In This Issue
Many groups have told us that they will do just about anything to avoid strategic planning. This attitude is usually based on a bad past experience. We understand the frustration, but hope you will consider finding a planning style and level that fits the needs of your group the best. A good long-range plan can help your board and members work together to achieve your goals. More importantly, it gives you a way to say no to projects that take you away from reaching your goals.
To help you choose the right planning approach we are hosting an audio conference conducted by the staff from the Institute for Conservation Leadership (ICL). We have worked with ICL in the past and they have always provided stellar trainings. By the end of the audio conference, you will be able to:
- Identify questions every organization needs to ask to get ready for strategic planning
- Avoid the three most common pitfalls
- Discuss practical options and examples of current approaches to strategic planning
- Select an approach to strategic planning that achieves your goals and works for your situation.
After the 60 minute conference call we will have a brief discussion about your group’s planning needs and will provide materials you can take back to your board to decide which planning strategy is best for you.
The call will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 from 12-1pm at the River Alliance office in Madison. Please arrive by 11:45am and bring a lunch.
To register, send an e-mail to localgroups@wisconsinrivers.org by Tuesday November 3rd. Please submit any questions you have about strategic planning that you would like us to forward to ICL so they can address them during the conference call.
If you are unable to attend the call at our office, you can register for the call directly from ICL for $45.
Top Ten Board Governance Mistakes
Our
friends at Community Shares of Wisconsin 
recently featured the blog, Charity Lawyer. The post,
Top
10 Non-profit Governance Mistakes (From a Lawyer’s Perspective), shares the
common mistakes made by boards of directors this nonprofit lawyer has seen. We
have also seen some of these mistakes and encourage groups to utilize resources
like our Watershed Advocate Toolkit and Board Trainings to increase your board’s understanding of and participation in good oversight practices.
Here is
the quick review of the top ten list. Click on the link above to read the
details for each item.
1. Failing to Understand Fiduciary Duties
2. Failing to Provide Effective Oversight
3. Deference to the Executive Committee, Board Chair or the
Organization’s Founder
4. Micro-managing Staff
5. Avoiding The Hard Questions
6. Insufficient Conflict Management
7. Lack of Awareness of Laws Governing Tax-Exempts
8. Operating with Outdated, Inconsistent Governing
Documents
9. Airing Disagreements Outside the Boardroom
10. Failure to Cultivate Board Diversity.
Grant Program Announcement: WEEB
The Wisconsin Environmental Education Board (WEEB) just announced its 2010 grant opportunities. WEEB provides grants up to $10,000 for general environmental education projects. Many river groups have received WEEB grants in the past. A sample of previously funded river group grant proposals are listed below to provide examples of the types of river work WEEB has funded.
Bad River Watershed Association
This project will train Bad River Watershed Association water quality monitors to identify and look for invasive species and to report any findings along with their monthly water quality data. A special issue of the organization's newsletter will also alert members to invasive species they might notice and to report their findings to BRWA staff.
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
The purpose of the program is to increase the amount and quality of river data in our watershed, as well as to educate citizens to become informed and active stewards of our waterways.
Friends of the Black River
A water stewardship event will combine a river clean-up of the Black River followed by a river based environmental education festival. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness about the Black River as well as educate the community about water stewardship in the Black River basin.
Friends of the St. Croix Headwaters
An innovative educator workshop/retreat for teachers has been designed to encourage “out-of-the-box” interdisciplinary thinking, and to provide assistance in integrating on-the-water aquatic educational activities with district curriculum and state standards.
If your group has an education project, the deadline for applying to WEEB is February 13, 2010. The grant application details are on the WEEB website._________________________
Friends of the Black River in the News
Congratulations to Friends of the Black River for receiving such
great media coverage recently! Both the Eau Claire Leader Telegram and WEAU TV’s “Our Town” cited FBR’s many successes in protecting the Black River watershed and promoting and maintaining the public access to the river. Mentioned in the list of FBR events were its annual river and land clean-up events, organized paddles and the high quality public informational meetings. You can view both news pieces on the FBR website.
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