The spring will come. Really.

Officially, spring begins tomorrow. In actuality, it will be yet another 40-degree day in what now appears to be an endless stream of borderline freezing days. The ongoing chill is enough to sap the energy and optimism from even the most cheerful of hearts. The Observer, whose own heart is not in this category, will almost certainly lose another pair of gloves before the end of the week in an act of forgetfulness/subconscious rebellion against the never-ending winter. If the gray skies and finger-numbing conditions continue, we may well start absentmindedly leaving our coats and sweaters behind on the subway as well.

But perhaps we can all learn a lesson from the Central Park Conservancy, an organization that not only believes the seasons will change someday soon, but started acting on that belief sometime ago: planting, hauling mulch, testing sprinkler heads.

This may not seem like acts of extraordinary faith, but for those of us who are not much given to religious feeling and who find the winter not only miserable, but interminable, it is quite impressive. As the chirpy and fact-filled email that landed in our inbox this afternoon informed us: the Conservancy started preparing for spring months ago.

The Conservancy has no other choice, of course, as the Park will soon be mobbed with thousands upon thousands of visitors a day. But still. Reading the email reminded us that sometimes one must act in accordance with, and in preparation for, expected and projected outcomes, rather than based on one's current, rather cold and unbearable situation. In other words, we should stop dwelling on the parts of the forecast that focus on, in painful detail, the wind and cold that will persist through the rest of this week, and look to the brighter side of things, like "the Green Mountains and Adirondacks getting what could be their last blast of winter." Last blast of winter. Or at least what could be the last. (On a sidenote, we find The Wall Street Journal's weather journals to be surprisingly poetic and oddly moving.)

So what has the Conservancy been doing to prepare for this alleged start of spring? Planting 57,000 flowers, testing and activating 1,400 sprinkler heads, turning on eight decorative fountains and hauling vast quantities of materials: 850 tons of mulch for garden beds, 500 tons of clay for ballfields, 200 tons of crushed stone for the bridle paths and 108 tons of sand for the sandboxes. Most inspiring of all, the Conservancy is already mowing 276 acres of what appear—to the horticultural layman—to be dead lawns and ballfields. The Conservancy tells us that the lawns of snow-covered yellow-brown grass are not, in fact, dead, but like the promise of this new season, alive and growing.

kvelsey@observer.com

The Central Park Conservancy fundraiser this summer.

Last month, more than 700 tuxedoed and ball-gowned revelers gathered in the Museum of Natural History’s Milstein Hall of Ocean Life for the annual S.L.E. Lupus Foundation gala. As the attendees feasted on black American caviar, Margaret Dowd, the foundation’s executive director, was marveling at something else: the size of the crowd.

The foundation had not seen so many people at its annual gala since 2007. “It’s been very tough the last few years, and we had to cut expenses drastically,” she said. “In 2009, many of our donors said, ‘Our portfolios were really harmed and we have to cut our donations, but we’ll be back.’ And they did come back. This year has been much, much better.”

The benefit raised $2.5 million—a significant jump from the $2.2 million raised at last year’s. Things have not returned to the 2007 level, when the gala’s $3.2 million haul set a national record, which has yet to be topped, for lupus research funds collected at a single event, but the foundation is on track to raise 10 to 12 percent more this year than the previous one. Ms. Dowd added that the nonprofit’s spring luncheon saw such a dramatic spike in attendance this year—a 30 percent increase—that next year they plan to hold it in the Plaza.

In the months after Lehman Brothers collapsed, when it looked like the country’s financial system might fall along with it, the city’s nonprofits, long buoyed by Wall Street successes, learned that they would also share in its misfortunes. Staffs were sheared, budgets slashed, plans delayed, visions clouded. Charitable giving fell by 15.2 percent in 2008 and 2009, according to Giving USA, the annual tally of American philanthropy.

During the depths of the recession, flashy parties, even if they were for a good cause, could seem a little déclassé. Making a show of how much money one had to give away called attention to one’s ridiculously good fortune, even though the recession left nonprofits more in need than they ever had been before.

“We have donors who, like many others in New York, are so wealthy that if they never saw another nickel of earned income it wouldn’t matter. They have more than they could ever spend,” said the head of a nonprofit who asked not to be identified. “For the people who really have the means, what you really want is for those people to give more and not less in tough economic times. And yet they were cutting back.”

From 2007 to 2009, giving by people with incomes of $200,000 or more dropped by $31 billion. Now, for the first time since the recession struck, a number of New York nonprofits say that 2012 looks like the year when the tide has finally turned. Gifts are more generous, long-dormant donors are reappearing and philanthropists are once again crowding cheek-by-jowl at charity galas, dining and dancing with checkbooks in hand.

