children's museum of phoenix 2011-2012 annual report

1Children’s Museum of Phoenix • Annual Report Fiscal Year 2011-2012

Children’s Museum of Phoenix Annual Report Fiscal Year 2011-2012

www.ChildrensMuseumOfPhoenix.org

http://www.ChildrensMuseumOfPhoenix.org

2 Children’s Museum of Phoenix • Annual Report Fiscal Year 2011-2012

A Letter from the Chairman of the Board

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix welcomed its one millionth visitor this fiscal year, provided 50,000 free or reduced rate admission passes to underserved children and families in our community, provided over 500 educational programs, welcomed over 28,000 school children visiting on field trips, and was designated one of the Top 10 Children’s Museums in the country by Parents magazine.

In addition, we’ve shepherded new supporters of the Museum with our Leadership Giving Circles, increased our earned income opportunities with adult programs, became a caregiver resource with workshops dedicated to providing them with the tools they need to help their children reach their full potential, and expanded the Museum’s experiences with the opening of our Someplace exhibit.

At a time when we know that public education doesn’t always provide enough open-ended play experiences for the children in our lives, the Museum’s focus on learning through play, with an emphasis on early childhood education and school-readiness provides the additional support that our children need and deserve.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a place specifically devoted to the concept of early learning through play. The very idea that learning begins at birth is maverick—therein lies the Museum’s greatest potential for social impact, namely: reaching children ages 0-10 (along with their caregivers and teachers), when their minds and imaginations are most ripe for learning.

It is vitally important to the future of our community and society that children develop the critical thinking skills, creativity, and social skills that are needed to be productive, successful adults. The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is one of those rare places that focus directly on developing these abilities in our youngest children – laying a foundation for higher level learning and achievement.

Giving to the Museum is an investment that blossoms directly and widely through benefitting our children and their futures. Our vital role in the community and its future needs the support and investment of people throughout the community in order to succeed.

None of our accomplishments could have been realized without the dedication of staff, Board members and the continued generosity of our supporters, including individuals, foundations and corporations. We are profoundly grateful.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a strong, healthy, financially responsible organization. And in the year ahead, we will continue to grow and expand with new programs, exhibits, and workshops that support our mission of engaging the minds, muscles, and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them.

Sincerely,

Rick McCartney

Chairman of The BoardChildren’s Museum of Phoenix


Mission & Vision / Core ValuesActing on the principle that learning is a joy, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s

mission is to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them. With hands-on, interactive exhibits designed for children ages birth to 10, the Museum focuses on learning through play, with emphasis on early childhood education and school-readiness.

The Museum’s vision is to foster a joy of learning and to:• Provide engaging projects, exhibits and programming for young children and their

families; • Educate parents and caregivers about child development and parenting techniques; • Build cultural understanding, positive social interaction, and celebrate diversity; and • Serve as a gateway to other cultural institutions and community programs.

Core ValuesThe Children’s Museum of Phoenix Board of Directors and Staff are guided by the

following core values:

The Experience: Staff, facility, programs and exhibits• Promotes learning through play in a child focused environment for ages 0-10. • Maintains high standards for functionality of their area. • Enhances a caregiver’s understanding of the role they play in the

development of children.

Engaged, friendly, respectful, fun, service• Builds partnerships to integrate all areas of the company. • Ensures all teams in their group offer a great visitor experience and proactively

engage visitors. • Ensures all teams in their group are continuously improving their customer

service skills.

Great business practices• Recruits, trains and develops a high performing workforce. • Ensures managers and staff are performing their core roles. • Drives revenue, support, and visitation in their area by ensuring teams are utilizing

all best practices. • Uses all available resources to solve problems at the root to ensure a consistent,

positive, visitor experience. • Ensures a workplace culture that is collaborative, diverse and dynamic.

