Nature preserve responds effectively to surge in memberships with new tech partners

The 2,100-acre nature preserve named for conservationist Anne Springs Close offers 40 miles of trails for hikers, bikers, dog-walkers and equestrians in Fort Mill, South Carolina, a previously small town now enveloped by the rapid development of the region around Charlotte, North Carolina.

Close and members of her family worked out the details for the creation of the Anne Springs Close Greenway over candlelight in 1989, as Hurricane Hugo barreled through the Carolinas. Just shy of six years later, the Greenway opened to the public on Earth Day. “We are a private nonprofit with a
preserved natural space that is 2 ½ times the size of Central Park,” explained Advancement and Communications Director Elizabeth Bowers.

When the Greenway started tracking growth in attendance in 2012, they had 90,000 annual visitors a year, and by 2022, that number had climbed to 300,000, making the Greenway one of the top 25 regional attractions in the Charlotte area. One key component has been a strengthened membership program supported by purpose-built technology, including digital membership cards. “Membership has just soared from about 2,600 households in 2012 to over 18,000 today,” Bowers said.

Meeting Demand with Digital Membership Cards

The biggest boost in membership occurred from 2019 to 2022, a three-year period that saw a 110% increase in memberships as the COVID pandemic
fueled demand for outdoor activities in natural spaces. Yet Bowers said staff wouldn’t have been prepared for the demand if they hadn’t overhauled
their technology in 2019: “The piece that was most critical was that we were ready,” Bowers said.

The summer before the pandemic, the Greenway had implemented Blackbaud Altru—the leading software for arts and cultural organizations,
including admissions-based gardens and parks. Altru provides streamlined technology for ticketing, membership, marketing, and fundraising that
integrates with other Blackbaud products. At the same time, Altru is extensible, allowing users to amplify the value of this solution through
Blackbaud’s network of vetted technology partners, including Cuseum, which enabled the Greenway to take the leap to digital membership cards.
Before the transition, the Greenway printed membership cards that members either received in the mail or picked up at a Greenway entrance
when they came back to visit. “It was costly to print the cards and mail them, and of course there were a lot of human resources involved as well,”
Bowers said, “so we transitioned to the digital membership card and have been in that space ever since.”

Dan Sullivan, Cuseum’s vice president of growth and partnerships, explained the scenario is a common driver to digital memberships. “Printed cards are expensive,” he said. “The envelopes, the stamps, the mailing—everything adds up. Digital cards are a way to streamline that process.” The Greenway’s 18,000 member households equate to roughly 55,000
people who are members, Bowers explained. “We distribute cards to anyone 15 or older. That’s a lot of membership cards.”

Estimates provided by Cuseum showed the Greenway was saving $90,000 annually on costs related to memberships with the digital cards. Within the first 3½ years, the Greenway saved nearly 8,100 hours in staff time and offset 1,498 pounds of carbon dioxide from the reduction in paper waste, according to figures provided by Cuseum’s calculator.

Showing the Value of Membership

Within 24 hours, a new Greenway member receives a digital card, which lives within Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, and other mobile wallet apps.
And while staff initially worried how older members might react to digital cards, most adapted easily, Bowers said. “The majority really did embrace the digital membership option and have found it very convenient.” The small number of members who don’t want to use the digital card can simply give their name at the gate for admission. The Greenway has eliminated printed membership cards entirely and moved away from paper statements and reminders for membership renewals, which are now done digitally through Altru.

With Altru, the Greenway can also offer members the flexible option of affordable monthly payments, which is more attractive and familiar to many these days and does not involve annual renewals.

To retain members and attract new ones, the Greenway is using Altru’s marketing tools in combination with Blackbaud Luminate Online®— which provides fundraising and marketing campaign automation. As the extraordinary shifts to outdoor recreation caused by the pandemic have eased, the Greenway is amplifying other benefits, such as the Greenway’s nature-based preschool, new welcome center, and 12-acre dog park that’s available as an add-on to membership.

“We send an email welcome series to people who have visited the property and encourage them to join immediately after, so that’s one way that we find good candidates for membership,” she said.

Once members have joined, they receive the Greenway Guide, a twice-amonth e-newsletter that used to be printed and mailed to households on
a quarterly basis, as well as other regular emails and e-blasts, Bowers said. “We are being really thoughtful and intentional about how we engage
members and make sure the membership continues to retain high quality value so that we keep them for a really long time.”