On Monday afternoon, New York real estate billionaire Mort Zuckerman announced a $200 million gift to Columbia University to study brain behavior. The gift is twice the size of the $100 million donation that hedge fund billionaire John A. Paulson made to the Central Park Conservancy this October—the largest ever to a New York City park. The previous record had been set just a few months before, in April, when amateur track cyclist Joshua P. Rechnitz pledged $40 million to Brooklyn Bridge Park to fund a field house and a velodrome with seating for 1,200 spectators. But even in April, $40 million paled in comparison to the $60 million gift David Koch made in February to redo the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Fifth Avenue plaza.

The Central Park Conservancy was already on the path to one of its best years in a long time. Not only have smaller donations grown in 2012, but so has the pool of people making them; like many agencies, the conservancy has been recruiting younger philanthropists via social media and special events.

Conservancy spokesperson Dena Libner called 2012 a “strong year,” but, like virtually all the other nonprofits we spoke with for this story, she warned that the official tally would have to wait until 2013. Typically, the last few weeks of the year are among the busiest in the fund-raising world, with many racking up 25 to 30 percent of all annual funding during the holidays.

The ACRIA fundraiser.

At its annual dinner this November, the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America hosted the largest crowd it’s had in years—275 guests, up by about 70 from the previous year. The low point for the nonprofit’s major fund-raiser came in 2008, when the dinner drew only 170 people.
“We certainly have donors who make a good living by general American standards, but they’re upper middle class by New York standards,” said executive director Dan Tietz. “For them, in bad economic conditions, they think twice about whether they should buy a ticket or not.”
Mr. Tietz explained that this year, he and several other colleagues have noticed that the hesitation is gone—charity event attendance seems to be up across the board. “Now, we’re definitely seeing a willingness to give.”

Also tracking about 25 percent ahead of last year is the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, according to foundation president Myra Biblowit. She noted that the November 2011 ovarian cancer death of Evelyn Lauder, the businesswoman and socialite, may have encouraged people to give. “People also adored and revered Evelyn Lauder. Her passing was a huge loss to the world. I think people want to pay tribute to a remarkable person.”

Among performing arts groups, BAM, Lincoln Center and the Atlantic Theater Company are all reporting 2012 increases in fund-raising, an impressive feat, given that both Lincoln Center and the Atlantic Theater Company are also in the midst of capital campaigns.

BAM president Karen Brooks Hopkins noted that the academy has seen some major gifts this year, largely in conjunction with its 150th anniversary. Chase sponsored the anniversary with a gift of $1.95 million over two years, the Irene Diamond Fund contributed $5 million, McGarryBowen gave an in-kind contribution for the “BAM and Then It Hits You” campaign and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation coughed up another $1 million.

The Atlantic Theater Company has seen a 40 percent increase in gifts from individuals this year over the same period last year. As new donations have increased only 5 percent, the 40 percent increase is coming predominantly from larger gifts from renewing supporters.
Walter Sweet, the vice president of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, told The Observer that while he has seen a bump in charitable giving among his clients, they’re not necessarily giving in the same way they once did.

Donors are no longer content to blithely hand out signed checks and continue on their way. Now they want to see results, to know how their money is being used, to feel actively involved. “They want impact,” Mr. Sweet said.

It’s worth noting that not all groups have been so lucky—the Metropolitan Opera is preparing to sell bonds for the first time since its 1883 founding to cover operating losses.

What’s more, outside of the New York area, nonprofits have had a more mixed record of success. Although the 400 most successful charities nationwide saw 7.5 percent growth in 2011, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy, they expect flat growth this year, along with donations from some of the 166 largest companies in the United States, the majority of which said that they expect to keep their philanthropy budgets flat this year (although some, like Starbucks, increased their giving by 197 percent).

Kathleen McCarthy, the founding director of the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at The CUNY Graduate Center, said that the disparate performance between nonprofits either based in New York or with strong New York connections and the rest of the country boils down to the wealth gap.

“I think what you’re seeing may be a phenomenon of the social gulf,” said Ms. McCarthy. “The rich are giving more, and they’re giving more now because now is when they can get the tax break.”
The end of the year is generally a time when wealthy individuals take account of their tax situations, but this year in particular the looming fiscal cliff and less favorable tax breaks for the wealthy have encouraged potential donors to give now rather than later. One of President Obama’s proposals would drop the tax break that households earning more than $250,000 can get for their charitable gifts from 35 to 28 percent.