Safe environment• Maintains high standards for the safety and appearance of the Museum environment. • Ensures that all staff makes eco-minded choices. • Promote an environment to allow visitors to be safe, have fun, and try new things. • Ensures an emotional/psychologically safe environment.

Distinctive, consistent, exceptional, museum brand• Ensures the importance of a traditionally and non-traditionally beautiful, artistic,

aesthetic that utilizes eco-minded, simple, imaginative materials. • No permanent commercialism. • Maintain access for all economic levels. • Community minded

Children’s Museum of PhoenixFounded 1998

215 N. 7th StreetPhoenix, AZ 85034

602.253.0501ChildrensMuseumOfPhoenix.org

Board of DirectorsChair

Rick McCartney

Immediate Past ChairSam Perry

Vice-ChairSusan M. Wissink

TreasurerKatherine Cecala

SecretaryMeghan H. GrabelJennifer L. Adams

Garland A. Brown, Jr.Michelle M. Clarke

Michele DavisDonna Egan

Ruben GallegoChristopher J. Klecka

Becky LiebermanEric Meyer

Scott L. MitchellJudy Neuman

Amanda L. RyanBrooks St. John-SmithKatherine M. Scardello

Ken SchacherbauerEileen Sullivan

Trustees EmeritusTom AmbroseSarah BodneyLisa HandleyTerry HansonSally Hurwitz

Derrick JohnsonHildy SaizowGayle StarrJosie Young

Interim Director/VPOKelli O’Toole



The ExhibitsThe exhibits at the Children’s Museum of

Phoenix have been thoughtfully designed to invite meaningful exploration and learning across the ages and developmental levels of young childhood. This intriguing learning environment integrates a sense of whimsy with purposeful play throughout fourteen different exhibit areas. They cultivate growth by stimulating the senses as one journeys through a forest of suspended pool noodles, role playing as a creative chef in the texture café, or when predicting the path and speed of a colorful scarf gently floating down from high above the atrium floor. The one-of-a-kind three story climbing sculpture challenges children’s perception of risk, engages problem solving skills and fosters a growing sense of independence.

Building forts with readily available materials provides young children with opportunities to create where imagination rules. Riding tricycles offers young children a chance to learn the left-right motion of pedaling and crossing the midline with each sharp turn of the handlebars, thus achieving milestones that will eventually translate into reading readiness skills.

The Museum dares to be different in its approach to learning and intentionally does not include signage that directs visitors how to use the exhibits. Experiences in the Museum are child-directed and therefore developmentally appropriate because children inherently know how to play and naturally engage with objects and people around them.

Looking ahead, the Museum is excitedly anticipating the opening of its new exhibit - “Move It!”. Encompassing the entire front yard, Move It! will be an enticing outdoor play space for children to do what they do best, learn through play and movement. Innovative in its design and repurpose of materials, the whimsical learning environment invites active exploration, robust imaginative play, and physical activity. It is scheduled to open fall of 2013, and is generously sponsored by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

As the Museum continues to grow, the challenges facing the Exhibits Department involve maintaining the high quality of the exhibits while addressing the normal wear and tear that naturally occurs with high use. Our goal in the coming years is to maintain and continue the tradition of exceptional, engaging exhibits that help define the Children’s Museum of Phoenix as a wonderful place to play and a hot-bed of learning with cognitive, physical and socio-emotional growth opportunities for all children.


Art Studio Parent PALS Classroom Story TimeFY 2011-12 Museum Visitation 44,362 136 8,564 370

44,362

136 8,564

370

Children’s Museum of Phoenix By The Numbers

Group Visitation

Member Visitation

General Visitors

FY 2011-12 Museum Visitation 30 11 59

30%

11%

59%

New Renewals

61 39

61%

39%

Full-Time Part-Time

41 59

41%

59%

Art Studio Classroom Parent PALS Story TimeFY 2011-12 Museum Visitation 398 169 9 74

398169

974

VisitationMember Visitation 77,942Group Visitation 28,619 General Visitation 151,016 Total Visitation 257,577

Memberships Membership to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is the most economical way for a family to experience the Museum’s rich learning environment year-round. The Museum welcomed 4,249 member families during this period.

