Katie Snider
Senior Project Manager
Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has spent more than three decades cultivating Central Ohio’s relationship with the natural world, growing from a scrappy young institution into a cultural cornerstone that welcomes over 350,000 visitors each year. Sustaining that growth takes more than good soil. It takes a fundraising program built on trust, expertise, and a board that knows exactly what role it plays in the mission.
At the center of that work is Vice President of Philanthropy Carmen Boy, who has spent five years leading the Conservatory’s fundraising team through a period of real momentum, from the opening of the Children’s Garden to the current renovation of the historic John F. Wolfe Palm House. Along the way, she partnered with Benefactor Group for fundraising counsel and interim development support, leaning on that partnership to steward transformational gifts, prepare the board for economic uncertainty, and keep the organization’s philanthropy program running on solid footing. In this video, Carmen reflects on what that partnership has looked like in practice and what it takes to build a fundraising program a board (and its donors) can actually rely on.
Watch the video now to hear Carmen’s perspective on donor stewardship, board education, and how Franklin Park Conservatory is growing its philanthropic roots for the years ahead.
About Carmen Boy
Carmen K. Boy is Franklin Park Conservatory & Botanical Garden’s Vice President of Philanthropy. Boy brings vast knowledge and experience in fundraising to the Conservatory. Most recently Boy served as the Director of Development for the Ohio State College of Medicine and University Hospital at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. There she developed and implemented long- and short-term plans for the College of Medicine, the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and formerly six University Hospital units to secure endowment, estate and capital investments from grateful patients, alumni and foundations.
Prior to her work at Ohio State, Boy was a lead founder and served as the Chief Development Officer for non-profit charter school, Columbus Collegiate Academy – Main Street, three subsequent schools, and also the United Schools Network non-profit management company. Under her direction, the network was awarded four USDOE Federal school startup grants, an OFCC capital grant, and was The Columbus Foundation Continuous Improvement grantee for multiple years. She led a six-person development team, 90+ staff and two boards through annual and capital campaigns to advance the school network mission to deliver a college preparatory education to K-8 students in Columbus. She has tremendous experience in strategic planning alignment of philanthropic goals through oversight of fundraising, marketing and branding, public relations, volunteer and donor/constituent communications.
If your organization is ready for fundraising counsel your board and donors can rely on, contact us to learn how Benefactor Group can help.