Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy Strategic Plan 2005-2007 MISSION STATEMENT To conserve the working lands and identifying waters of northcentral Pennsylvania for the enjoyment and well-being of present and future generations VISION The Nortcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy's vision for the future guides the organization. Working forests provide resources, jobs, and recreation for families. Farms produce local food for the communities they surround and beyond. Water resources are valued and protected. Development and growth in the region are balanced with conservation. CORE VALUES OF THE CONSERVANCY Open Space We support the conservation of working farms and forests, as well as land conserved for the natural areas and wildlife it supports. We recognize that there is value in conserving land to help maintain the visual character of this region. Balance We believe that conservation should be achieved in balance with our community and regional needs. Just as the natural landscape changes over time, so too do communities and their needs change. We recognize that growth and development may be needed in order for communities to sustain themselves, but we also recognize that conservation of our natural resources is an important part of that growth. Cooperation The region we work in is large, diverse and locally focused. We need the help, support, and insight of the local communities we work in. We also recognize that the region we work in has other conservation groups. We want to work with, not compete against, these other conservation interests. Communication Without communication we cannot achieve conservation. We need to communicate not only with landowners, but also with our members, with our partners, and with the many residents of the region in which we work. If people understand what we are doing, and how we plan to achieve it, more conservation can take place with less confusion and misunderstanding. 1 of 7 Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy Strategic Plan 2005-2007 GOALS AND STRATEGIES 1. The most important lands are conserved in perpetuity. A. Identify and prioritize critical lands for protection by NPC. B. Encourage landowners in priority areas to consider conservation agreements and other conservation options. C. Respond to opportunities presented by landowners and conservation partners that may lead to protection of high value conservation properties. D. Steward the conservation values of lands protected by NPC. 2. The community understands how conservation and NPC can help achieve landowner and community goals. A. Contact landowner advisors and other partners to promote the use of private conservation options. B. Keep our members and supporters informed of our activities C. Broadly educate the community about the importance of conservation. 3. NPC has a diverse and committed group of people to lead its efforts. A. Develop a diverse, involved, and strong Board to lead the organization. B. Grow the capacity of staff to support the mission. C. Improve the effectiveness of the committee and advisory structures of NPC. 4. NPC has stable, predictable, and growing resources to support its mission. A. Strengthen annual giving as the foundation of financial support. B. Write grants to support special projects and capacity building efforts. C. Develop planned giving programs to grow the endowment and reserves. 5. NPC has the organizational structure necessary to effectively fulfill its mission. A. Maintain strong systems to manage information and decisions. B. Ensure NPC has the facilities and equipment to work effectively. C. Develop plans and structures to respond to the changing needs of the organization. 2 of 7 The most important lands are conserved in perpetuity. Identify and prioritize critical lands for protection by NPC. 2006 2007 2008 Develop a conservation plan Evaluate the conservation plan Evaluate the conservation plan for the region NPC works in and the effectiveness within and the effectiveness within each focus area each focus area Identify up to 4 focus areas to Continue to work in those Continue to work in those concentrate outreach, focus areas identified by the focus areas identified by the education, and relationship conservation plan conservation plan building Participate in developing and Participate in developing and Participate in developing and implementing broader implementing broader implementing broader conservation plans that conservation plans that conservation plans that achieve NPC's conservation achieve NPC's conservation achieve NPC's conservation goals goals goals Encourage landowners in priority areas to consider conservation agreements and other conservation options. 2006 2007 2008 Complete the land protection Evaluate the success of last Evaluate the success of last options brochure year's introductory mailing and year's introductory mailing and implement, if necessary, an implement, if necessary, an introductory mailing to another introductory mailing to another group group Identify outlets for the Continue to distribute Continue to distribute information information to potential project information to potential project partners partners Identify and prioritize Maintain contact with property Maintain contact with property properties with conservation owners through newsletter owners through newsletter value in the focus areas mailings and other forms of mailings and other forms of communication communication Develop a contact list for landowners within each focus area and conduct an introductory mailing to them Respond to opportunities presented by landowners and conservation partners that may lead to protection of high value conservation properties. 2006 2007 2008 Develop evaluation criteria to Review evaluation criteria in Determine if non-focus area rank potential projects that fall relation to what projects are projects are creating a de outside focus areas falling out facto focus area Initiate negotiations on Initiate negotiations on Initiate negotiations on conservation opportunities that conservation opportunities that conservation opportunities that meet responsive criteria meet responsive criteria meet responsive criteria 3 of 7 Steward the conservation values of lands protected by NPC. 2006 2007 2008 Develop and implement a Develop and implement a Develop and implement a yearly monitoring plan to yearly monitoring plan to yearly monitoring plan to ensure all conservation ensure all conservation ensure all conservation easements are monitored easements are monitored easements are monitored Contact the owners of all Contact the owners of all Contact the owners of all eased lands at least once eased lands at least once eased lands at least once yearly in addition to the yearly yearly in addition to the yearly yearly in addition to the yearly monitoring monitoring monitoring The community understands how conservation and NPC can help achieve landowner and community goals. Contact landowner advisors and other partners to promote the use of private conservation options. 