8200 volunteers are the heart of the organisation
Volunteers take initiative for realisation and management of nature reserves
Thousands of guided walks, courses and workshops to let people discover vulnerable nature
Hundreds marked hiking trails 2.300.000 visitors are enjoying nature
14 visitor centre for coffee, cake en knowledge 350.000 visitors per year
Nature study and citizen science monitor the health of our nature
With +30 million observations we provide the scientific basis for nature policy
With 25.000 participants per year Natuurpunt CVN is the largest educational institution in the field of nature
183 long term unemployed people at work
Defending the interests of nature among politicians and policy organisations through consultation
More than 950 agreements with 790 farmers
With 37 LIFE-projects we are the leader in Europa Partner of Birdlife International Member of Eurosite
Through actions for the general public we encourage people te rediscover nature
Companies and Natuurpunt can be partners
Partnerships 25
Opportunities Co-operation 2019
Objectives co-operation • Increase support for nature (members) • Increase name awareness of Natuurpunt • Financial resources to achieve our objective e.g. : Lampiris, Trappists of Westmalle, Ricoh
Financial support • Free resources to further expand and grow our organisation • Co-financing nature restoration projects (climate) • Co-financing large purchases of nature sites
Promotion campaigns • Het Grote Vogelweekend • Expedition Natuurpunt • Paddenoverzet • Ontdek de natuur in Kortrijk • Bos voor iedereen • Het Grote Vlinderweekend • Bat Night • Dag van de natuur • Wild bees project
Investing in more forest Creation of new forests • close to cities Organisation of planting day • for employees and customers Purchase plots and trees •
Collaborating with companies • 2 accountmanagers, 1,8 FTE • 1,8 mio euro income in 2019 • A simple agreement with every partner • preferably long term (e.g. Lampiris 5 years) or annually (automatically extended?!) • always cancelable in the short term
Collaborating with companies • Natuurpunt : +/- 70 commercial partners • Three categories : • small = < 10.000 euro/year • middle = 10 to 50.000 euro/year • large = > 50.000 euro/year
Relation between sector and income
Our succes factor ? • We are not looking for sponsorship for a specific project • We look for co-operation and than view which project(s) we can make concrete in that cooperation !
Our priorities ? Our assignment/priorities at Natuurpunt : • Free resources • Co-financing nature restoration projects • Co-financing purchases natural sites • Large public campaigns • Forest for Everyone project • Climate • Co-financing eco-buildings workers ! Not for one specific project!
Why would a company work together ? • Compensation (Coca Cola, ABN Amro, Ikea, …) • Image (Lampiris, Mondelez, …) • Brand awareness (Aquafin, Horta, …) • Turnover (Vivara, AS Adventure, Linea Trovata, …) -> Can you respond to that ? -> Develop customized co-operation -> Preferably not immediately with a detailed project !
Can you help solve a problem ? • Reduce footprint, compensate for residual fraction (e.g. Eandis) • Good neighborhood • Reducing costs maintenance company site (more extensive management) • Teambuilding
Why would a company want to work together ? What do you have to offer as an organisation ? • 118.000 members + magazine + website + digital communication • Strong brand and image • Link to: • nature • Media campaigns • social dimension • social engagement volunteers • want to be trendsetter (hip!)
Active prospecting ? • Prospecting = very difficult + long lasting process • Get in touch with the right people ? Topmanagement ! • Can those people get to the budgets ? • Not always successful... • If companies themselves approach you: • Wright people • With a budget!
What are you going for ? • Own specific projects/priorities • Opening of nature reserves: too diffuse • Biodiversity : no priority for companies Not always good experiences • Advertisements ? • Smaller amounts • Budgets are provided for this
Small or large companies ? • Dare/can you handle large companies ? • How is your organisation? • How quickly can you submit a proposal ? • How quickly can you decide for yourself ? • How well can you organise the follow-up ? • Is the input / output ratio correct ? As a fundraiser need sufficient autonomy to decide/react quickly !’
Budget requested • Minimum for partnership with Natuurpunt = 10.000 € • Smaller projects/partnerships -> local teams and branches • Dare to make an ambitious enough proposal • Upgrading is almost always very difficult
And finally don’t forget ‘Working together with commercial partners is not always the right strategy to fill the gaps in your budget’
thank you ! stefan.versweyveld@natuurpunt.be
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