John Slayton and the Illinois State Fairgrounds Foundation have their work cut out for them. Last month Gov. Bruce Rauner named Slayton, a Springfield banker, to head the new organization formed to raise money for repair and maintenance of the long-ignored state fairgrounds. The amount needed for the repairs is $180 million-dollars.
Fair foundations in the nearby states of Minnesota and Iowa raised about $4 million annually in recent years.
Slayton says he knows it's a titanic job, but the foundation wanted to get off the ground and do something. Rauner created the group because the beleaguered state budget can't contribute much to fairgrounds upkeep.
Fundraising expert Nathan Dietz of the Urban Institute says the key is to develop a loyal base of givers. He says charitable giving has hit record levels in recent years.