AdministativeFull-Time 34 Part-Time 48 Total Employees 82

PROGRAMS AND ATTENDANCE

FIELD TRIPS Field trips are an important component of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix’s

offerings. A total of 28,619 students and their educators visited the Museum on a field trip during FY 2011-12, more than any other year since opening. This represented 3,803 public, private, charter and home schools with an additional 30 pre-schools served.

Chart: FY 2011-12 Museum Visitation Member Group General

Chart: FY 2011-12 - Number of Educational Programs

Art Studio Classroom Parent PALS Storytime

Chart: FY 2011-12 - Number of Educational Programs

Art Studio Classroom Parent PALS Storytime

Chart: FY 2011-12 Employees Full-Time Part-Time

Chart: FY 2011-12 Memberships New Renewals

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.”

– Plato


Leadership Giving CirclesLeadership Giving Circles was officially launched in 2012 to build a solid foundation of support for the Museum. Comprised of people who believe in our mission, Circles donors make annual contributions which ensure the Museum can uphold its hands-on educational exhibits, maintain the building and continue to employ exceptional staff every year.Sam Perry, who co-chairs the Leadership Giving Circles committee along with his wife Tracey, understands the value of supporting the Children’s Museum, “Tracey and I have spent many hours playing in the Museum with our children and have seen, first hand, the impact it has had on their development. This program lays the foundation for a strong and healthy Museum in the same way the Museum makes all of our children strong and healthy.”Leadership Giving Circles donors raised over $46,000 in 2012 – a huge accomplishment for its first year, which greatly contributed to the Museum’s bottom line. A sincere thank you goes out to all of our donors. It is because of your giving spirit and passion for the power of play that allows us to continue to engage the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them.

Tracey and Sam Perry

Donor Spotlight: Penny PostPenny is a connector and a true champion for the Museum. In addition to facilitating a donation of colorful Pomchies for the Whoosh! exhibit, she plays an integral role on the Leadership Giving Circles committee and has given considerable support to the Kids at Heart Gala.Throughout the years, Penny has introduced many new friends to the Museum. She and her husband Rich are known to open up their beautiful home, whip up some gourmet snacks and share the joys of the Children’s Museum, “We love the Museum because it brings a smile to everyone’s face — young and old alike! Where else does this happen in

today’s world?”

“My boys LOVED the Museum. So did I. Out of all the “kid” places we have gone, this has been our favorite by far. AMAZING.”

– Museum Visitor

(L to R) Museum’s VP of Operations, Kelli O’Toole, and Museum’s Development Director, Bridget Costello with Richard and Penny Post


Partner Spotlight: Delta Dental of Arizona FoundationEvery year, since 2009, we have celebrated Children’s Oral Health Month with our valued partner, Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation. Our patrons have come to look forward to this celebration, which makes dental health fun, complete with the Tooth Fairy, dental supply kit bags, and games and workshops. The Foundation was an early investor in the Museum, realizing that we shared mutual goals – the well being of our youngest community members – and through the partnership, Delta Dental broadens its reach, and the Museum extends its expertise.In 2012, 20,300 individuals attended Oral Health Month at the Museum. Activities included sessions with Sarabelle Toothington; and programs like Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth; Toothsaver

Necklaces; Color Me Creative, and Let’s Be Healthy. Over 100,000 oral health giveaways were distributed to our visitors.According to Delta Dental “tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease – 5 times more

common than asthma and 7 times more common than hay fever.” They believe that everyone deserves a healthy smile. We thank Delta Dental for an outstanding partnership and for bringing healthy smiles to the children of our community.