Lauren Katzowitz Shenfield, who leads Philanthropy Advisors, an organization that advises individual, corporate and foundation philanthropists, including heavy-hitters like Exxon Corporation and the Ford Foundation, told The Observer that the likelihood of a smaller tax exemption is fueling a flurry of year-end donations.

Hurricane Sandy, of course, is the wild card of 2012. David Saltzman, the executive director of the Robin Hood Foundation, said that the antipoverty group will be holding its breath these next few weeks to see if holiday giving is as strong as it usually is.

“Our fear is that people who have been so generous giving to Sandy relief might not be able to donate to poverty relief. Our hope is that they can dig a little deeper,” said Mr. Saltzman. “I think that people are remarkably generous when they know they can make a difference, and this is a year where people can make a difference.”

The HOPE Program, another antipoverty initiative, also admitted that Sandy had left it a little bit nervous about holiday giving, but at the moment, the nonprofit is about 20 percent ahead of schedule.

Sandy proved a more direct challenge for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, a nonprofit that provides services to LGBT youth. Its annual gala was scheduled for October 29, the day the hurricane hit. It had to be canceled and replaced later with a more modest cocktail reception. But despite the setback, Hetrick-Martin is still on schedule to meet its fund-raising goal this year.

Glenn Yabu and George Pushelberg of international design firm Yabu Pushelberg were two of the donors who stepped up to help make up the difference, sponsoring an emergency initiative that raised more than $70,000.

“While our personal donations reflect increasing support as the agency’s needs have increased this year, we also looked to other ways to reach even further,” they wrote in a joint e-mail to The Observer. “Sometimes it’s making a donation directly to your charity of choice, and sometimes it’s working with the development staff on creative ways to boost donations.”

kvelsey@observer.com

Sometimes they actually do it. Sometimes they do it in ways that are absolutely inspiring. Such is the case of John A. Paulson. 

Mr. Paulson, a hedge fund manager, was born in Queens and spent many happy hours in Central Park as a child and young adult. Now, decades later, Mr. Paulson is giving back to the park that created all those memories. He has made a $100 million donation to the Central Park Conservancy—the largest gift of money ever to the city’s park system.

Mr. Paulson’s gift is notable for lots of reasons. It is, after all, an extraordinary act of generosity. It comes at a time when the city will be looking to make significant spending cuts, thanks to another sizable deficit in the next fiscal year. But it’s also worth noting that the gift comes after years of superb work by the beneficiary of Mr. Paulson’s generosity, the Central Park Conservancy.

This private group laid the groundwork for Mr. Paulson’s gift by revitalizing the park after the neglect of the 1970s and the effects of budget cuts in the late 1980s. Some will remember the criticism the Conservancy faced when it signed a management agreement with the city in 1998 that gave the group a formal role in the park’s maintenance. Critics charged that the Conservancy was intent on “privatizing” the park, simply because it was raising private money for the benefit of this spectacular public space.

Of course, nothing like that has happened. The Conservancy has been a model of public-private cooperation, as any stroll through the park will demonstrate.

Mr. Paulson’s gift to the Conservancy is a wonderful act of philanthropy. It also is a tribute to the work of the Conservancy, an organization that certainly is worthy of Mr. Paulson’s confidence and his civic spirit.

Today, the hedge fund billionaire announced a $100 million gift to the Central Park Conservancy, the largest donation made to the organization charged with the physical management of the park.

"The Conservancy is responsible for transforming and sustaining Central Park as the celebration of culture, nature and democracy that it is today," Mr. Paulson said in a press release issued by the Conservancy. "It is my hope that today's contribution will help it endure and flourish and inspire others to join me in ensuring that the Park continues to receive the support it needs to be this city's greatest asset."

The gift will fund improvements to parkwide infrastructure and recreational activities, according to the release, and the fund the endowment of the Conservancy, whose private fundraising provides more than 80 percent of the park's annual budget.

According to Bloomberg, Queens-bred Mr. Paulson said his parents took him on stroller rides through the park as a child, and his Fifth Avenue resident—seen here in The Wall Street Journal—is said to offer views of the Central Park Reservoir.

Who's paying to cut the grass?

New Yorkers who live on Central Park certainly reap the benefits of parkside abodes, especially when it comes to resale values, but they're less than generous about giving back.

Only 17 percent of parkside denizens have donated to the Central Park Conservancy since 2010, according to a recent story in Crain's by Michael Gross. And Mr. Gross, chronicler of luxury New York real estate and the author of consummate building biography 740 Park should know. Not only does Mr. Gross seem to have his eye on every move that uptown dwellers make, but he's also a parkside resident himself.