2006 2007 2008 Identify those advisors in Add information to NPC's Hold a gathering for advisors NPC's database and ensure website for advisors ­ links to to educate them about NPC they receive communication other resources, etc. and options we provide from NPC Determine advisors that are Explore conducting a for-credit If feasible, conduct a for-credit missing from NPC's database workshop in cooperation with workshop and add them other groups Identify groups that can assist Maintain cooperative Maintain cooperative in communicating and relationships with groups relationships with groups educating advisors assisting in advisor assisting in advisor communication communications Keep our members and supporters informed of our activities 2006 2007 2008 Create, publish and distribute Create, publish and distribute Create, publish and distribute a quarterly newsletter that is a quarterly newsletter that is a quarterly newsletter that is also posted to the website also posted to the website also posted to the website Maintain and upgrade the Maintain and upgrade the Maintain and upgrade the website to inform new visitors, website to inform new visitors, website to inform new visitors, NPC supporters, and non- NPC supporters, and non- NPC supporters, and non- supporters supporters supporters Utilize e-mail notices to keep Utilize e-mail notices to keep Utilize e-mail notices to keep supporters informed of supporters informed of supporters informed of upcoming events, project upcoming events, project upcoming events, project successes, and other critical successes, and other critical successes, and other critical matters. matters. matters. 4 of 7 Broadly educate the community about the importance of conservation. 2006 2007 2008 Update outreach materials Develop a marketing plan for Implement the marketing plan using the TNC/TPL poling NPC language Contact current and potential Contact current and potential Contact current and potential partners and offer to speak at partners and offer to speak if partners and offer to speak if a meeting we did not speak last year we did not speak last year Create a list of community Review the success of the Review the success of the events and work to attend 4 a previous year's events and pervious year's events and year with the NPC display update or modify the list update or modify the list NPC has a diverse and committed group of people to lead its efforts. Develop a diverse, involved, and strong Board to lead the organization. 2006 2007 2008 Review and update the board Review and update the board Review and update the board member handbook member handbook member handbook Develop a board make-up grid Update the board grid Update the board grid and update it with the current board Recruit board members to Recruit board members to Recruit board members to maintain the board at 16 maintain the board at 16 maintain the board at 16 members members members Develop annual training Develop annual training Develop annual training calendar for board training and calendar for board training and calendar for board training and development development development Grow the capacity of staff to support the mission. 2006 2007 2008 Create a staff development Evaluate the effectiveness of Evaluate NPC's pay ranges plan to define training and the current staffing structure and determine if NPC is development needs for staff and determine if modifications competitive with land trusts of are needed a similar size Locate training programs to Locate training programs to Locate training programs to provide staff with necessary provide staff with necessary provide staff with necessary skills and training and send skills and training and send skills and training and send them to reasonable training. them to reasonable training. them to reasonable training. Determine the database needs of the organization, how the staff's skills relate, and decide what additional resources, if any are needed. 5 of 7 Improve the effectiveness of the committee and advisory structures of NPC. 2006 2007 2008 Develop committee Review the committee Committees are engaged in descriptions for each descriptions the strategic planning process committee Determine what advisory roles Review and evaluate the Seek advisors to fill open are available and should be committee structure spots filled Develop an on-going list of Review and evaluate the Develop a volunteer specific volunteer needs and volunteer needs of NPC recognition program advertise those to members NPC has stable, predictable, and growing resources to support its mission. Strengthen annual giving as the foundation of financial support. 2006 2007 2008 Create a fundraising structure Review the giving patterns of Develop a program to be within NPC major donors and develop a utilized when an emergency membership upgrade program (operating or land protection) arises Review and evaluate current Provide training for the Board A minimum of three direct mail fundraising projects for their to improve their ability to ask appeals are conducted for new effectiveness for new support and ask members existing donors to increase support Begin using direct mail as a A minimum of three direct mail way to reach out to new appeals are conducted for new members members Develop a donor recognition Board and staff receive program training in fundraising and donor centric organizations Write grants to support special projects and capacity building efforts. 2006 2007 2008 Research local foundations Contact local foundations and Invite foundations to make preliminary funding participate in NPC strategic inquiry planning process Update the case for support Update the case for support Update the case for support 6 of 7 Develop planned giving programs to grow the endowment and reserves. 2006 2007 2008 Develop planned giving Develop a marketing strategy Assess the effectiveness of language and materials and for the planned giving program the planned giving program distribute widely Develop policies and Educate trust officers, estate procedures needed for a planners and financial planned giving program advisors as well as other advisors on NPC and our planned giving program NPC has the organizational structure necessary to effectively fulfill its mission. Maintain strong systems to manage information and decisions. 2006 2007 2008 Update the current computer Evaluate additional software Create a plan for the next system needs and potential sources of computer upgrade funding Network the computer system Establish a secure section on Evaluate effectiveness of the website for use by the current computer system Board and committees Ensure NPC has the facilities and equipment to work effectively. 2006 2007 2008 Evaluate the cost Organize the reference Evaluate the office space effectiveness for NPC paying materials in the NPC office available and the layout of the mileage offices Ensure all NPC office Determine what NPC's Begin examining office equipment is catalogued reference needs are, and add locations, including the current a "wish list" to the newsletter office as NPC's lease will soon expire Develop plans and structures to respond to the changing needs of the organization. 2006 2007 2008 Create a 3 year staff Create a 2008 budget and Update the strategic plan development plan work plan Create a 2007 budget and Hold a board retreat to Create a 2009 budget and workplan evaluate the strategic plan workplan Hold a board retreat to Update the staff development evaluate the strategic plan plan 7 of 7