You would be hard pressed to find any business sector that has not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but non-profit organizations that deal with public engagement, such as museums and zoos, have taken an incredibly big financial hit.
These organizations generate a large portion of their revenue in ticket sales and public fundraisers, but have struggled to stay afloat as both streams of revenue were cut off in March with nationwide shut downs.
This forced many organizations to adapt to these restrictions as fast as possible, with little thought given to long term changes and strategies. Many tried to engage communities in online platforms, but a lot of these spaces do not generate any profit.
As the pandemic drags on with little hope of things returning to their true “normal” anytime soon, staff working for non-profits must face difficult questions about their future and discuss alternative ways to raise money.
One local iconic spot that has taken a massive hit is Longwood Gardens located in Kennett Square, Pa. Shutdowns took place in the beginning of spring, when this non-profit is busy planting and pruning gardens and creating various displays for what is supposed to be the “busy season.”
However, the gardens were forced to close their doors for months. They did not reopen the gates until June 18, and only members of Longwood Gardens could enter.
The Philadelphia Zoo is another organization that was forced to close its doors until July 9, and is still not entirely open. All indoor exhibits remain closed to the public over the course of what is usually the busiest season of the year.
These new operations force non-profit institutions to sell tickets at reduced prices and limit the number of guests entering the facility, causing further financial loss.
Places like gardens and zoos that own living exhibits also faced additional problems when they were forced to shut down. They still had to allocate money to care for animals and plants, as well as pay their staff.
Longwood Gardens experienced record attendance in 2017 with more than 1.5 million visitors, according to its website, and made quite a bit of revenue at $25 for a standard adult ticket.
This year, however, the attendance revenue will be much lower. While Longwood is now open, timed-tickets are required and many restrictions still apply, resulting in more financial loss.
According to its website, the Philadelphia Zoo, which ordinarily “educates more than 1.2 million visitors about animal and environmental conservation,” will also take a large financial hit.
With dismal guest attendance for various non-profit institutions in 2020, many have been forced to make difficult decisions. Unfortunately, they will be required to make even harder decisions into the future as attendance remains low.
The Philadelphia Zoo had a four-year strategic plan in place for the years 2018-2022, and one major goal was to “contribute to the civic life of our region and our neighboring communities by amplifying the Zoo’s impact on quality of life, conservation and sustainability, and lifelong learning that begins in early childhood,” as stated on its website.
Local zoos and other public spaces of learning are often invaluable to the surrounding community, and enrich the entire region for people of all ages.
As we move forward in this crisis, we must adapt and think of ways in which these non-profit organizations can engage the public, but also create and maintain streams of revenue that do not rely heavily on ticket sales.
If we don’t, what will be the true cost to our communities if these organizations close down?
Alex Johnson 