The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum will move forward with plans for integration with The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) after a unanimous vote of approval at the March 23 Annual Town Meeting.
The deCordova sought a partnership because it was not on stable footing financially. Its income from membership and admission fees and other sources has not been enough to sustain the organization, which has relied for years on large gifts from a handful of donors to keep operating.
“Our structural weakness puts enormous pressure on contributed income,” said John Ravenal, the deCordova’s executive director, said on Saturday. Donations provide 45 percent of the $4.94 million operating budget, said Paul Blanchfield, a Lincoln resident and member of the integration working group.
The integration agreement reached by the boards of the two organizations last year was contingent on the town’s vote to approve changes to the bylaws that govern the structure of deCordova’s board, as well as the completion of a $15 million fundraising campaign ($10 million of which will go into the deCordova’s endowment). The campaign is still $3.5 million short of its goal; donations can be made online or by calling 781-259-3628.
Under the new arrangement, Lincoln will continue to own the deCordova land and buildings, but they will be maintained by TToR. The integration (which officials hope to complete by July 1) is not officially a merger because TToR will assume management of the deCordova as one of its affiliates, while the deCordova retains its own 501(c)(3) status.
The TToR manages more than 100 properties. Previous TToR integrations included the Boston Natural Areas Network in Boston in 2008, the Fruitlands Museum in Harvard in 2016, and The FARM Institute in Edgartown in 2016.
The deCordova’s activities, curatorial mission, and holdings will not change, and Lincoln residents will continue to have free access to the grounds and museum. TToR plans “significant investment in landscaping and deferred maintenance” but expects to see savings through “staffing efficiencies, greater membership, and marketing capacity to help stabilize dipping attendance,” Ravenal said.
There will be “no adverse impact on the cherished small-town quality” of the deCordova, and the organization will not ask the town for funding in the future; in fact the integration wll “eliminate the risk” of the town having to step in financially to maintain the property, which could have required $1 million a year, Ravenal said.
“The town of Lincoln takes its responsibility as steward and landowner of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum very seriously, and town officials have worked diligently to ensure transparency, public involvement, community input, and strong collaboration with The Trustees throughout this process,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said in in a statement after the meeting. “We are pleased that our residents had the opportunity to understand the issue before their positive vote and the town is thrilled to have found a partner that shares our core values.”
“We are so pleased to receive this vote of approval from the town of Lincoln and thank everyone from the community who came out to offer their support,” Barbara Erickson, TToR president and CEO, said in the statement. “Today’s vote brings us another step closer to realizing this important partnership between two organizations who believe in the power of connecting people to nature and culture through engaging art experiences. We look forward to the prospect of welcoming the deCordova into The Trustees family.”