by Melissa Blakley, Chapter Development Associate
The environmental challenges we face in Missouri have grown in number and scope in recent years. To meet these challenges, beginning in 2005, Missouri Sierra Club leaders implemented an ambitious long-range strategic plan, that is intended to fully fund the Club’s operations and conservation priorities.
The plan actually expands our reach and effectiveness in Missouri so that we can continue our work to safeguard Missouri’s natural heritage for generations to come. It identifies aggressive conservation priorities and legislative goals, and provides for a new long-range sustainable fundraising plan that will enable us to achieve our expanded vision. The plan builds on the strengths of the Missouri Sierra Club—a small staff multiplied by an active and engaged member base.
Our newly focused conservation initiatives, combined with our new fundraising plan, will help us leverage our strengths at a time when the environmental progress we have achieved and now take for granted is under an aggressive and sustained attack. Those who are in charge of public policy—nationally and here in Missouri—are rolling back environmental protections that Americans have come to count on for more than a generation: our clean air and clean water laws are being rolled back or reinterpreted in the polluters favor; basic principles embodied in the Endangered Species Act are being threatened; agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that are charged with enforcing the laws and holding polluters accountable have been de-funded and/or staffed at the highest levels with industry insiders; public participation is being denied and sound science is either being ignored or obfuscated. On top of all that, we are challenged with the consequences of global warming and redirecting our energy future.
Missouri Chapter leaders developed a new strategic vision with these challenges in mind combined with a growing financial necessity. Since 9/11/2001 Chapter income declined while basic expenses increased slightly. By 2004, when income didn’t increase and savings were about to run out, Chapter leaders knew they had to act boldly or cut what was already a bare-bones budget—providing for a Chapter Director/Lobbyist, a small office in Columbia and an Office Coordinator.
Missouri Sierra Club’s volunteer leaders created a new vision for the Club that actually expands our reach and effectiveness in Missouri. They believe that our members and friends will fully support the Club’s effective work in Missouri if we do three things—communicate more effectively regarding our efforts and accomplishments in Missouri, let you know what we need to get the job done, and ask for your help. So far, they have been proven right. Financial contributions were up significantly in 2005! And the goal for 2006 is equally ambitious. (See chart and graph)
In addition to the basic Chapter operations budget, we must fund all state conservation initiatives we take on. The more you contribute, the more your Missouri Sierra Club can accomplish. As you probably know, since we are a volunteer organization, our work isn’t limited to our presence at the Missouri legislature and our four conservation priorities; however, those priorities guide us in our funding decisions. Currently we are heavily engaged in our Clean Air and Energy Campaign—promoting clean energy solutions while opposing more dirty coal-burning power plants. Since coal-burning power plants are a major source of global warming gases, our efforts have recently taken on added urgency.
Like other Sierra Club initiatives, our Clean Air and Energy Campaign seeks to influence and change public policy in order to achieve wide-ranging, long-term results. We believe this important campaign could influence energy policy throughout Missouri and the entire Midwest (see “Stopping the Coal Rush in Missouri”). We have budgeted an additional $20,000 to fund this campaign in 2006. Those funds must be raised from our Missouri members.
Chart:
Invest in Missouri’s Future May 30, 2006 | ||||
2004 | 2006 | 2005 (Goal) | 2006 (Actual) | |
| March Member Appeal + other donations | $20,385 | $29,296 | $29,000 | $13,063 |
| Priority Campaigns Clean Air & Energy | $14,823 | $20,000 | $4,365 | |
| Major Donors (operations) | $5,950 | $32,000 | $12,000 | |
Total | $20,385 | $50,069 | $81,000 | $29,428 |
| Number of donors | 425 | 460 | 506 | 218 |
Where does the money come from?
One common misconception is that Missouri Sierra Club receives adequate funding from Sierra Club at the national level. While we do receive a small portion of your annual membership dues ($5/ member) and other revenue sharing from the national Sierra Club, it isn’t nearly enough to fund even a bare-bones budget—providing for a Chapter Director/Lobbyist, a small office in Columbia and an Office Coordinator.
This is why we count on YOU to support our work in Missouri.