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Where Does the Money Go?
You may not know that as a community-centered,
local organization, Audubon Vermont's budget is based on
direct charitable contributions
and program revenues. Private contributions are not the icing
on the cake here at Audubon Vermont, they are the cake itself.
To keep the cost of Audubon programs affordable to all Vermonters,
we must generate two thirds of our budget from private contributions
(e.g. we charge just $4.50 per school child to attend an
Audubon Vermont program, but the actual cost of educating
each child is $14.00). With our programs expanding, your
direct support of Audubon's work in Vermont becomes even
more important. Without support from individuals like you,
state-wide initiatives such as the Important Bird Areas Program
would not be possible. As you read about Audubon Vermont's
activities and plans, we hope you will consider supporting
these programs here in Vermont by making a gift directly
to Audubon Vermont.
Membership payments and gifts sent to the National Audubon
Society support vital work at the national and global level,
but do not remain in Vermont to support local activities.
We realize that you receive many mailings from the National
Audubon Society as well as the two requests this office sends
out annually. If you want your dollars to remain in Vermont
to support local activities, please make your check payable
to the National Audubon Society, but send it to the Audubon
Vermont office with a notation that you wish to have your
gift remain in Vermont to support local activities. Your
gift of $20 or more entitles you to all benefits of Audubon
membership, including the award-winning Audubon magazine,
the quarterly Audubon Vermont newsletter, and donor-only
discounts on programs for Vermonters of all ages. Your gifts
to Audubon Vermont help make possible the following:
Environmental Education
Audubon believes that caring for our natural environment
requires
engaging and educating the next generation of environmental
leaders. Hands-on environmental
education
is at the core of Audubon's efforts to preserve and protect
our natural heritage for the enjoyment and benefit of future
generations. Our programs are designed
to make it possible for a child to explore nature in our
pre-school programs, advance to school field trips, spend
their summers at day camp, and eventually attend our residential
summer camps. Exploring nature hands-on, these kids build
impressions that will last a lifetime and we hope, create
a life-long love for our planet and a desire to become
involved in its protection.
Each year Audubon Vermont's year-round education programs
reach thousands of Vermonters of all ages to help guide
them along the continuum from appreciation to understanding
to stewardship of nature.
Science programs with an emphasis on citizen engagement
Our science program builds upon
Audubon's heritage of bird conservation and the successful
cultivation of citizen
scientists who assist with our many conservation efforts.
Whether an
area supports a large concentration or exceptional diversity
of birds, harbors rare and endangered species, or contains
unique or threatened habitat, conservation of these sites
is crucial. These are the places
that make up our landscape, that help define the special
nature of our state and our communities. Audubon Vermont
has made the identification and conservation of these special
places a top priority through the development of a Bird
Conservation Initiative for Vermont based around our Important
Bird Area (IBA) program.
Effective grassroots advocacy for the protection of critical
habitat
Action is the natural outgrowth of our passion to conserve
and protect our environment. Partnership is the best word
to describe Audubon's approach to influencing public policy.
Our success is based on our ability to leverage grassroots
support through our chapters and members and build coalitions
and alliances. We work closely with the national public
policy office of Audubon to assure coordination of activities
on key national issues. Audubon's grassroots network of
activists and science-based, solution-oriented approach
to resolving
public policy issues have earned the organization a reputation
as a thoughtful, reputable advocate for wildlife and habitat. |