VolunteerismThe Children’s Museum of Phoenix was founded by a small group of volunteers, making a significant difference in the lives of our communities’ children and their families. We understand that without the support of community members, we would not be here today. As a result, we see volunteers as a vital part of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix team, and recognize that the donation of their time and service is extremely valuable and a true gift to the Museum and the community.We are pleased to report that during this fiscal year, volunteer service hours at the Museum represented 4,994.5 hours by 1,687 volunteers . This surpassed the previous years total by 44%. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the following groups who volunteered this period:Bank of America, US Airways, University of Phoenix, Coca Cola, Amex, Charles Schwab, Target, Disney, Wells Fargo, Junior League, Asset ASU.

“Awesome place for you to have fun / play / be a kid. Oh…and my six year old really enjoyed it too!”

– Museum Visitor

Sarabelle Toothington, the Tooth Fairy, teaching children about the importance of taking care of your teeth at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.

Target Volunteers


Rental ProgramThe Museum is a unique facility which can accommodate any type of gathering, from formal sit-down dinners and cocktail parties to themed birthday bashes and proms. The Museum has played host to numerous events including birthday parties, proms, weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, corporate receptions, holiday parties, business meetings, seminars and fundraisers. Although all events are special, some stood out for us this year for different reasons:

Play Date – June 29, 2012After years of coming up with great ideas for other people’s events that they thought were a little too odd or out of the box, it was fun to actually try them out and to have the public respond so positively. This first Play Date event sold out and laid the foundation for a fun new program that expands our reach to a whole new demographic.

Helping Other Non-Profit OrganizationsWhen Banner to Alzheimer Institute needed meeting space to continue their arts program for Alzheimer’s patients while their facility was undergoing renovations, they came to us. The Museum was honored to have the Institute here for a 15-week period September to December of 2011.

Repeat BusinessIt’s a great feeling when past clients want to keep coming back. Defusco Udelman law firm has hosted their holiday party here 3 years in a row and has asked us to pencil them in for another in 2013. First Institutional Baptist Church has chosen the Museum as their Christmas party venue twice and also plans to come back again in 2013.

Morning RevenueAs our evening rental business continues to grow, we occasionally run out of available dates. So it’s exciting when we can expand our capacity by hosting breakfast events before our regular operating hours too. United Way had their breakfast meeting here in March of 2012 with Ford following with a breakfast in May 2012.

Highest Attended Event Ever and Donations Exceeded Waived Fees In April of 2012, the Museum had the distinct pleasure of hosting Yelp’s annual party. Attended by over 1,500 people, this was our biggest private event ever in terms of attendance. It also included coordination of dozens of vendors. It was a gamble when we agreed to host it free of charge in exchange for donations from attendees. That gamble paid off as those donations – over $5,000 - exceeded the regular $4,500 rental fee.

Private After-Hours Birthday PartiesThe idea of spending $1,500+ on a birthday party for your 6-year-old seems outrageous to a lot of people, but like so many things, there really is a market for it. It’s also a great way to connect with affluent families looking for something a little different and exclusive. Our Spectacular Parties earned the Museum $9,000 in FY 2011-12.

“Thanks to you for all your efforts in making our holiday party a success! We heard nothing but positive feedback…

– Randall Udelman & Andrew DeFusco, DeFusco & Udelman, Attorneys at Law

“What a fantastic facility! Your help and hospitality were the finishing touch!”

– Suzanne Walden-Wells, Executive Director, DC Ranch Community Council


OUR DONORSThe Children’s Museum of Phoenix gratefully acknowledges the following corporations, foundations, organizations, and

individuals whose gifts have played a major role in supporting our mission of engaging the minds, muscles and imaginations of children and the grown-ups who care about them

CORPORATIONS/FOUNDATIONS/ORGANIZATIONS

American Express Charitable Fund

Applied Materials, Inc.

APS

Arizona Commission For Postsecondary Education

Arizona Commission on the Arts

Arizona Community Foundation

Arizona Diamondbacks and Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation

Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority

Aetna

AT&T

Avnet

Banfield Pet Hospital

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

Bank of America United Way

Casino Arizona & Talking Stick Resort

Celebrity Fight Night Foundation, Inc.

