RETRACING FOOTSTEPS AND FINDING FUNDING AT PIER 21

(Fun)draising | Samantha Summers

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Pier 21 is a groundbreaking museum located in Halifax which tells the story of Canadian immigration. I sat down with Fiona Valverde, Vice President of Revenue Generation at Pier 21, to talk about fundraising for the museum and how to approach making corporate partnerships when your mission is politicized. 

The Pier 21 Site | Source

What brought you to Pier 21? How did you get to your current role?


So many of us here have a personal connection to the story we tell. In my case, both of my maternal grandparents actually came through Pier 21 in the late 1920s from Poland. My dad immigrated to Canada in the 1960s from his native Spain. He flew, my maternal grandparents came on a boat right through the gateway [at Pier 21]. We tell two stories here at the museum. We tell the story of those who have a direct connection to the immigration at Pier 21, and the other story is the broader story of immigration that represents all Canadian immigration. Working here is coming full circle for me. It feels like home. That drew me here.

It must be incredible to feel so personally connected to your mission here and to work here.


If you want to work in fundraising, you know that passion and having a personal connection is so helpful in the work we do.


Immigration is a hugely politicized issue. Is there ever difficulty trying to find corporate sponsors or grants when you’re telling the story of a topic that’s brought up every election cycle?


That’s actually helpful for us. It adds greater relevance for us when we’re trying to impress upon the importance of why we exist and why it matters to support a Canadian museum of immigration. I think it’s important that when we look at corporate partners we do our research, we look at corporations that align with our values as an organization, values that embrace inclusive and welcoming communities, because a lot of what we talk about is around diversity. As an example, let’s look at TD Bank. They right now are supporting a travelling exhibition of ours that’s called Refuge Canada. It looks at the refugee experience, it looks at dispelling myths about what it means to be a refugee, and it tries to look at things thematically, in terms of humanity and shared points of interest. This idea of looking at things that unite us and bring us together instills an ability to be more empathetic and more understanding. For TD Bank, they’re committed to connecting communities. They wanted to support this project that looks at the refugee journey and what brings people together, and creating this ability to understand and reflect. When we look at corporate sponsors, I think it’s very important that we look for partners that share the same values.

Exhibition Space at Pier 21 | Source

After you’ve identified a partner, how do you steward that relationship? What does contact look like?


It varies. It depends on the type of partner, how big they are, what their expectations are as far as stewardship and recognition. It’s very much peer-to-peer. I would probably have the relationship with the head of corporate giving, and my CEO might have a relationship with the CEO or a board member of our corporate partner. Corporations have clear giving guidelines and processes, so it’s pretty clear early on who your point of contact is, and you maintain a relationship with that individual. It really depends on the size of the corporate donor and what existing relationships are there to begin with, so we maintain them and continue to build them. It is really important that you figure out who these individuals are and what they’re responsible for. You should be very respectful of their process and who you’re meant to contact, and make sure that you work with them directly. While you can have other volunteers involved, it’s really important that you keep that centre person abreast of all the different touch points that are happening, and look to them first for advice. If it’s a major corporation, head office can be in a different area in Canada. They’ll want to know that you connected first with their regional representative before going to someone else in head office. If you’re looking for a major gift, they can often move you in that direction.


Once you’ve connected with an organization or an individual, and you’re getting down to the point of determining how big the logo is going to be on the exhibition poster, how do those decisions get made?


Every organization will have some kind of giving guidelines that they will adhere to and follow. It’s important you’re consistent in naming recognition and gift activation, and that you are very clear on the expectations of the corporate partner as well, so you’re comfortable early on that you can deliver on their promise and maintain consistency with your giving guidelines. When it becomes a major gift or a transformational gift, it’s important that you also allow some space to make it tailored and impactful for that donor, beyond that traditional logo recognition. For example, the Sobey Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the museum. As our relationship grew and Sobeys was coming up to their 110th anniversary as a company, and it was also Canada’s 150th, they wanted to look at a partnership that would engage their employees in the story that we tell. They came up with an idea of inviting employees from across the country to share their stories with us. It was a really successful project and partnership, because beyond what one would think of in terms of sponsorship and why a sponsor might get involved with an organization, this was about impact and engagement. I think you’ll find that more and more with corporations, that they really want to find partnerships among the communities that they serve around causes that matter to them.


It does make it sound very similar to major gifts, just identifying those shared concerns and priorities and demonstrating impact. Do you see the two as particularly similar?


As an organization, as far as corporate giving is concerned, we very much approach it as we might approach foundational or individual giving. It is typically from the philanthropic arm of the corporate body. The process is very similar. You do your research, find your points of interest. The recognition and the stewardship is a bit more specific in the corporate world than maybe an individual or foundation’s giving, there might be more reporting involved. In those ways it might be different, but at the end of the day the approach is quite similar.


What is the most exciting thing that has been achieved through fundraising since you joined the team at Pier 21?


My favourite thing working here is when you have that opportunity to just make a really deep emotional connection with someone. One example would be the Saputo family. They made a $1M donation to the museum, which in itself of course is memorable and exciting. The most incredible part of it was when Mirella and Lino Saputo came with their family including all of their grandchildren to the museum for the first time since arriving at Pier 21, and they could show them that moment of first arrival and share that with their family. It’s so intimate, and you’re with them and you can’t help but feel just as emotional as they are when they’re retelling that moment in their lives when everything changed. It’s like, “We made it, we arrived, we’re starting again.” And it happens whether it’s a well-recognized family like the Saputos, or one of the many donors who come here to retrace their footsteps. I feel very privileged when I get to be part of those moments.


I’ll be honest, I teared up hearing you talk about that.


I can’t help it either! It’s a very special place, and a very special organization to work for. We need it now more than ever.