Brockville to hire fundraising coordinator to help support MURF project

The City of Brockville will soon seek a fundraising coordinator to help reduce the Multi-Use Recreation Facility’s (MURF) financial impact on local taxpayers. 

At the regular meeting of the Brockville General Committee on Tuesday, Oct. 15t, the budgetary stresses associated with the MURF project were once again a hot topic of discussion. One of the motions brought before the committee was a request to establish a Capital Campaign Committee to implement a fundraising strategy to bring this ambitious project to life.

As part of this strategy, the City would also begin hiring a part-time fundraising coordinator to help support the MURF Capital Campaign. This role would be a contract position (10 hours per week) and the selected professional would be compensated via funds raised by the committee. 

To date, the MURF project design is near completion, with an estimated construction budget established at $41.3 million.  The Fundraising Committee would be tasked with developing a strategy to raise additional funds of $5 million, to be sourced from outside of city reserves.

According to the staff report, “Although staff are prepared to assist with the fundraising process, we do not believe that there is capacity within the organization, nor the expertise to successfully lead a fundraising campaign. Fundraising professionals have the experience, tools, and contacts needed to undertake such a campaign.”

This motion to establish a campaign committee and hire a part-time fundraising coordinator was unanimously approved by the General Committee.