And local residents certainly make good use of the most ballyhooed of all New York apartment amenities. As Mr. Gross writes:

According to the conservancy, 550,000 people live within a 10-minute walk of the park, 65% of the 40 million or so bodies who enter annually are regulars (presumably neighbors) who come once a week or more, 31% use it every day, and yet only 55,000 generous souls help pay the 85% of its budget that is raised privately.

Perhaps the most egregious show of non-support comes from 15 Central Park West. Despite the fact that developers Arthur and Will Zeckendorf bought each initial purchaser a one-year membership, only 16 out of 201 households activated them.

"Whether they live here or not, the park elevates the value of their apartments," Terri Coppersmith, the vice president for development and visitor experience told Crain's. "They need us."

Perhaps residents are just waiting for better opportunities to endow benches and lawns? After all, philanthropy doesn't count unless your name is prominently attached to it, right?

kvelsey@observer.com

“I had a fabulous time!” said Ms. Messerschmitt, a member of the organization since 1985, told the Transom. “This was when the park was just miserable, It’s just been a labor of love and to see the park so beautiful. It’s a different park!” She’s already begun to meet with her successor; both women live near the park. “She’ll be fabulous,” Ms. Messerschmitt said.

Ms. Miniter, wife of financier Sylvester Miniter, has been involved with the organization for some 11 years, in addition to chairing and supporting other organizations like the American Ballet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Women in Need and Bronx Botanical Garden. For the past two years, she’s co-chaired the Women’s Committee’s annual Frederick Law Olmsted luncheon in the park, where ladies like Blaine Trump and Serena Boardman wear elaborate hats and pastel suits.

“I originally got involved through the Playground Partners because when my daughter is little, that’s what you do, you spend all your time on the playground,” Ms. Miniter told the Transom. “You just realize how important the park is.”

“You stopped me right before I could walk in and get too liquored up!” prolific restaurateur Danny Meyer told the Daily Transom as he arrived at the Central Park Conservancy's "Taste of Summer" benefit on Wednesday night, June 3.

An estimated crowd of about 1,000 had turned out to the Central Park Naumberg Bandshell--not only for the open bar--but also to sample fare from some 40 top-notch New York restaurants. (A guest at the end of the night walked out holding onto her stomach and said, “I’m not pregnant, I promise! I’m just full!”)

Mr. Meyer hosted a special VIP cafe exclusively for guests who rented a table for the night, featuring tastings from across his Union Square Hospitality Group's repertoire, including the perenially popular Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe.

Though not a fan of the term "empire," Mr. Meyer only continues to expand his culinary footprint. In addition to rolling out new concessions at Citi Field in Willet's Point, he is also opening a new catering operation in Central Park called Public Fare, which he said "hopefully, will not only make it more fun to go see 'Shakespeare in the Park' but will also be open during non-theater nights, too."

He further plans to open a fancy new restaurant at Ian Schrager's posh Gramercy Park Hotel in the fall.

"This is a recession baby, this restaurant," Mr. Meyer told the Daily Transom. "The only recession baby I’ve ever had was Blue Smoke, which was born just a couple months after 9/11. And I think it’s fair to say, I want to create a restaurant--presuming that these times are going to go on for a number of years, even though we’d all like it to be over--but I’d rather make that presumption and have the kind of restaurant that somebody would wanna go to even with that, and then that means you wouldn’t want to go there just because you had a few more dollars to spend."

Mr. Meyer said he hasn't yet decided on a name for the new eatery. (How bout just calling it Recession Baby?) “But we have a chef which we just announced today! Nick Anderer," he noted.

"He’s not only an amazing chef; he’s an incredible guy, too," Mr. Meyer said. "We haven’t opened a fine dining restaurant since The Modern opened 5 years ago. Which is fine, it’s not like I have to do something every year. But you end up getting a back log of talent, whether at Gramery Tavern or Eleven Madison Park, or Tabla, or Union Square Café, or The Modern, who say ‘What about me? I want to grow.' So, we’re pretty much committed to doing everything we can to promote our own talent."

Mr. Meyer described the Gramercy Park deal as a lot more manageable than the lucrative city contract to operate Tavern on the Green, for which Union Square Hospitality ultimately declined to submit a bid. "I think we really wanted to do something that we could manage," Mr. Meyer said. "Life always presents you situations where your heart says 'yes' and your mind says 'no,' and I think Tavern on the Green was one of those. It would have been a lot of fun but it would have been a tough business to operate. We’ve got enough."