Jen Levy, ANCA Executive Director
At the September 2024 Annual Summit in Memphis, the ANCA Board hosted an evening of roundtable discussions with members, designed to gather insights essential for our next strategic plan. We divided Summit attendees into ten peer groups based on leadership tenure, and each group met with one or two board members.
During these sessions, we asked each group:
- What are your biggest challenges?
- How are you addressing those challenges?
- What skills, experiences, or resources do you need?
- What trends or changes will most impact ANCA members over the next five years?
- What trends in the profession should we consider for our strategic planning?
- Is there anything we haven’t asked that would be useful for planning?
We are now reviewing the notes from each discussion to identify key themes. One theme that currently stands out is the need to elevate our field’s value and make a compelling case for ANCA’s impact, as well as that of our members.
Creating a strong case for support is essential, both for our member organizations and for ANCA. We need to communicate our unique value, aligning stakeholders, donors, and members with shared goals. ANCA must stand out as the only organization dedicated to supporting nature center administrators. Like many of our members, we rely on philanthropic support to fuel our mission.
We are a nonprofit and have consistently sought contributed income to meet our budget and program objectives. We communicate the value of nature centers and our mission to support leaders, but we face challenges in showcasing quantifiable ways we elevate the field. We need a new case statement to demonstrate our impact clearly, highlighting our measurable contributions such as advancing leadership, advocating for best practices, and promoting sustainable programming. Success stories and data will underscore why ANCA’s work is critical to environmental and nature education.
To help create this crucial case statement, we are partnering with James Misner, Founder and Owner of The Kipos Group. Hiring a consultant ensures the project is completed efficiently, without pulling ANCA staff from core responsibilities. This resulting work will anchor our fundraising efforts, articulating our value and impact. By investing in this process, we gain an external perspective from fundraising experts who can help us highlight strengths and address challenges effectively. We met James at the Summit. The Kipos Group was a Table Sponsor and James led two fundraising programs that were very well received by attendees. James is passionate about helping non-profit organizations achieve success and make a positive impact in their communities. We share a similar passion for our members’ success and look forward to working with him.
Gathering member input at the Summit is essential as we plan, but not all our members attend this annual event. As we review the notes from the Summit discussions, we will look for themes and questions to explore with the full membership. A comprehensive understanding of our members' needs and priorities is critical in guiding ANCA's strategic direction.
As we move forward with our strategic planning, we remain committed to fostering a strong, unified voice for the nature center community. By leveraging the insights gathered from our members and working alongside experts like James Misner, ANCA aims to not only advance our mission but also to elevate the role of nature centers in their communities. We will continue engaging with our members throughout this process to ensure our goals and initiatives align with their needs and aspirations. Together, we can strengthen our field, amplify our impact, and secure the support needed to lead the next generation of nature center leadership.