Chicago Community Foundation

CIGNA Foundation

Circus School of Arizona

City of Phoenix

City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture

Coyotes Charities

CVS Caremark Corporation

David and Sam PR

Delta Dental of Arizona Charitable Foundation

Emerson Network Power

First Things First

Ford Motor Company

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.

Grand Canyon University

Harkins Theatres

J.W. Kieckhefer Foundation

John F. Long Foundation

Margaret T. Morris Foundation

Martz Agency

Medtronic Foundation

Network for Good

Pivotal Foundation

Salt River Project

Target Corporation

The Boeing Company

The Brooke & James Levy Donor Fund

The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation

The USAA Foundation, Inc.

Tim and Willy Kid’s FunDation

United Healthcare of Arizona

US Airways

Valley of the Sun United Way

Wells Fargo Foundation

Western Refining

Willard E. Smucker Foundation

INDIVIDUALS

Jennifer and Craig Adams*

Korbi Adams

Anonymous

Linda and James K. Ballinger

Andrew de Weerd and Maaike Banning

Karen and Dan Barr

Lisa and David Barrett*

Frank Barrios

Dorothy and Thomas Bast

Tracy Berrian

Carmela and Michael J. Blank

Sarah and David Bodney*

Brad Bonomo

Jennifer Brannon

Risa A. and Michael P. Brown

Sylvia Bustos

Mary Cannard

Susan Canson

Katherine and Rick Cecala*

Michelle and Henry Clarke*

Lauren and Jordan Cohen

Karen and Jesus Cruz

Brandi and Brian Devlin

Sean Donnelly

Stephanie and Todd Douma*

Allister Dueker

Marilyn M. Duerbeck

Robert G. Edge

Frederick D. and Susan K. Edwards

Donna Egan

Eunice and Carl Feinberg

Tyler Finch

Lisa K. Foreman*

LaBelle Forstrom*

Meralee and Dean Fredenburgh

Tracy and Brian Friedman*

Joshua Froelich

Victoria and Mike Furst

Katherine and Ruben Gallego*

Lya Gardner

Susan E. and Philip Gerard

Rasha and Giac Germain

Patricia and Thomas Giallanza

Deborah Gilpin

Tricia Goldberg*

Susan and Richard Goldsmith

Nathan Gossen

Mike Greio

Nyomi Gruber and Burke Lassen

Adam Handley and Lisa Hirsch Handley to honor our parents

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

– Fred Rogers


Terry M. Hanson*

Mary Hauer

Ted Anderson and Sheri Heitner-Anderson

Encarnacion Hernandez and Frances Maldonado

Melanie Hershaff

Scott Shea and Laura Hertzler

Camlyn Hoelscher

Candice and Ryan Hurley

Jonathan James and Laura Bailey*

Carrie and Jared Jarecki

Wendy Killeen

Catherine Kim

Marleen King

Julie and Andrew L. Kroot

David Lambard

Becky and Dan Lieberman*

Julie and Tim Louis*

Brooke Macdonald

Dafna and Frank Madia

Beckie and Don Mayberry*

Rick McCartney*

Nancy J. McDaniel

Katie McFadzen

Dana and Randy McLean

Shannon and Sean McMahon

Sarah Snell and Eric Meyer*

Lois Mihaylo and Family

Wayne E. Milewski

Ashley and Scott L. Mitchell*

Dana W. and Rick Naimark

Cory Newkirk

Di An and Karl Obergh

Suzanna Olsen

Shanon Orrock

Margaret Paris-Vogt

Karen Partridge

Robert Pena

Charles Perry

Tracey and Sam Perry*

Glenda Pershing

Michael Pietzsch and Ellen Hart-Pietzsch

Stephanie and Charles Pisoni

Lisa and David Pivin

Penny and Rich Post*

Nancy and William Richardson

Hayley Ringle

Diane and Lewis Robinson

Karen and Mark Rogers

Vique Rojas

Lezlie and Jason Roosa

Hildy and Richard Saizow

Tricia and Thomas Salerno

