Fundraising

One of the Lomita Railroad Museum Foundation’s primary responsibilities is to raise funds to underwrite special needs of the Museum. While we do receive some funding from grants and are now beginning to generate limited income from Museum Gift Shop sales, we depend most heavily on donations from friends and supporters like you.

• In July, 2013, the Foundation took over financial responsibility for the Museum Gift Shop. Since then, the Foundation and Museum staff have worked to update Gift Shop inventory and all profits from sales now go to the Foundation to be used in support of the Museum. Our projection for 2014 Gift Shop profit is $3000-$3500. We will continue working to increase sales with the goal of developing a steady and meaningful source of revenue for the Foundation.
• We receive donations throughout the year from museum visitors and attendees & sponsors of Foundation/Museum sponsored events such as the Annual Afternoon Tea on the Lawn, the Wine & Art Fundraiser, the Concert at the Museum, and Santa/Polar Express at the Museum.

Our major source of donations comes from individual supporters like you during our End of Year Fundraising Campaign.

Special Grants & Awards

• This year, Union Pacific Foundation awarded the Museum a $5,000 grant to help underwrite the cost of developing new and updated informational materials about railroading and the Museum collection. The Foundation has submitted a proposal for an additional $12,000 grant and we are actively pursuing additional sources of grant funding.
• In November, Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe awarded the Museum $1,000 to assist with underwriting the costs of public events that will take place at the Museum through 2015.
• The Museum received donations from anonymous and matching donors this year for the purpose of providing free admission to the museum for over 200 Lomita public school children. This will be distributed to the schools in Spring, 2015.
• In August, Congresswoman Maxine Waters nominated the Lomita Railroad Museum for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service honoring outstanding museums and libraries across the United States that have made extraordinary contributions to their communities. Whether or not we are selected for the award, we believe the nomination itself is something to be very proud of. The Institute of Museum and Library Services will select winning institutions early in 2015 and the winners will be awarded a medal & cash prize in Washington D.C.
• This year, the Museum received donations for 38 engraved paving bricks to be placed in our Walk of Fame in the Museum patio.