Stephen G. and Katherine Scardello*

Jean and Ken Schacherbauer*

Kristin Scharf

Debra and Mark L. Schilling

Rebecca Schmitt

Mary F. Schottstaedt

Dean Shaprio and Haim Ainsworth

Susan Shattuck*

Richard P. Stahl

Evelyn Stewart

Amy Stouffer

Angela and John Stover

Elizabeth B. and Daniel R. Swadener

Kirsten and Tyson Sylvia

Marilyn Teper

Meryl Thomas

Cynthia VanKleeck

JoAnna Wagner

Wayne Warrington

Kate, Jeff, Tessa and Phoebe Wells

Victoria Whitmore

Marion, Matthew, Jordan & Claire Wiener

Chrystina and Douglas Wilde

Susan and Michael Wissink*

Margaret A. and Dan Wolford*

Nina and Joe E. Woods

Josie and Walter Young

Robyn D. and Robin Young

*Proud participant in Leadership Giving Circles

GIFTS IN-KINDORGANIZATIONS

Atlasta Catering Service, Inc.FasturtleFry’s Food & Drug StoreSatrix Solutions, LLCThe Musical Instrument MuseumUS AirwaysWildflower Bread Company

INDIVIDUALS

Graham BoorseSusan CahalanNikki CauserBridget K. CostelloRegina D’AndreaGina GralStanley HowardRick McCartneySabrina MeyersPenny and Rich PostPatrick ReinerMichael Rideout

AzTAP Department of Services for Persons with Disabilities conducted an accessibility evaluation in August 2008 and summarized, “the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is the most exceptionally disability-aware arts institution this evaluator has ever surveyed.”


FinancialsChildren’s Museum of PhoenixAudit Summary Fiscal Year Ending August 31, 2012

REVENUE & SUPPORTAdmissions $ 1,372,519Memberships $ 559,227Other Earned Income $193,021Contributions $ 741,046Gifts-in-Kind $ 824,202Change in discount on pledges $ 66,399

TOTAL REVENUE & SUPPORT $ 3,756,414

EXPENSESExhibits & Programs $3,013,210Fundraising $770,775General and Administrative $ 650,661

TOTAL EXPENSE $4,434,646

Change in Net Assets ($678,232)

Net Assets Beginning of Year $5,741,718

Net Assets End of Year $5,063,486

Note: A copy of the complete FY 2011-12 Audit Report is available on the support us page of our website at ChildrensMuseumOfPhoenix.org.

Admissions Memberships Other Earned Income

Contributions Gifts-in-Kind Change in discount on pledges

37 15 5 20 22 2

37%

15%5%

20%

22%

2%

Exhibits & Programs

Fundraising General and Administrative

68 17 15

68%

17%

15%

Chart: FY 2011-12 Revenue & Support

Admissions Memberships Other Earned Income Contributions Gifts-in-Kind Change in Discount on Pledges

Chart: FY 2011-12 Expenses

Exhibits & Programs Fundraising General and Administrative

“I have a 3-year-old autistic daughter. The Museum is great for her, she gets to see how other kids play and experience the Museum and can then try it herself without pressure from them. She actually road the bikes through the tunnel for the first time by herself. It has been a great experience for her. I have and will tell people about it for their young children. Thank you.”

– Museum Visitor

215 N. 7th StreetPhoenix, AZ 85034

602.253.0501www.ChildrensMuseumOfPhoenix.org

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, EIN #86-0934323.

Thank you to

for underwriting the design of this Annual Report.


children's museum of phoenix 2011-2012 annual report

Documents

childrens museums

school children

imaginations of children

underserved children

youngest children

children ages

museums experiences

concept of early learning